Institution for Lost Postcards
objects, installation and long-durational performance, 2021
objects, installation and long-durational performance, 2021
A collaborative project by
Kenneth Ting Yu Lin (Taiwan) zhaoyuefan (China/Switzerland)
Natania Prezant (Switzerland) Wing Yan Lin (Hong Kong)
Natalia Sierra (Colombia/Switzerland)
Kenneth Ting Yu Lin (Taiwan) zhaoyuefan (China/Switzerland)
Natania Prezant (Switzerland) Wing Yan Lin (Hong Kong)
Natalia Sierra (Colombia/Switzerland)
from Transcultural Collaboration 2021 @Communitism, Athens, Greece
This collaborative project began with a general interest in postcards: Postcards are two-sided, one side with image and one side with text, which both are open and intimate, superficial and genuine. Postcards as tourist souvenirs represent the most iconic sceneries of an area (a mask); postcards indicate mobility, class (travel) and stability (fixed address) at the same time; a postcard is sending and receiving, a locus of passage, a vessel (carrying) and a membrane (border). Postcards can cross national borders. Occasionally, postcards get lost on their journeys.
With all these thoughts, we set out to explore the neighborhood around Omonia, Athens; a place where different cultures and economies assemble, decay and development coexist, and our presentation venue Communitism is located. Empty houses and homeless people on the street pushed us to ask: What is a home? Who has a home? Why do some people leave their home? What could a home be? This led us to our core question: Who can or cannot receive a postcard, and why?
Our engagement with the above issues resulted in a durational, interactive performance presented in the office of the “Institution for Lost Postcards.” The sewing room with the peacock blue wall at Communitism set the tone of the institution. In the office, audience members receive the opportunity to pick up and complete the delivery of a lost or undelivered postcard.
Based on our real-life post office experiences, we offered the audience a questionnaire which stimulates reflection, a whole bureaucratic procedure which requires patience, a personalized postcard based on their questionnaire, and a free postage stamp. Within this project, we also created a multimedia set of postcards: illustrated postcards, photography postcards, textile postcards as well as sound postcards.
performance
performance duration: 3 hours / collaborative work
The performance was set in a closed room. Corresponding to the real Covid regulations, Admission was limited to maximum of five guests. Like in the real post office, the rest of the audience should have to queue outside the door.
Once entering the room, the guest would be directed by the receptionist to fill in a questionnaire in the waiting area. Later the filled questionnaire would be reviewed twice at Counter No.1 and Counter No.2.
After the lengthy bureaucratic process, the guest would receive a stamped questionnaire, a postcard and a postage stamp and could have the chance to write and send the postcard in the office.
Once entering the room, the guest would be directed by the receptionist to fill in a questionnaire in the waiting area. Later the filled questionnaire would be reviewed twice at Counter No.1 and Counter No.2.
After the lengthy bureaucratic process, the guest would receive a stamped questionnaire, a postcard and a postage stamp and could have the chance to write and send the postcard in the office.
reception
waiting area
filling the questionnaire
counter 1
counter 2
receiving postcards and stamps
Home is where you sleep well
I see a laundry line, I know: the house is not empty.
Clean Home Sweet Home