Screams and Measures

Duration: 2 hours

I chose a wing of the second floor of the old De la Merced Convent Cloister to perform.

I turned off the lights of the room and placed two 40 w bulbs lighted on the floor at each end of the space leaving it in penumbra which produced frightening shadows on the wall. I opened the window that overlooked the garden cloister so that I could be seen and heard from the outside.

I distributed the space in three sides using three timers, and time by using another three segments adjusting the timers so that they would sound in 5, 10 and 15 minutes.

I began to measure the space with my steps in a loud voice: 1, 2, 3, 4... Five minutes later the first timer sounded and I screamed strenuously, when I covered the distance I again adjusted the timer to 5 minutes.

Ten minutes later the second timer sounded and I screamed strenuously, then I adjusted the timer again to 10 minutes.

I kept walking and fifteen minutes later the third timer sounded, I screamed strenuously and again adjusted the timer to 15 minutes, I kept measuring the space with my steps in a loud voice.

Five minutes later, the first timer sounded and I repeated the scream, going on with the performance for two hours.

Photos: Ana Rita Rodrigues.

• FEM2008. Convento de la Merced. Girona, Spain