Friday, August 31, 2012

Spectator Sport: Dialogue in the Dark

http://www.portfolios.net/events/dialogue-in-the-dark
 
 As I walked up the stairs the I felt uneasy for a moment. The lights are dim, it reflects a yellow color on the crimson red walls. In the right corner stood the entrance a passage deep inside in which no matter how much I tried to think I can't imagine what's inside. Beside the entrance is the reception with a pacific women with eye glass noting something, and near the reception was the lockers gray ones with numbers and key holes it. In the left corner were diagrams about blind people and the history and uses of the Braille words. You can't figure out the words by seeing it, but by feeling it. As I finished wandering around the place, I sat down on red-white couch, leaning against the wall, and waited for my round.

   The light began to disappeared as I walked deeper into the passage with my hands slides along the wall. It was now pitched black. Everything was dark. No light can penetrate into this place. It doesn't matter if you were to close your eyes and walk. There was no difference. We are now blind, deprived from sight. I couldn't image that the darkness could have a huge affect to our senses. I felt something touching my feet. It the cane we are given before coming in. It's swayed in randomly movement. It makes noisy sounds , echoing through the place. Everyone have no other choices but to use their other senses. They feel for the walls, and follow it as their only guide. The intrepid kids ran ahead, full of courage shouting and screaming with enthusiasm. I walked anxiously as I feel for the corner all I can feel was scared and aware that I am about to begin the dialogue in the dark.

   It's still dark no matter how many times you blink your eye. The guide greeted us with a kind handsome voice. But because I can't see him, I can't really figure out how he looks like. In the Dialogue in the Dark, we assumed that we are blind. The purpose of this game is to experience the ordinary life,but in a different view. With the lack of one of the senses we experienced a huge difference. There are many rooms to try out and all of it was pitch dark, all I can do is imagine, envision it in the mind.I feel things instead of seeing it. I figure out when we experience each room, all of it were not something uncommon.

There is a room with the sound of the vehicle and the chattering, I felt the stands that are filled with fabrics and cotton, something rough and something smooth, there are baskets containing sphere like objects and things with stunt smells. It touched some grains and sands. Bumping into big boxes and stumbled down the Of course, it's the market place with crowded people and the sound of the strident motorcycles and cars. There are other places too, like the garden filled with water and plants, the leaves brushed my face and the cool breeze calm me down. The last room was a snack bar, I could hear people chatting, and talking. I am dragged to the counter, I noticed the long table with smooth surface. We are asked to brought snacks and drinks, having a hard time to pay the bill, I am amazed how the seller recognized what bill did I pay in the dark! It was awkward, eating in the dark. I can only smell it and taste it but it is not as delicious as I always felt, but it's giving a strange taste. From the entrance to the final room, I am filled with different emotions; scared, anxious, excited, and joy. And before I know it, I was attached to the dark, it was a part of me now. 

   Before I notice it, I have spent my time in this dark place for one whole hour. I began to start walking down the hallway again, but this time, a dim light reflects my eye. Slowly, I began to walk towards it. I then appear in front of the entrance in the same red wall and the lonely reception. Everything looks normal and mellow. My sight is back, and I realized that my game was over.


The braille alphabet....