face time

Although I like the simple idea of a face-to-face situation in front of an audience, I'm still a bit confused about my passive-aggressive role in the performance. It would help if we could discuss the conditions and situation more thoroughly, without getting too philosophical about it. I mean, such encounter implies some sort of primacy of relation; a condition for the beginning of language as dialogue. Our performance is properly speaking not a dialogue (perhaps the text that is read aloud could be written in the form of a dialogue).

The awkward experience me and other participants had during the tour was in my opinion caused by the (unintentional) demand that you make when you speak and look at one person particularly. For example I sometimes had to choose between reciprocating this address and forget about what you had to say or focus on the content of your talk. So even though a face-to-face encounter constitutes the beginning of dialogue, it is necessary to detach oneself from the face's expression; disconnect the voice from the face.

Interesting here is that this non-reciprocal relation of responsibility ('many ways to the notion': 'nodding/clapping/winking/turning one's back to responsibility' (Thesaurus under Special Social Volition)) was an important motive for my gestures in Video Class.

So what happens when we stage this situation? The setup with the table and lamp emphasizes the physical symmetry of the face-to-face opposition. Our presence is completely asymmetrical, it always is, but you speech/talk, have a microphone and I sit and don't speak. What distinguishes me from a bunny or a wall is that I intentionally (volitionally) focus on you. The decision whether you face or back (or leave it open) the audience, will have an effect to the extent in which your amplified voice will be experienced as disconnected from you.

It could be an appointment, but it might be experienced as a game, and is that a good thing? Am I a kind of continuous interruption by not responding verbally? Face time implies some kind of honesty or a confession, do you think we can keep a tension between this implication and alienation? Or do you think that my interruption ridicules me and/or you?

Of course there's the flickering light, but for now I let it stew a bit and see what you think.

freezing/flowing