“Passing the Want”
Performed March 2016
3-hour duration
Over the course of 3 hours, I stood blinded by white plaster with palms stretched outward. Waiting. As I stood, I listened to people as they passed me by, as they talked amongst each other on how best to avoid me and every so often, I was greeted by two other palms stretch out to mine. Alas, the warmth of touch and connection. Following our palm to palm embrace, I asked the other, “What do you want?” Answers varied from, “World Peace” to “Meet interesting people”. After hearing their response, I blindly reached for a white piece of chalk and wrote their response on translucent paper. I placed the morsel of salt in one hand and water in the other… A mark of our exchange. A reminder of their want. The following text guided the formation of this work:
Want, wanting what, wanting what you
Wanting what you can
Wanting what you can not
Wanting what you can’t not
Wanting what you can’t not want
Want wanting what you can’t want
Want what you can’t
What can’t you want
You can’t want
What Pass the salt
Pass the want
Passing on want
Salted want
Wanted salt
Salty want
Pass on You
No thank you do you want the
Salt No on
None
No One
No do
​Done