August 18th, 2000, Cycle Begins in the Afternoon is a durational performance and record of the dates and times of seven years of sexual contact and menstruation.
When there are fertility problems, reproduction becomes sterile and impersonal. August 18th, 2000, Cycle Begins in the Afternoon is designed to break the silence and hiding.
Each artist lights one candle. Each begins to read from separate scripts. Rachel reads a list of failed attempts at conception. For each cycle, she lights a small candle for each sexual contact. Joseph reads medical files, letters from doctors, test results, diagnoses, and advice books. At the end of each cycle, we each blow out our candle, wait, and then light the candle again to start the new cycle.
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