2019.7
Residency at Old School Residence in Gorna Lipnitsa, Bulgaria
I. Mini Souvenir Museum
Museum Tour Guide Script:
Welcome to Gorna Lipnitsa Mini Souvenir Museum. I’m your tour guide Wendy today. Please let me introduce the exhibits for you.
This village is a unique place to me, unlike anywhere I’ve been to. I really like it here. So I thought, why not make a museum of souvenirs for the local people as my project? It will symbolize a collection of my memories here.
The objects that you see here on the table are what I made from a traveler’s perspective. They are all inspired by the things that I found interesting here in Gorna Lipnitsa, for example, fountain from the school building, bottle from Dimitar’s chapel, ice cream cone trash cans, rainbow, windows for the charcoal, the battle play, carts selling cotton candy and balloons, traditional Bulgarian dances, TV from the last century, etc.
Among all of the objects, what impressed me most was the benches. They are everywhere. I had never seen so many benches in my entire life. That’s why I drew them. Recently I am doing interviews with people who are sitting on the benches. I’m curious to know what people usually see, think and talk about when they sit on the bench. If you’re interested, please write down a story about the bench on one of the blank cards here.
After the museum tour, everybody who comes today can take one of the exhibits home as a souvenir, except for my laptop (it’s very expensive). The idea behind this is that first, as a lifelong traveler, everywhere is my home. So these objects going to your homes is like me going home. Second, once the objects are gone, what's left for me here are just date and time, which symbolizes that those good memories will only exist in my imagination.
This is the end of the museum tour. You can find more things that I like about the village on the poster over there. In about 10 minutes, I will invite everybody here to join a ritual with me, where you will further experience what I feel about coming here. It will take around 15 minutes. And it will start in this room.
Welcome to Gorna Lipnitsa Mini Souvenir Museum. I’m your tour guide Wendy today. Please let me introduce the exhibits for you.
This village is a unique place to me, unlike anywhere I’ve been to. I really like it here. So I thought, why not make a museum of souvenirs for the local people as my project? It will symbolize a collection of my memories here.
The objects that you see here on the table are what I made from a traveler’s perspective. They are all inspired by the things that I found interesting here in Gorna Lipnitsa, for example, fountain from the school building, bottle from Dimitar’s chapel, ice cream cone trash cans, rainbow, windows for the charcoal, the battle play, carts selling cotton candy and balloons, traditional Bulgarian dances, TV from the last century, etc.
Among all of the objects, what impressed me most was the benches. They are everywhere. I had never seen so many benches in my entire life. That’s why I drew them. Recently I am doing interviews with people who are sitting on the benches. I’m curious to know what people usually see, think and talk about when they sit on the bench. If you’re interested, please write down a story about the bench on one of the blank cards here.
After the museum tour, everybody who comes today can take one of the exhibits home as a souvenir, except for my laptop (it’s very expensive). The idea behind this is that first, as a lifelong traveler, everywhere is my home. So these objects going to your homes is like me going home. Second, once the objects are gone, what's left for me here are just date and time, which symbolizes that those good memories will only exist in my imagination.
This is the end of the museum tour. You can find more things that I like about the village on the poster over there. In about 10 minutes, I will invite everybody here to join a ritual with me, where you will further experience what I feel about coming here. It will take around 15 minutes. And it will start in this room.
II. Ritual Journey
Gorna Lipnitsa Soundscape
Ritual Journey Script:
1. Form a line.
2. Gently put your hand on the previous person’s shoulder.
3. Close your eyes. The person in front of you will be your eyes. Only the first person in the line can open the eyes.
4. Now we’re going to start walking on the second floor of this building. When walking, there should be no talking or making any noises. (Tell the first person to walk into at least one of the rooms)
5. Don’t open your eyes. Trust the person in front of you. Your hand should be on the person’s shoulder. And also feel the hands on your own shoulder.
6. (When everybody is back in the studio, play the soundscape.) Remain your eyes closed. And trust your ears.
