You, the audience (Ink on Paper)

Phoenix Gallery 2004 Created in response to a request from our old college to submit something for a major retrospective of the Performance Writing course being held at the Exeter tEXt04 festival.

The original call for work stipulated that the piece should be no larger than A4.

Dear Friend

I wonder if you would be so kind as to spare some time to help me in the creation of a new artwork concerned with identity.

For the next twenty seconds or so please listen intently to the sound of your breathing.

Count how many times you find yourself blinking; perhaps, if it is not too noisy, could you try to listen for the sound of your heart beating. Maybe say some of these words aloud and try to hear the cadences in your voice.

Please do not speak to anyone else about this or feel the need to tell anyone else the experience that you (the audience) and I (the artist) have shared here today.

Thank you,

Yours truly,