About
...the passing of inconsequential, boring, unremarkable, unusable, non-functional, commonplace, prosaic, routine moments...
"Funerals for a Moment" will bring together collaborators across space and time to commemorate the passing of inconsequential moments at particular locations in New York City. The culminating event of the project at the Psy.Geo.Conflux will be a collaborative performance of simultaneous funerals across New York City.
...commemorate an unremarkable event...
We typically conduct funerals for the passing of loved ones and pets. Why not the passing of time? Why shouldn't we build elaborate ritualistic ceremonies to commemorate the time and place that we crossed a street, dropped a bag, sneezed violently, looked at a watch, looked at the sky, said hello, resolved to do it, fell asleep, bought milk, or remembered a fact?
...contribute to ritualized ordinariness...
Funerals for a moment invites collaborators to contribute stories/descriptions/poems/texts about brief moments that passed while they were in New York City on a specific date in a specific place. The emphasis is to submit moments that were in no way crucial to their lives - inconsequential, insignificant moments which in no way affected the outcome of who they are today. Each moment-story is associated with a specific street address in NYC where it took place. The contributor is invited to suggest how they would like another person to commemorate their moment-story (e.g. reading of a eulogy, placement of specific objects in specific locations, jumping up and down, tackling a passerby, etc).
...memorialize the extremely superfluous...
Each moment is showcased on the website in the Gallery of Moments. Online participants post suggestions to each moment in regards to how it might be commemorated at the Psy.Geo.Conflux 2004 "Funerals for a Moment" event on Saturday, May 15th, from 10AM - 12 noon.