DAY I — SIGN CODE, NO & OBJECT ONTOLOGY

DAY I — SIGN CODE, NO AND OBJECT ONTOLOGY

SIGN CODE

The group established a bodily code for collective responses:

YES — fingers moving upward;

NO — fingers moving downward;

IN BETWEEN — palms held parallel to the ground.

This made collective response visible without requiring everyone to speak sequentially.

TRANSITION SPACE

A transition between subjects or practices was marked by caressing the insides of the palms together, leaving room for questions and additions, counting to three and attempting to clap simultaneously.

Transition was treated as an active collective space rather than an empty interval.

INTENTION

Participants set one intention for themselves and one concerning their relation to the group.

Clément’s documented intention was to inspire participants and be inspired by them.

THE NO SERIES

The group explored encountering another person, noticing bodily response, saying NO, receiving NO, thanking someone for saying NO, refusing an encounter and changing habitual patterns of initiation.

“It is more difficult to say no to somebody who has more power.”

BULLY / VICTIM / SEDUCER

Participants moved through bully, victim and seducer positions. The other person answered NO. The exercise made power, persuasion and refusal physically observable.

OBJECT DISCOURSE

Themes introduced included function, mystery, intention, humanism, transformation, orientation, ontology, somatic activism and transitional objects.

The compass was discussed as an object that helps orientation.