| Components
A cupboard A chair A person 148 balloons Stuff the balloons into trouser pockets Action Emptying one’s lungs into each balloon, roughly two and a half full breaths to fill. One begins with pattern and firm focus on each act of deflation into expansion. The pattern of left pocket, right pocket is lost amidst the battle to balance oxygen in, with carbon dioxide out. The lungs inversely mirror each balloon. The capacity of each balloon is equivalent to 5 lungs. 5 of one’s lungs. Only one burst due to overexpansion. Surface tension surpassed by force of breath. A filter descends with colour. A new criteria, a new variable in the experiment. Breath, volume, posture, tension, colour Colour brings location and destination. Breath , volume, posture, tension, colour, destination Number was abandoned before one sat. From experience one knew it would not be retained throughout and so was left. One knows the total and will double-check when this is over. Ordinal is present in short chains. Simply to inject variation in sequence and welcome aesthetic thought. Muscles begin to show their limits. Not the diaphragm and chest but those of the lips. Teeth are recruited to back up lips. Grip is often lost, balloon falls. Rationale: Why is one sitting in a cupboard and blowing up 148 balloons? One is interested in the exchange of breath from the lungs for space in the cupboard. How many balloons will it take to fill? Can one keep filling balloons until the cupboard door is pushed open by the force of the balloons compressed inside? Can one blow the door open before the balloons begin to burst? Taking a step back from the act itself Why does one want to find the answers to these questions? Breath is essential. It connects one to space, each other and the universe. A challenge. A simply idea, giving the impression of a misunderstanding of how the universe operates? If the cupboard was sealed airtight the lack of oxygen would be of concern. However the intention here is not to see what happens when a person has no oxygen. This outcome is known. The intent is in the doing. Why should one not embark on seemingly fruitless actions? Why should one embark on actions which to others appear to be futile and unnecessary? One answer is that the judgement implied in those words is the reason for the action. Another is where one finds a situation overwhelming and pointlessness colours ones’ choices, embodying a fruitless action is empowering, liberating. Each act is a meditative one. “Why is one here?” is the question which appears. Not in an existential or abstract frame. A fully present and felt being-in one body, this body, one’s own body. A replete manifestation of one’s own subjectivity. A lived presence. After To enable others to become aware of one’s actions there is a need to evidence. Record, edit, present The act itself is the act itself Anything which is experienced after the end of the act is a shadow. A pale after-image What is one to do? One is required to seek a means to bring the other into the act. To enable the other to travel in time and space For they to attempt to wear one’s subjectivity If only for the time inside a blink |
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