Hear the Call PICA
Concept
The audience can loan a phone. The phone also comes with an instruction guide which further outlays phone functions (as seen in images above). These phones are recycled display phones, thrown away from phone shops, or recycling places, there are no electronics inside. The audience is asked to extend their imagination in having a private conversation with a range of others.
Continuing conversations with others (who are not present) while alone in the shower, for example, could be classified as normal. Talking to ourselves with an array of different internalised others is a part of our everyday inner social process. This work asks the audience to do this directly through the phones.
This work is a huge challenge for the audience. It rests entirely on them and their ability to reach out and speak with others who may not be currently physically present but still remain very present in their life.
Audience
A private work for a more open experimental audience.
Space
Minimum 4m sq space with a desk or clipboards for participants to sign contracts and display unit to display and store the phones.
Best if space is close to natural environment, some people may be speaking with deceased people and a natural open environment, a garden, the harbour etc, space to speak out of earshot will aid this connection.
Installation
Normal phone display looking design, reinstalled second hand from shop fitting. Preferably standalone clear perspex or glass display shelving.
Attendant
Attendants are needed to explain the work to audience, allow them to sign loan contract to borrow the phone.
Legal
A contract for the audience to sign to obtain the phone.
The contract must include clause that makes the audience responsible for handling the conversations on these phones and the gallery and artist bear no responsibility for any issues that may arise from interacting with others through the non-electronic phone.
Benefits
- Challenging the audience to open themselves to their imagination, introjection and projection.
- Interactive, introspective, intimate pieces for the audience to explore.
Challenges
- Asking a lot from audiences (psychologically) as participatory work.
- The work barely exists without the audience's engagement. (Perhaps a good thing).
Accomodations for Covid
This work should be on display live but it could potentially also be an item ordered online.
Additionally a selected few consenting people (who may or may not want to remain anonymous) could be shown interacting with the phone (sincerely interacting) in a video.