“The body, an instigator of questions”, she said. I was listening to, watching through two screens displaying one room, Dyana Gravina performing inside of it, for us. “Welcome, I can’t see you, but I know you’re there.”

“The body, an instigator of questions”, she said. And I —

An instigator. of questions.
Questions?
Not answers?
No, answers are stopping points. destinations.
And then what?

The body is active and so, there is always more: to consider, to wonder about, to try. to feel. Questions are openings to move into, to shape ourselves to fit into: to feel the edges of the shape, to feel the edges of ourselves. What was that?

Often there isn’t time to ask.

The body, an instigator of questions. Saying it feels like a question, like an opening, following on an exhale, slowing things down, making room for the next [breath]. an invitation.

I think that’s because we’re speaking of the body, not at the body. Listening for it. We’re in relation to the body: as subject, as agent, as knowledge bearer. mysterious: because we speak so little of its language.

I don’t mean that in a romantic way.

There simply are many, many things about how our bodies work that we don’t understand. And misunderstand. Many people are in pain, discomfort, silenced. Questions are being asked by doctors, nurses, scientists, pharmacists. legislators. caregivers. And over time we learn. Course correct. sometimes. Discover. Sometimes obscure.

Questions have a source. And a perspective, a history. And a desire. Often these are multiple, mixed, and not necessarily clear to the bearer of them, or to us in the room. In the doctor’s examination room, our employer’s office, on the street, in our homes, in the places where we provide care to children, grandparents, parents, neighbors, where we try to take care of ourselves.

Who is asking and why?

What do they desire for us, for themselves?

What does your body want?
If you could understand it..

“The body, an instigator of questions”.

When Gravina said that. I felt it.
I felt myself a body. a woman. an instigator of questions.

—-

References and treats

Artists Talk with artist Dyana Gravina was a collaboration between The Feminist Lecture Program x SLQS Gallery. << Thank you! I am so fortunate to have been there!

Recordings of The Feminist Lecture Program artist talks (and lectures!) are available here. << So, you can see it too!

INSTAGRAMs: @dygravina @thefeministlectureprogram @slqsgallery
WEBSITEs: https://dyanagravina.com/ https://feministlectureprogram.com/ https://www.slqsgallery.com/