Accion!MAD12, Madrid, Spain, 2012

Standstill


I’m already in the space, sitting on a chair closed to a table with 18 wine glasses and a still standing metronome. Softly I start to slight down from the chair on the floor. I stand up and move to chair to another spot in the space and repeat this action. After a second time I take out a piece of fabric with the writing “hold”. I put this over my face and slight slowly down a third time. After I take out a yellow rubber ball and bounce it playful on the floor. I switch on a kettle filled with water standing underneath the table. After a while I start to throw the ball against the wall and over the head of the audience. I continue with this action in unpredictable manner and different levels of playfulness, aggression, rhythms and power.

I stop this action in the moment the water is boiling. I take the kettle and pour out the hot water over the wine glasses and the table. I step in front of the table and take a toy musical box which was laying under the table and pull the string on it, so its starts to play a gentle children song. During the music I try to collect all the glasses between my arms. I take them and step away from the table. With the glasses between my arms I slowly walk to the center of the space and start to gently push the glass against each other. I’m looking at the audience and increase the pressure of the glasses till they start to crack and the hot water runs out. I continue with this action for a little while longer to the moment I lay them down on the floor. I search for eye contact with single audience members and take out the piece of fabric again. I unfold it completely and “hold breath” is readable now. Slowly I put it over my face and move it into my mouth till it disappears. Now I step on the table and relief the metronome standing on the table, which starts to tick. I leave the space.

photos: Monika Sobczak