Keith White, director of the school of music, directs during the Vital Signs V rehearsal at the UCO Jazz Lab in Edmond, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista

“Vital Signs V”, a multimedia collaborative piece, will be performed by the College of Fine Arts and Design at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the UCO Jazz Lab.

“Vital Signs” is the fifth piece in a series by Dr. Keith White, director of the UCO School of Music.  The purpose behind the performance is to demonstrate what art is.

White feels people who do not have anything to do with the creation of art have too much clout in the determination of what is art.  ”As a creative artist myself, I’m a little outraged that critics and philosophers decide what is in the arts today,” White said.  ”If you want to see what’s art, go see the artists.”

“Vital Signs” aims to do just that.  The piece will include acting, music, painting and jewelry making, all in real time, throughout the entire performance.

White likened the collaboration to a three-ring circus.  The stage will be filled with artists creating or playing art, giving the audience the chance to watch and focus on what they want, when they want.  ”There will be more than you can take in,” White said.

White also wants the audience to see the creative process of an artist.  ”It’s very unusual for anyone to see an artist working,” he said.

One of the artists to perform is Charleen Weidell, chair of the art department.

Weidell teaches jewelry and metalsmithing.  Weidell, a studio artist, has worked with White before in a live performance.  The experience of performance art along with the collaboration of arts is what intrigues her with “Vital Signs.”

“What’s really cool about this is getting faculty from different departments to make one piece,” she said.  ”The fact that a work of art can be considered performance art is interesting.”

Another twist to the extraordinary experience is the fact the pieces the artists create during the performance will be auctioned off during the performance.  Stagehands will attend to audience members who want to bid on a piece by waving their program.

All proceeds will go toward scholarships for the schools of music, art and theatre.  The performance is free for UCO students, $10 for the general public.

Daisy Nystul, chair of the Theatre Arts Department, and Donald Bristow, professor of Theatre Arts, perform during the Vital Signs V rehearsal at the UCO Jazz Lab in Edmond, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista