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#18 |
The Future Arrives from the Dark |
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Dialog in the Dark 2004 |
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First, a question. Let's say there are some crayons here.
If you were to imagine "Darkness," which color crayon would you choose?
Here are the images that "Dialog in the Dark" participants drew.
Why are these images so colorful? Why do the images have the shapes they do?
Remember, the exhibit's environment was a pitch black box.
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So, let's solve this riddle. |
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# The "Dialog in the Dark" Experience |
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The event took place at the Baisouin Temple Soshido Hall. Strangers entered a small room and were handed a white cane. When I commented to the person next to me "The lengths are different," a staff member told us that "The cane should come to about your stomach." The new experience made me nervous. We were introduced to our attendant, and we informed him of our names. Now, to the other side of the curtain. |
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....................................True darkness. |
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Even after our eyes adjusted, we could see nothing.... Everyone bunched together, unsure of how to take that first step. At this time, I thought that it would be dangerous not to accept my environment and the people around me. I first used my white cane to probe a little in front of my feet and then I reached out with my left hand. Doing so not only let me know that there were no obstacles directly in front of me but also allowed me to understand that I had expanded the space around my body. I learned the unexpected reliability of one cane. Then a discouraged voice whispered "I can't move." I reached out and held on to the woman's arm tightly and said "It's ok," while patting her arm. She calmed down. |
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Everyone walked toward their attendant's voice and came to a river. Then we crossed a wooden bridge. We put our hands in the water and then walked onto the drying grass. We smelled the scent of the wind. |
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Before long, the sound changed to city noises and we went to a train platform. We were pulled inward by the gravity of the sound. We also visited an underground bar. A lot happened in that room, but I won't reveal all, in order to keep the experience fresh for those who want to experience it. |
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Different Platforms for People with Different Situations and Environments |
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When we left the darkness, we learned that our attendant was vision-impaired (I had known that before but I reconfirmed it). Our guide was Akira Hiyama, known as "Hiyamatchi." Group participants were emotional and commented, "I was scared at first, but then my senses felt heightened" and "I was surprised when a glass of wine was poured for me, in the dark." Someone else commented, "I just met you, but I feel as though I've known you for a long time." |
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There was one thing that disappointed me slightly. Before I had the chance to use my own senses and heightened hearing, someone walking in front of me would say things such as "There is a wooden staircase with five steps to the left." Sometimes the information was wrong. But, that person was trying to be helpful, and there were also times when the information helped me. But, in the enhanced atmosphere, I just couldn't bring myself to say "Could you please be quiet?" Later, I learned that others also felt the same way. I later thought that it would have been easy to say something in a humorous manner. But that balance is difficult. It was a microcosm of society. I also became conscious of the fact that I am not good at guiding and helping others. |
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Someone asked Hiyama, "Aren't you afraid all the time?" To which he answered, "It's my daily life, so I'm not afraid." It wasn't something exceptional to him, it was his daily life. I thought that this experience would also connect the lives of the participants as well. |
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The attendant seemed to know what we were doing at all times. Hiyama commented, "There is a basic program, but each group has a different makeup and I try to guide each group in a way that best matches the group. Also, to prevent guests and staff from having a one-to-one relationship, we encourage guests to interact with each other." |
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Ayako Ohishi, the guide for the next group, agreed with Hiyama. "If the group seems to be concentrating on sounds, I'll keep quiet; if the group is lively, I respect that too." It is rumored that once Ohishi pretended to disappear, and the group started to become impatient. She was careful so that the participants did not become injured but continued to be playful. "I also had fun," she said with a smile. |
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During my "Dialog in the Dark" experience, I felt closer to the other participants. If I did not speak, I would not exist, so I was forced to be active. It was like an infant "society"--a baby learning to walk. |
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Also, our sense of "things" and "events" gradually evolved and became clearer. Hiyama observed, "I think it is strange that participants are surprised when they touch water." When Hiyama learned about "water," he learned by first touching water and then equating that sensation with "water." The physically unimpaired tend to recognize "things" through concepts (or words) and visual images and tend to forget the actual physical sensation. So, when a physically unimpaired person touches water, that person experiences water directly and is surprised. Which is the natural order? |
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Even though both Hiyama and Ohishi have led several groups, there are other attendants who responded to a public announcement and are now being trained. Kenji Shiratori, a new trainee who also leads workshops at an art museum, said "We can appreciate art by discussing it, without looking at art or touching sculptures." |
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"Dialog in the Dark" began in Germany in 1989 as an idea by Dr. Andreas Heinecke and quickly spread to 100 cities in 14 countries, mostly European, with a total of 2 million participants. On July 30, the day before the exhibition opened, Dr. Heinecke gave a presentation and Shinsuke Kanai, responsible for bring the event to Japan and representing DID JAPAN, along with Masayuki Yui, an actor, held a discussion in the TBS Broadcasting Center Seminar Room. |
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"I was a journalist and documentary writer at a southwestern German radio station. In 1986, I was assigned to train a 24-year-old journalist who was returning to work after he had lost his sight in an accident. At first, I didn't know what kind of work to assign him, but then I realized that my sympathy was mistaken. I found out that he had a keen sense of hearing. He had a great influence on me and I started to question what a truly valuable life was and what a world without sight would be." |
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Dr. Heinecke then changed jobs and started working at the Frankfurt Association for the Blind, where he began to experiment by placing objects in the dark to experience them just by the sense of touch. The idea for "Dialog in the Dark" was born when he experienced going into the dark with a visually-impaired guide. The first event was held in the Frankfurt Art Museum in 1989 and then spread throughout the world.
