At last night's gallery show, during Artwalk, I made a shoebox/oatmeal container to look like a camera along with a pool filter/bamboo boom mic and let people talk about themselves. We started inside at first then moved to the front sidewalk.
I was interested how the formal interview setting and the camera/microphone set up (albeit fake) would affect people.
After some initial giggling, almost everyone settled in and were completely serious and thoughtful.
Something about the faux camera and mic, plus the bright lights, prompted authentic reactions.
I began with a few softballs like, "where are you from?" and "how do you like Los Angeles?"
Then moved on to, "what is the trait you love most about yourself?" Followed by, "what is the trait you hate most about yourself?"
Generally the answers were always at least tangentially connected. Like the guy who said "l love that I have an adventurous spirit" then followed with, "I hate it when I procrastinate in my decision making."
And even when the answers didn't seem overtly linked, the person usually offered some connection. Like the woman who said she loved her sense of humor, but hated her inability to let people in. And then went on to explain she sometimes used "joking around" as a defense against intimacy.
(Thanks to everyone who came to the show over the last month, and a special thanks to the folks who sat for my fake camera. Much appreciated.)
