Social Listening
In Paris near the Place de la Bastille a film crew is making a film. We’re watching the shoot from the other side of the road. It isn’t obvious at first glance that this is what’s happening but now we’ve noticed we stop and join a small group of bystanders to see if we recognise any of the people in the cast.

The group of actors are dressed just like us, the non-actors watching on our side of the road. On cue they assemble themselves into a small crowd and set off towards the Place de la Bastille. They’re shouting something inaudible to us. All we can see is a small group of people making the gestures of protest. Half-way up the road towards the Bastille someone behind the camera signals for the protesters to stop. The crowd retreats, regroups and then the process starts over again. A fold in time.

This odd seemingly silent ritual is poignant because of where it’s taking place. It’s being enacted in the footsteps of the real Paris citizenry who ran up this very street to storm the infamous prison of the Bastille which had been enthusiastically and cruelly housing too many people simply for being poor and/or for protesting about the state of poverty. Two centuries ago that moment of protest changed the world entirely. Now we watch a mime show version. What are these new protesters calling for? Can any social action mean without articulation? Can any social change occur if voices are silenced?

Action:
1.Close your eyes and imagine the world turned upside down.
2. If the objects round you started to fall with gravity what two things would you try and catch with your hands?
3. Open your eyes and meditate on the two saved objects.
4. Why did you choose them?