7. Don’t open your eyes until I tell you to do so.
8. (When the soundscape is over) Now please open your eyes.
9. Talk.
When you followed the people in front of you with your eyes closed, that means you had a lot of trust in them. This process is the symbol of my journey here. I trusted the host family so I flew from China; I trusted the employees and strangers at the train station in Sofia; and I trusted the passengers who sat in the same compartment on the train. The whole process of coming here is a pilgrimage to me. This journey itself is art.
And the sound you just heard is a collage of what I find interesting and unique here in the village. They are moments of rural life and sounds from the studio. So, now you have experienced what I consider treasure in this village. And I would like to hear your thoughts. Let’s stand in a circle around the table here, and each of us can share one by one: What do you treasure in this village? I will pass this rock and when you get this rock, you’ll say what you treasure in this village. (Pick a starter)
I hope that by participating in this and sharing and hearing about other people’s treasures, we have all found some new treasures in our hearts. Let’s end this ritual by singing in unison in this circle, face to face. Hopefully, we can gain power and peace by singing in unison and hearing ourselves vibrating together. Please follow me. (Teach “送别(Songbie)”.) And one last time we’ll do it by holding our hands.
The end. Clap clap. It is fate that brought us together. Thank you for coming.
1. Form a line.
2. Gently put your hand on the previous person’s shoulder.
3. Close your eyes. The person in front of you will be your eyes. Only the first person in the line can open the eyes.
4. Now we’re going to start walking on the second floor of this building. When walking, there should be no talking or making any noises. (Tell the first person to walk into at least one of the rooms)
5. Don’t open your eyes. Trust the person in front of you. Your hand should be on the person’s shoulder. And also feel the hands on your own shoulder.
6. (When everybody is back in the studio, play the soundscape.) Remain your eyes closed. And trust your ears.
7. Don’t open your eyes until I tell you to do so.
8. (When the soundscape is over) Now please open your eyes.
9. Talk.
When you followed the people in front of you with your eyes closed, that means you had a lot of trust in them. This process is the symbol of my journey here. I trusted the host family so I flew from China; I trusted the employees and strangers at the train station in Sofia; and I trusted the passengers who sat in the same compartment on the train. The whole process of coming here is a pilgrimage to me. This journey itself is art.
And the sound you just heard is a collage of what I find interesting and unique here in the village. They are moments of rural life and sounds from the studio. So, now you have experienced what I consider treasure in this village. And I would like to hear your thoughts. Let’s stand in a circle around the table here, and each of us can share one by one: What do you treasure in this village? I will pass this rock and when you get this rock, you’ll say what you treasure in this village. (Pick a starter)
I hope that by participating in this and sharing and hearing about other people’s treasures, we have all found some new treasures in our hearts. Let’s end this ritual by singing in unison in this circle, face to face. Hopefully, we can gain power and peace by singing in unison and hearing ourselves vibrating together. Please follow me. (Teach “送别(Songbie)”.) And one last time we’ll do it by holding our hands.
The end. Clap clap. It is fate that brought us together. Thank you for coming.
III. Bench Interviews
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Other than drawing the benches I saw, I walked around the village with my drawings (made into cards) and tried to talk to people sitting on benches. I either had a translator or went by myself with a sheet of paper with translations of my questions:
Hello. I am an artist in residency. I really like the benches here in Gorna Lipnitsa. I made a lot of drawings of them. I am very curious to know what you usually talk about or think about when you sit on the benches. (When by myself) Is it okay if I record your voice? And what’s special about the bench in front of your own house? Are there stories that you can share with me? Thank you for sharing. Please take one of my drawings as my gift to you. |
The record of the interviews is as follows:
| Interviews about Benches |
For some of the benches whose owners I could not find or meet, I taped some of my drawings to them:
On a Tuesday morning we went to a market in Pavlikeni. Among all of the vegetables, I bought this accordion and tried to figure out how to play it. I picked a Chinese song "送别" which means "Farewell". And this is one of the best memories here, too.