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sunshine jen: Dear Tilda Swinton
Dear Tilda Swinton,
I recently saw an article in the New York Times about your performance art piece at the Museum of Modern Art. According to the article, you lie in a glass box and seem to sleep in plain clothes. The card next to the glass box reads: Living artist, glass, steel, mattress, pillow, linen, water and spectacles.
Since I live in Los Angeles and the Museum of Modern Art is in New York, I think it's highly unlikely that I will see this piece soon. Still, I am curious about one thing: can you hear the people who come into your gallery?
Can you hear the little kid who blows on the glass to make it foggy? Or the other little kid knocking on the glass? Or the third little kid who runs into the glass full speed then hits the floor and lets out a wail that would wake the mummy at the Met?
Can you hear the comments people make like:
She's a lot thinner than I thought she'd be.
How does she go to the bathroom in there?
Whoahhh she's sleeping.
Is that really her?
It's like she's making a statement you know.
Oh she was so good in that movie with George Clooney.
I'm moving on from it. I'm really moving on.
It seems a little self-indulgent if you ask me.
I wonder where they stashed that Matisse?
What does she need the spectacles for?
I wonder what brand of water that is.
I told him I loved him, and he just stood there not saying anything, and I wondered if the last twenty-two minutes meant anything to him?
No cameras!
Stand there, got it.
No cameras!
There's a good Italian place near here.
She's finally moving out. Finnnnally.
I've been working on my idea, you know, the one I told you about, and I think it's almost to the point where it is presentable.
I made it as far as the second interview, and it went to someone else. Not even a we'll keep your resume on file. Just it went to someone else. Oh whatever.
--Did you see The Voice last night?
--Oh my God, that girl was so good.
This is soooooo borinnnnnng, Mommmmmm.
We spent all night texting. It was like we really connected.
Excuse me, where's the nearest restroom?
Okay, that's nice. Let's drink.
Do you sometimes want to talk back to your viewers? Do you want to tell them that it's all okay inside the glass? Do you want to tell them that inside a glass a box you hear forever in the silence? Do you want to tell them that actually, you were in two movies with George Clooney?
What would I say if I saw you asleep in the glass box? Probably nothing. How long would I stand there looking in at a sleeping actress? I could stand there as long as I want. Art is cool that way.
Would the gallery be silent? Would it be like seeing a deer out in the woods when you stand there not moving because there's something you don't want to disturb even though you know it won't hurt you? If one watched you long enough, would a little twitch or flutter have the epic quality of film projected on a huge wall of a dark room? Or would it all just be human?
Regards,
Sunshine Jen
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