Ohio State University MFA alumnus Nikhil Chopra returned to Columbus for a tour-de-force public performance during which he created a monumental charcoal drawing on the exterior of the Palace Theater. The work was based on a photograph from the 1940’s taken from the theater stage looking toward rows of empty seats titled “As the stars viewed the Palace.” By reinterpreting the photograph in large scale on the building exterior, Chopra juxtaposed the perspective of inside/outside, performer/audience, time/space, and reality/illusion. His dramatic, costumed performance began when he covered his face and hands with ghostly white makeup and clothed himself in a black cape that doubled as the tent in which he would sleep for the next three nights. Chopra worked on the drawing primarily from the elevated platform of an electric lift, taking breaks for lunch and naps in the ornate lobby of the theater, and resuming work until dusk. Each evening he walked or rode a COTA bus to pitch his tent at OSU near Hopkins Hall, home of the Department of Art. As the days wore on and the charcoal dust settled, his white makeup turned to black, ultimately obscuring and transforming his identity over the four-day performance. inside out: As the stars viewed the Palace concluded when Chopra stopped drawing, broke his 78-hour silence, and interacted with the audience that had gathered to witness its completion. Chopra’s drawing quickly faded due to exposure to the elements. When asked about the temporal nature of his work, he replied, “Nothing lasts.” In the context of Finding Time, Chopra was a charged, if fleeting, presence that left an indelible impression.