PRIVATE PARTS
Reading by phone call, Handset, 5 min
Location: Ibis Hôtel, rue Voltaire, 1201 Genève
Cool/dry/fan collective
«PRIVATE PARTS» transforms an ordinary hotel room into a space of
introspective dialogue during the «1.3 EN ATTENTE DE TOI» exhibition
at the Ibis Hotel in Geneva, a setting deeply intertwined with themes of
travel and tourism. This unique reading performance involves a simple
yet provocative setup: a handset in the room and two pillowcases, each
bearing the introspective question, «Do you lay on the screen of your
consciousness?»
During the exhibition’s opening, guests, who might typically be travelers
or tourists seeking temporary lodging, were prompted by the ring
of a telephone to engage directly with the artwork. Answering the
call, participants found themselves immersed in a guided meditation
session. This interactive element uses the privacy of a phone call to
draw visitors into a moment of personal reflection, juxtaposing the
intimacy of a mental journey with the public context of an art exhibition.
The installation leverages the transient nature of hotel accommodation
to explore the ephemeral quality of our personal and collective
experiences. By situating the piece in a hotel room, a space that
epitomizes both the anonymity and the temporary refuge for travelers, it
invites attendees to reflect on how their inner lives mesh with the roles
they play in the more visible, shared spaces of society, including those
shaped by tourism and transient encounters.
