sisutude

I was not offended, just surprised. I did not sit for very long. It seemed like you were away. And in some pain. Thank you for all that you do. The Artist is Present was my introduction to performance art. I was very inspired by the energy in the space, by the people who surrounded and watched you every day. You gave an incredible gift to us.

I sat across from you at MOMA, but you did not recognize me. Why not? In the days and weeks before I sat with you, I had sat somewhere else for hours, in an office in the Lower East Side, typing the sounds I heard from headphones, they were the sounds of your voice. You spoke of your life and of your work. I was transcribing your words for a documentary. I could hear you, but I could not see you. Then I went to sit with you at MOMA, and I could see you, but you were perfectly silent. I could see you, but I could not hear you. Why did you not recognize me?