At 5.45am on Valentine's Day this year, performance artist and designer found herself in her kitchen making spaghetti bolognese, questioning her life choices. She was preparing to go on 100 virtual dates over the next 17 hours, a project born from a desire to avoid being alone on the day.
The artist, who has lived in London for a decade, announced an open call on Instagram for people to book five-minute slots between 7am and midnight. The dates were livestreamed, with participants asked to treat them like normal dates. To her surprise, so many signed up that a reserve list was needed.
Participants ranged from a 21-year-old to an 80-year-old writer from Surrey, and came from countries including Australia, the US, Singapore, France, Germany, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands and Italy. Many brought cards, balloons and flowers; one serenaded her on the piano.
There were challenges: six people didn't show, and one date turned creepy, though the livestream made his behaviour public. An ex-boyfriend also appeared, causing initial panic but ending in a pleasant catch-up. The dates finished at 2am, after which she cried, feeling she had found authentic connections.
While about 10 people seemed worth dating again, she has not followed up, preferring to keep her art separate from her personal life. The project, she said, showed that successful performance art creates experiences that resonate, and she feels she has done her job.
