This is Time
by Nathan Ringger
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
This project, This is Time, is a durational performance exploring repetition, attention, and the passage of time. Over five weeks, I wrote the phrase “This is time” continuously by hand for 45 minutes, once a week at the same scheduled time. Each session followed strict rules: no phone, no music, no talking, and no breaks. The performance was documented with an overhead camera, creating time-lapse footage and a growing stack of handwritten pages.
The process became less about the phrase itself and more about committing to time. Repetition shifted from mechanical to meditative, and small variations in handwriting, pace, and focus became more noticeable. The piece is influenced by various performers and thinkers who we learned about in Intro to Performance Studies.
NATHAN'S BIO:
I’m a student at NYU Tisch studying Performance Studies with a focus on acting and storytelling. I’m interested in performance both as something we create on stage and something we live out in everyday life. At NYU, I’m involved in Hammerkatz, a sketch comedy group, and After School Improv, where I collaborate and perform regularly. In my work I try to explore simple concepts with applied structure. I enjoy thinking about how meaning builds over time through repetition, attention, and presence.
I’m especially interested in live performance and the relationship between performer and audience, as well as how performance can make us more aware of time, behavior, and connection.