By Appointment with the artist
In Here Is Where We Meet, artist Madhu Kaza will travel to individual participant’s homes by appointment to read to them at bedtime. This project is part of the artist’s ongoing Hospitality series, which includes projects that explore social conventions, rituals of domestic and daily life, relations between strangers, hosts and guests, and boundaries of public and intimate space. Here is Where We Meet is particularly concerned with the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep (including the drift from the world of stories to the world of dreams), a re-engagement of voice in our experience of texts, and the possibility of trust.
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Madhu Kaza is a writer, artist and educator. She was born in India, raised in Detroit and currently lives in New York City..
Information from the Artist: To participate in Here is Where We Meet you will need to make an individual appointment (see below). On the scheduled evening I will arrive at your home approximately 15 minutes before your stated bedtime. Once you are in bed, I will sit in a chair beside you and read to you from a book of your choice until you fall asleep. After you are asleep I will let myself out of your house. If you don’t fall asleep (that’s ok, too) I will read to you for a period of time that I will determine. Please note:- This project is not about reading to children. I am happy, however, to read to adults of all ages, single people, partnered people, parents etc.
- This project is meant to be conducted on a one to one scale; that is I will be reading to one person at a time. It’s fine if you share a household with others. If you have a bedmate, please schedule an appointment only if you can make arrangements to be alone during the reading.
- I will ask you to select and provide a book for me to read to you. I will also bring a few options, which may include John Berger’s novel, Here is Where We Meet.
- I will be making audio recordings of the readings.
- I will need to be able to let myself out of your home and lock the door behind me (ideally without a key).
- Due to the nature of this project – particularly its time intensiveness and the logistical issues of late night travel– there are a limited number of appointments available. My apologies if we are unable to schedule an appointment. However, I would invite anyone to extend the gesture of the project on their own, by reading aloud to friends, neighbors, loved ones.
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If you are interested in scheduling an appointment please copy the following questions along with your responses in an email to email hidden; JavaScript is required. Please Note: Here is Where We Meet is booked through September. Current requests will be added to a waitlist and you will be contacted in the fall in the event that appointments become available in the fall. Thank you for your interest.Name:
Address (please include mailing address as well as cross streets):
Nearest public transportation:
Phone:
Please list the members of your household and their relation to you (including pets):
What time do you go to sleep?
What days and/or dates you are available for an appointment?
Please describe your bedtime rituals:
Please list a few books that you love:
How did you hear about this project?
What most interests you about participating in this project?
