Phone Conversation
Düsseldorf, 2020
Performance, place an duration variable   


The intention of the performance : dealing with how visitors in the exhibition perceive art works.

venue of the performance : art academy Düsseldorf.

how to perform : The conversation bases on how the performers react to the artworks in the exhibition room and their opinion on these artworks. The conversation of the performers should be half improvised. Some instruction are given. the performer is allowed to have some interaction with the visitors in the room. the text can be spoken in different languages

Text Summary : Two performers, A and B talk on the mobile phone about what they see in the exhibition room. B later does live - streaming, talking about the topic ‘’how the visitor should perceive an artwork’’. At the same time, A simulates what B says.


content/text:

Black words indicate the description and instruction for the action and conversation. ed words indicate the sentences that the performers are asked to speak.


In the beginning, both performers sit on a chair in the front area (check the room-plan). They wear sunglasses. A calls B by mobile phone. A leaves the chair and walks to the inside of the exhibition room. B’s mobile phone is on silent mode. B doesn’t pick up the call for the first time. A calls B again. The second time B picks up the phone.

A : Hey, wie geht’s?

B : Läuft und selber?

for responding the greeting, performers can improvise and add different dialogs. The conversation should be casual like chatting with friends.

A : läuft. Was machst du ?

B : Ich gucke eine Ausstellung an.

A : Ich auch.

B : Was gibt es dann da zu sehen?

A says an artwork, which he or she ( the performer ) in this moment sees.

B : Erzähl mal detaillierter.

A describes more details about the work.

A : Wie findest du das?

B says his/her opinion about the works ( although B has not seen the artwork), B tries to give comments. A responses.

A : und was guckst du jetzt, wie ist die Ausstellung bei dir?

B says his/her opinion on the exhibition and describes an artwork that B sees this very moment. A responses, asking about more detailed information.

While B is talking about the artwork, A suddenly interrupts B. A says something really personal. (the concrete content depends on different performers. The personal thing can also be something tiny, daily detail or something dramatic. )

B : Und warum sagst du mir das?

A: Ich brauche Reaktion. Was machst du?

B: Ich lächele.

B smiles, he / she walks through quickly from one to another room in 012. At the same time, A steps into the YOUTUBE room and starts a live-streaming show. Meanwhile B keeps on walking.

A begins to live-stream him-/herself in the YOUTUBE room. He/She faces the camera. The streaming will be transferred to a monitor outside the room. A talks about the topic, '' how shall visitors perceive artworks.'' The Performer who performs A should improvise his/her thoughts.

Here is a short outline of the topic that the performer needs to talk about during streaming. The outline would be printed out and the performer is allowed to see the notes when A does the live-streaming. please note that the both performers are still both on phone.

In any circumstance, Nr 10 ( how should the visitor leave the exhibition room) is the last one that A should mention.




Outline

1. What kind of mood / emotion should a visitor have.

2. The visitors should always involve their private daily life to an exhibition.

3. What kind of facial expression should the visitor have.

4. Body Movement when visiting the Exhibition.

5. What kind of walking speeds is appropriate for the visitor.

6. Visual angle to see an art work.

7. What should a visitor think about when seeing an exhibition.

8. Whether the visitors should talk in an exhibition room.

9. A gives example for this subject.

10. how the visitor should leave the exhibition room.




When A is doing the Live-stream, B tries to simulate what A says, simulating the movement/ walking speeds..... etc simultaneously to what A mentions in the live-streaming. When A gives a concrete example of an artwork, B should go to the art work and simulate the situation.

Please Note: The both performers are still on the phone, they hear the voice from the phone.

When A speaks about how the visitor should leave the exhibition ( Nr.10 ), B leaves room 012. When A says goodbye to the invisible audience from the youtube room, A also hangs up the phone, walking slowly back to the front room and sits on the chair, A makes a phone call again.

A : Was geht ab? Alles gut bei dir?

......Ne..... Ich habe heute Morgen *( or ''heute Mittag'', it depends on

whether the performer in the afternoon or in the morning perform)

einen abgelaufenen Joghurt gegessen und jetzt habe ich Bauchschmerzen.

...Huh... Aprikose Geschmack... und in diesem

Ausstellungsraum gibt es keine Toilette, ich muss kurz raus

gehen... warte mal, sag mal, was ist überhaupt passiert...

The food, yogurt can be substituted by Burger, chinese noodles, cakes, milk... etc. A talks on the phone and at the same time leaves the room.

Performance end.