February - March 2017
Sleep Project
The first iteration of the sleep project solicited the Syracuse University community via email and posters to share a full sized bed with me for a night in spark gallery. Throughout the project the only observer was a paid security guard. Over two weeks I spent 7 nights in the gallery with 6 strangers (one participant was a no-show).
“I had a hard time falling asleep last night, but I blame being hungry, which was my own fault. The strange noises from the street, the neighbors, and the guard in the next room may not have helped. Still, I felt quite comfortable, much more so than one might expect given the circumstances. Maybe it was the mere fact of sharing a bed with a person which forces the mind to assume a level of comfort with this person. Perhaps it was the singular nature of the night - no past to complicate things, no future to worry about. But the most important thing may have been that I felt invited and wanted. When asked what she was looking for from participants, Mika had provided no real answer; I realized that whoever I was, however I acted, was what she was looking for - there was no judgement, only curiosity and openness.”
SEVEN
SIX
FIVE
“I think that the hardest moments of the whole thing were coming and going.
I knocked on the door and had my ID checked like I was walking into a nightclub. I guess I was, but this one might more appropriately be called a goodnightclub. When I arrived, I was treated you like a stranger. We shook hands and exchanged polite hellos. I didn’t realize we would be taking the first photograph together until you walked into frame. I was startled at how close we had to stand to fit into the picture. The lens stared at us, ready to document our awkwardness. Or maybe it was just mine.
Making the bed helped me to relax. So did your talent for small talk. It was clear that you had been breaking ice a lot lately. You had water at the ready and poured me a glass of it. My rigidity thawed away (shout-out to SPARK’s excellent radiators) as we climbed into bed. Things got comfortable. We weren’t strangers anymore. We were bedfellows. Conversation started to flow. The water was cold. It made my skin tighten and tingle like jumping into snowmelt. In hindsight, I’m pretty sure I talked too much. Sorry about keeping you up.
We woke up late. We made the bed in a sort of rush. I had boiled up some ideas for making our photo the next morning a little silly or different, but time wasn’t going to permit that. Luckily, we stood on opposite sides and the remote clicker made some silliness for us. Then, as I went to leave, the most important part of the whole project revealed itself to me outside the view of the cameras. As I stood at the door, between the heat of spring and a winter morning, I realized that we were strangers again. I politely said goodbye. Was it time for a handshake? Or a hug? I froze up in the doorway, not really able or willing to move. A gust of wind blew through me.
Then I walked away.”
FOUR
THREE
TWO
ONE
“Hey, I saw your flyer looking for volunteers for The Sleeping Project. How can I sign up?”
“Thank you for your interest in the project. A little about the project, this is the first iteration of The Sleep Project:
there will be an exhibition for this project March 6 from 5-6:30 pm at Spark Contemporary Art Space, which is also the location where the project is taking place.
The dates that are currently available are 2.22-24, & 2.28-3.2.
As a participant I just need you for one night from 9:50 pm - 6 am the next morning.
You can put on the application the date(s) you are available.
Come as you are and bring anything that might help you sleep.
Attached is both a PDF and word document of the application form I will need you to fill out.
The form must be returned by Sunday, February 19th.”
