YOU ARE THE REASON
Claire Keane
#extradirty
Cosmic Funnies
shark vs the universe
sheepfilms
RMH
titsay
Origami Around
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
Cosimo Galluzzi
dirt enthusiast
will byers stan first human second
Jules of Nature
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
art blog(derogatory)
we're not kids anymore.
@theartofmadeline
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
blake kathryn
seen from United Kingdom
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@conversationfoundation
I passionately and authentically wish to live a full life. I want to understand what it was I was doing before I cease breathing and am forced to continue without this 6 feet of flesh. I quite like this body. I very much like many of the people who recognise me through it. I am grateful to be of...
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti "Do something out of the ordinary; Talk to strangers until they surrender their defences and become your friends!" -bravochild
Watching people apprehensively look up from their seats on the train when I first stand in the isle to announce that I am there to encourage conversation with strangers, to then see their faces soften with thanks and welcome, was a wonderful encouragement. Even if I just diffuse the nervous blocks which isolate people from each other in crowded public spaces, it is worth heading out on these #Conversation Foundation excursions! We are not alone.
So proud to roll with this crew; we are doing small things, but that is the human scale. ALPHAMAMA and I are showing our kids the world, face-to-face. Revealing the lows and highs, the cold and the candy coated. It takes some guts to stand in a public space and hold up a sign inviting strangers to talk. It also is a lovely sign of support and belief, having DA Carter and Thandy Yung show up on the very first #ConversationFoundation excursion to bring some love to the streets, with no need for crowds and applause. Simply being there because they believe in the purpose and are there to add their flavour.
The documentation of the days spent giving hugs and understanding in Martin Place can be viewed at www.embraceinmartinplace.com.
The announcement we gave in the lead up:
"In light of the Lindt Cafe siege we as peaceful people are intending to fill Martin Place with positive energy and facilitate conversation to counteract the fear and separation that no doubt arises from this.
The fear and sensationalism put forward by the media can be a catalyst for the idea that we are different from each other and create separation but what is really needed right now is communication and community.
Anyone who wants to contribute to a peaceful conversation, give good hugs, flowers, poems or any other token of friendship and unity is invited to come.”
Alphamama and I truly believe that the sentiment expressed through this event should extend to many other issues and situations which erode humanity. Thus, while the horror of the Martin Place event, should be allowed to settle and the community given a period of grieving to heal and rebuild, the solidarity should not be allowed to fade in time. May we continue to ride together. May we continue to bridge gaps between races and religions. May we continue to talk to each other in public places. May we continue to be there for those in need. May we continue to take immediate action when injustice strikes any of our fellow human beings. Our continuing art, community activities and events will be documented via: www.conversationfoundation.com
Thank you to those who came along to create the Conversation Station with me yesterday and all those who stopped to have a chat. More images to come from @thandyung...
The first Conversation Foundation event in Sydney will be held on Weds 7th Jan 2015. We will begin in Newtown, holding a welcoming gazing circle to connect with all the participants. MEET: 10am in Camperdown Memorial Park near the cemetery. Then moving to King St, (near the icon ‘I have a dream’ wall), to set up a conversation stall; encouraging passersby to talk to us, (and each other). At Midday we will travel by public transport to Bondi Junction to set up a stall in the open air mall, then finally arriving at Bondi Beach by 2:30pm to set up a final stall on the corner of Hall St and Campbell Pde. Everyone is welcome to join in the conversation and connect with strangers. Let us bring a human face to the crowds of Sydney streets.
I am establishing the 'Conversation Foundation' as a culmination of years of play in public spaces, social experiments and poeticising about society, humanity and alternative approaches to the art of living itself. While I feel my art has had a consistent voice, there hasn’t been a stable point of reference, nor a measure of if it was amounting to anything. I hope this project provides a clear intention and focused hub of activity under the Cognitonaut banner.
Whenever I silence my own inner voice of integrity, I notice a muting which directly erodes my self-worth and ability to perceive. If one sees and knows one should act, yet does not, one is, in essence, denying what one observes and I believe one’s ability to perceive therefore reduces. So much education and social conditioning through media and peer pressure leaves us too concerned about self-image, the opinion of others and ‘getting it right’. We restrain our innate desire to reach out to others, to prevent harm, to help, to express an idea, to be candid and authentic. The intention underlying this foundation is to encourage people to be brave enough to stand stable in their truth. To be humble enough to have that truth shift by the introduction of another’s viewpoint and to value a continuing curiosity and interest in piecing all these truths together to gain universal perspective.
In essence the Conversation Foundation is an effort to do something simple yet effective to connect people. To put oneself plainly in view. To be present, unapologetically. To be an open receipt point for communication. To ‘play’ in the world. My endeavour to explore Life through Play has me defining it, (at this stage in my development), as ‘Learning through interaction’. I therefore value the unique insight into people’s personal universes that conversation provides. It is an exchange which exemplifies the symbiotic nature of our species: We exchange to learn. We embrace to survive. I see this as a core element of existence and I am so excited by where this project may lead…
