Tomas Jonsson
Roughly thirty people responded to Carmen Papalia’s invitation to take part in an eyes closed blind field shuffle. Sharing a non-visual experience, the walk opened up sensory potentials to the space undefined by a planar visual level. Qualities of touch, sound and trust heightened, we navigated a walk through the varied terrain of the downtown waterfront district of Kelowna. Linked arms open and folded accordion-like as we shuffled and sometimes stepped confidently along. Our linear mass a protection against physical obstructions and vehicular traffic. Relayed messages travelled down the line, in telephone fashion, which sometimes lead to poetic breakdown of messages.
“Obstacle ahead! Winding path! Water to the right!”
“Obstacle! Winding Path! Water right!”
“Obstacle! Winding! Water!”
“What’s winding water?”
After an hour, our journey ended where we began, our eyes open again to the blue tinged light as we looked back toward the space we had just explored.