……………..……………..…
Binnenwegplein (crossing route for Rotterdam shoppers
– my favorite crowd)
This
Saturday was the rendezvous for all those opposing the war, throughout Europe,
Amsterdam also. I’d had a late night, and a guest staying, so I
couldn’t drag myself there to add my own voice to the chanting. But I
though it could be even better to remind again my usual audience, that this
world manipulation is still going on and that we should think and do something
about it. Is there a dark side and a good side of this war game? Think again!
I
realised on this afternoon that, probably, the media is probably bombarding our
information system so much with this issue, that pretty much everyone was aware
of the questions, and also of the protesting. I had a bigger response than ever
in terms of identification. Almost no-one failed to notice it and everyone that
noticed it also had a reaction: a longer gaze, a smile, a small stop, a laugh;
pointing, sharing their ideas with friends, calling the attention of others,
touching, and actually playing.
It was
the issue of the day, there is going to be a war, and people are demonstrating
their opposition. We stayed in
Rotterdam, but for a few hours these powerful lords of the war were mere
puppets to be stuffed with our vivid hands, and directed. Obstacles come
though, even for those who are willing to interact ñ ìand now
what do I say? What shall I do?î Normally this happens when I am there to
mediate, the participants feel I should direct a bit, or maybe they think I
want them to say something special: like going to the photographer to make
passport photos ñ ìa bit more to the left, chin up, a smile,
there you are!î - I would
feel the same way, so most of the time I am more of an observing but hidden
eye, somewhere. Those who want to will then always find something funny to
perform
Loners
stop and look, take a closer look and some even touch the puppets to see the
faces more clearly, I guess. Though maybe they are longing to actually play,
but they are alone and feel insecure, or without audience. More and more though
people do actually play. Friends or relatives, in a good mood, usually
accompany them, and they are also mostly second-generation rotterdamers, or
foreign people.
I had a
few talks, about the power structures and who’s making decisions; about
the felling of being powerless. Today someone thanked me for being there doing
it.
It was
cold, freezing in fact. I started at 15.30 and finished at 17.30. At this point
Binnenwegplein starts to become a kind of non-place, shops close and there is
not much more to do around.
Pack up,
back to base (a performance in itself also, because it is quite funny to carry
this box, and it makes a lot of noise rolling down the brick pavement).