The concept of proximity practices
One of the routines of my life is regular calls to family members who aren’t around. Often distance forms not only a physical distance but also an emotional distance: we are still family, but there is no real connection between us. In this case, talk becomes empty because there’s nothing to discuss, and I don’t want to share anything. They’re forced and awkward. At the same time, these conversations carry a strange sense of stability; despite the verbal void, they are filled with a special, broken human relationship. As part of my work on the project, I turned to my grandmothers, which has also become a practice of convergence.
video concept of proximity practices
Routine conversations have a strange potential to calm down: they’re awkward, but they also make it clear that at the other end of the wire everything is stable. However, they are not full of detail: the same questions «how do you do?» are repeated every time, followed by the same answers: all good, all right. But this claim is that it’s all right, the dialogue process itself is both awkward and soothing. In the video, I use my hands and my grandmother keeps them in the castle. So I’m comparing our ways of dealing with the tension: Grandma freezes, and I, on the contrary, resort to small, chaotic movements. Against the background, there is a strange song of dialogue gathered from my domestic conversations with my relatives. The strange and broken sound highlights the awkwardness of the conversation, but the repeated nature of the words has a contradictory calming effect.
The concept of a series of photographs of proximity practices
My older relatives often send me virtual postcards — mass distributions with bright but impersonal images. This is basically our routine, everyday communication. These cards aren’t engaging or informative, but I see them as warm and as an attempt to keep in touch. Every card like this is a sign of what’s been remembered. However, I rarely respond to the awkwardness of their inappropriate brightness in the face of our weakened relationship. I’m creating a series of physical cards based on digital cards, offering to use them in everyday communication. I replace generic images with home pictures that show weird but comfortable living, and my grandmother writes on top of photos of wishes she would really like to see on these cards, filling them with live participation and real content. Photos are printed on perlamouth paper, saving some of the aesthetics Grandma likes in digital postcards.
The whole series.
Exposition of the project on proximity practices
Two videos with a common sound are displayed in different corners of the room, creating a sense of distance that can be overcome by conversation. Cards are placed between the screens. The configuration may vary depending on the room.
Exposition sketch