"THE ART OF ASKING"

Imagine that there are 140 strangers around you, all ready and willing to satisfy your needs, desires and whims. What would you ask for?

As part of the "Time Bank Live" artistic action, we are carrying out a workshop open to the general public in which we will be examining the concept of interdependence, exploring the simple yet difficult art of wishing, requesting, giving and gifting. People taking part in the workshop will also be included in a performance on 23 June.

In a society that denies interdependence and praises the heroicness of “I’d made my bed, I’ll lie on it”, asking for something has become even harder and riskier than giving. We tend to associate “giving” with generosity and “asking” with selfishness, but not knowing how to formulate and express our desires and needs is to deny our own fragility and therefore a way of not being fully present with other.

In this two-day workshop we use our bodies to explore the art of asking, giving and gifting from a fully committed engagement with pleasure, play and fun.

Participants in the workshop will also be part of the “Time Bank Live” performance at Picnic Session on 23 June, where each person will have a chance to auction a need, a desire or whim with the hope that it will be met or satisfied by one or various of the 140 spectators