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TAKE TWO AT BEDTIME Performance, MAXXI Museum, Rome, 2024
Duration - 2hours 23minutes
Full video available on request*

In Take Two At Bedtime, Aparna Ashok confronts the overwhelming consequences of consumption, drawing on the historical parallels between the hedonism that led to the fall of the Roman Empire and the endless consumer culture of today. What happens when we, as a society, can’t seem to stop consuming, even at the cost of losing ourselves? How much is too much, and at what point does indulgence become a destructive force? Are we aware of the damage caused by this constant pursuit of more, or do we remain blissfully unaware, veiled by our own desires?

During the performance, Aparna chewed through 5 kilograms of black grapes—symbolic of the five days she spent in Rome—consuming them mindlessly. As she stuffed more and more grapes into her mouth, her inability to contain them mirrored the overwhelming nature of endless consumption. The grapes, once symbols of abundance, became a force of destruction, spilling out of her mouth and onto the floor.

Aparna’s performance invites us to question: How have we become a culture obsessed with consumption, endlessly feeding a hunger that can never be satisfied? As we consume, do we ever pause to consider what we might be sacrificing—our time, our environment, our very sense of self? Is there a limit to our desires, or are we destined to repeat the mistakes of the past, following the same path of indulgence that led to the downfall of empires?

The piece was performed at the MAXXI Museum in Rome as part of RUFA University’s Summer Lab - Performing Rome, taught by Marta Jovanovic. It explores the consequences of overconsumption, asking if we are so immersed in this cycle that we’ve become blind to the reality around us. What happens when the veil of consumerism is lifted? Will we finally see the damage it has caused, or will we continue to consume until we’ve lost sight of everything?

Through this durational performance, Aparna reflects on our present-day culture—a society that grows hungrier by the day, yet remains disconnected from the true cost of its desires.