"Participants can experience a sense of space and direction in the dark, dialog with themselves, and communicate with others without regard to religion, occupation, or age. The roles of weak and strong in normal society are reversed here."
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Mr. Yui agreed during the discussion period.
"The shock I got from my experience continues, and I feel as though I was reborn. I came to recognize that I was a wild animal. I felt strongly encouraged when I was helped by others. And I was pleased that we had a good sense of teamwork."
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# DID: A Program for Living in the Future |
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I spoke with Shinsuke Kanai, who introduced DID to Japan.
"In 1993, I read an article about it in the Nihon Keizai Newspaper, and then I later experienced it in Italy. I could not believe that the guides were visually-impaired, and I was just shocked. I became lost amidst the people speaking in different languages and I panicked. But someone helped me. This created a strong impression."
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"I became fascinated by this event that reduced everything to the basics and could only accommodate 10 participants per hour, as opposed to the typical Japanese events that cater to an unlimited number of people. But, that was at a time when the term "universal design" was unknown. It took a while to put together, but after 10 years, the idea started to gain support."
The "Dawn Project," which took place in Room 703 in the Tokyo Big Site International Exhibition Center in 1999, was the initial event. Events were then held in Kobe and Sendai. This summer marks the sixth event.
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In Mexico, Italy, or anywhere it is presented, DID uses the sounds and scents of that country or region. In Japan, too, the characteristic sounds and scents of Kobe or Sendai were woven into the event. "Rather than just re-using the format from Tokyo, we thought that an event produced by the locals would be more enjoyable," says Kanai. |
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Dr. Heinecke claims that local variety and the change in participants over time are common to all people.
"DID is like jumping into ice-cold water. At first, there is a sense of anxiety, then a sense of discomfort and resistance arises, and finally one asks oneself "Why am I here?" The body gradually adjusts, and an internal picture of the world starts to form. The world is constructed (recognized) in a very different way."
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In this computerized society, humans rely heavily on sight. Blocking sight forces the other senses, such as auditory and olfactory, to become keener. These natural human "analog" senses need to be tempered or they will atrophy.
Kanai also adds, "The roles of parent and child, of boss and worker, and of the weak and strong in our society of efficiency become reversed in this space. Sometimes, children are livelier than their parents." |
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Currently, there are 3000 visually-impaired guides working on this project throughout the world. DID is on permanent exhibition in Hamburg. "I'd also like to have a permanent site in Japan. I'd also like to increase employment opportunities for those who have been told that they have handicaps," says Mr. Kanai. It may be possible to create new opportunities/jobs in those areas that are considered "impossible" by removing the artificial partition between the physically unimpaired and the physically impaired. If we focus on how to communicate with people in different situations and use our imaginations freely, we will see the images in the dark and the colors will be vivid. DID suggests new values for the future. How the picture is drawn will depend on each individual. |
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Yuri Shirasaka
Writer
After working for the editorial office of "Weekly PIA," Ms. Shirasaka became a freelance writer in 1997. She covers art for magazines and internet web sites. She was in charge of public relations for the closing of the "Saga-Cho Exhibit Space" event held at Shokuryou Building in Koto-ku, Tokyo.
She researches and writes articles for a variety magazines and books. |
| Report/Photographs: Yuri Shirasaka |
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