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Nothing really happens in this city: Filling and witnessing the dig (2023)
Fourth performance of the project in which I filled a puddle with sugared gelatin (1). The chosen puddle was amidst the potholes along the walking route from the station to my home. This performance was inspired by multiple experiences of tripping on potholes and dipping shoes in the rain-filled ones while walking along a road with no street lamps.
There are two routes from the station to my house: one along the main road with encounters with beggars and drunks, and the other lacking street lamps and featuring potholes. Both routes posed risks to my safety, but I tended to choose the one where my cautious behavior could reduce the risk. Nevertheless, the desire to fill up the puddles persisted every day on my way back home.
On the day of the performance, a video camera was given to a volunteer to record my action. None of the plans were shared before the event. The target puddle was chosen during the walk to pick up the volunteer from the station. The original puddle I had in mind (2) couldn't be selected because the amount of boiling water I could bring from home was limited. I then chose one from the secondary options, smaller in width but with significant depth, posing a higher risk of tripping. Gelatin powder was mixed with cold water and then with hot water. The required water per sachet was described on the package, but only in ‘cups’. I tried my best to match the ratio but ended up messing them up. The gelatin never fully hardened, resulting in a gooey texture.
Adding sugar to the gelatin was with the intention of naturally attracting ants to help disperse this little gelatin pond. However, the volunteer informed me that ants are less active during the winter. I retrieved the video camera, set to capture potential bug activities, and returned home. Instead, I decided to revisit the pond later and document the scene with photo images.
As of writing this text, the filled pothole has been visited four times including the initial visit for the filling performance. The visits will be repeated until the puddle is clear of any gelatin residues.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)There were rain between the second (3) and the third (4), and between the third and the fourth visit (5) .
Second visit was made 35 minutes after the first visit.
Third visit was made 6 hours 19 minutes after the second visit.
Fourth visit was made 8 hours 59 minutes after the third visit.