A simple, meditative performance in the Tea Ceremony Pavilion of the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology of Kraków, Poland.
The Tea Ceremony Pavilion is a small square garden surrounded by tall walls, with a single entrance and a roofed bench on one side. The ground is covered in stones. Nearby, a church bell rings every quarter hour.
I made a simple, meditative performance in response to the space, intending to be fully present to the moment. I wanted to do a performance that allowed me to be conscious of where I was, to feel the time that I was occupying, and to absorb as much I could all that was surrounding me. I did not plan what I would do in advance but instead wanted to make each choice when the time arrived.
I placed a multiple-folded square of black cloth in the center of the garden. At each chime of the bell, I carefully unfolded each corner of the cloth so that it gradually grew larger. In that moment, I chose my next action, focusing on a different sense.
1st bell: I began before the announced start of the performance, sitting on the bench contemplating the small square of black cloth in the center of the expanse of stones.
2nd bell: I unfolded each corner of the cloth, expanding the square of black. I looked above me at the trees and the sky, trying to move as the leaves and branches moved in the wind, crossing the space at the speed of the clouds, feeling the rain on my arms.
3rd bell: After unfolding the cloth again, I focused on the rocks on the ground, matching colors, thinking that it might be possible to fit the fragments together, but it was not possible. I finally placed the rocks that I had selected in a line of gradation of color.
4th bell: I unfolded the cloth further making a yet larger black square, and then I stood at the wall with my eyes closed and listened – to the birds, the wind, dogs barking, the sound of traffic, people talking, and other performances in the garden beyond. I scrapped my hands and nails across the rough surface of the walls, creating a soft scratching sound.
5th bell: I unfolded the cloth so that it was fully open. I slowly circled the square of darkness, pausing to consider it from each side. I looked at the trees and sky one more time. Then I removed my shoes, closed my eyes, and stepped into the center of the blackness. I stood very still with my eyes closed, until the final bell rang.
6th bell: I stepped out of the cloth’s darkness and left the space.
[In the perfect version of this performance, the cloth would be as large as the garden, eventually submerging the space in darkness.]
