Read my face...
Fun facts about human facial expressions:
This piece explores the communication of the human face. Facial expression transcends language and basic reflex can reveal the most private intentions and feelings. How is a relationship effected when spoken language is removed and only the face and body communicate?
PHASE ONE: " I'm Listening"
PHASE TWO: "Melting Pot"
PHASE THREE: "PUSHMEPULLU"
- Facial reactions spread from right to left, we tend to have a looking bias of left to right because of instinctual reading of conversation partners faces.
- Dogs have evolved to look from left to right at our faces, and our faces only. No other animal does this.
- When in conversation, we tend to copy the facial expression of the other person.
- Try to make a completely relaxed face and yell at someone or something. Now apologize to your cat.
- Try the same thing but in reverse. I'll wait while you go get some Advil.
- In addition to those experiencing progressive or temporary hearing loss who have to rely on faces to communicate, some non-hearing individuals have chosen reading faces and lips to communicate over Sign Language culture.
This piece explores the communication of the human face. Facial expression transcends language and basic reflex can reveal the most private intentions and feelings. How is a relationship effected when spoken language is removed and only the face and body communicate?
PHASE ONE: " I'm Listening"
- At the Montevallo Alabama ArtSqwalk, August 22, 2014 PillowFort will host a booth where people can find a listener.
- Based on the past year, experiences personal and public, I feel like no one can find a true listener. I even found a quote that said we don't listen, we just wait to speak.
- In order to collect the faces for PUSHMEPULLU, I have thought about it and I think the collected faces need to be photographed in a space of trust and belonging, rather than quick walkups.
- There will be a safe space for volunteers to come sit and find a listener. Some may be recorded for future documentation purposes for grants and funding, but the conversations are as private as the volunteers wish them to be.
- After the listening has run its course, a face photo will be taken to use with permission in the morphed face for the interactive puppet performance at a later date.
- ArtSqwalk attendees are invited to observe and you may contribute a photo without talking.
PHASE TWO: "Melting Pot"
- We have all these faces, now what?
- To create the face of Montevallo, Alabama, volunteer photos will be digitally melted into one composite face. Similar to this project.
- The digital face will be printed onto a large sheet of super stretch fabric to make the Face Puppet that can then be transported to any festival or installed into a space for the next phase.
PHASE THREE: "PUSHMEPULLU"
- Push me pull you- by pushing and pulling on the stretchy printed face from opposite sides, participants can "talk" through the face using the resulting facial expressions.
- Performance will be mobile, audience will be approached and invited to play guerilla style.
- Date pending funding and printing turnaround.