Thursday 23 August 2012
An Introduction to Not Being Ready
photo: jangva taide
This was the Night of Arts, a yearly happening in Helsinki.
Gallery Jangva had asked us to present a performance that evening, so we took the opportunity to make an action called "An Introduction to Not Being Ready"
We seated facing each other and poured us a cup of coffee. Tomasz preferred white sugar, I took the brown sugar.
Gallery Jangva had asked us to present a performance that evening, so we took the opportunity to make an action called "An Introduction to Not Being Ready"
We seated facing each other and poured us a cup of coffee. Tomasz preferred white sugar, I took the brown sugar.
photo: jangva taide
We used the sugar cubes to build up a chess board and chessmen.
This took a long time.
Then the game could start.
This took a long time.
Then the game could start.
photo: lisamarie johnson
The game was very short, so I asked Tomasz for another cup of coffee.
Tomasz poured,
Tomasz poured,
photo: jangva taide
and poured,
photo: lisamarie johnson
till the can was emptied,
coffee dripping over the cup, over the saucer,
soaking the chessmen and board, over the table
onto my pants, into my shoes and onto the floor
Thanks!
coffee dripping over the cup, over the saucer,
soaking the chessmen and board, over the table
onto my pants, into my shoes and onto the floor
Thanks!
photo: lisamarie johnson
the action was filmed and projected,
one can still see the hopeless situation of the white king.
one can still see the hopeless situation of the white king.
the story behind the action
When I suggested Tomasz to play a chess game he immediately recalled his grandfather who was a great chess player, challenging anybody around him. His uncle took the bait and they fought out many games on the board, each and every game ending in a passionate brawl. In this atmosphere of flying chessmen, board and sometimes chairs, Tomasz learned to play chess from his grandfather. No wonder he took great care not to play too well...