KOLLEKTIVNYE DEYSTVIYA (COLLECTIVE ACTIONS). THE DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL THE ACTIONS, Photo and Video

JOURNEYS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE. VOLUME TWO

22. THE STOP

For 20 minutes a group of viewers (30 persons) accompanied by one of action’s organizers was moving along an alley in Sokolniki park. Following them in the rear at a distance of 80 meters two other organizers were walking with a recorder and taping descriptions of their surroundings – skiers, trees, fire engine with firefighters, dogs, birds, their own state of health. 4 minutes before the audience stopped a prearranged theoretical text was recorded (discourse on the action’s structure and content, see appendix). In the end additional information (name and time of action) was recorded: “THE STOP. 6^th of February 1983, 12:56 in the afternoon”. At the same time the group of viewers was stopped by accompanying organizers and the audience’s attention focused on two approaching participants with a recorder. The apparatus was still working in recording mode, until the first phrase was uttered by one of the viewers (“Hello!”). After joining the group, two participants rewound the tape and played back the recording, so that the audience could find out the action’s name and - after a pause and sound of footsteps – hear their own words.

After the audition the viewers were given envelopes containing certificates of their presence at the action, which said the following: “On the 6^th of February, 1983, at 12:56 (handwritten) in the afternoon in Sokolniki park THE STOP took place. Thank you for your cooperation”.

Phonogram of the action:

Moscow, Sokolniki park

6^th February, 1983

A. Monastyrski, N. Alexeev, N. Panitkov, G. Kizevalter, S. Romashko.

I. Kabakov, E. Gorokhovsky, N. Gorokhovskaya, F. Infante, I. Chuikov, K. Zvezdochetov, S. Anufriev, Yu. Albert, A. Anikeev, N. Abalakova, A. Zhigalov, V. Mironenko, V. Sorokin, I. Nakhova, I. Bakstein +several others.

ANDREY MONASTYRSKI. Preface to the second volume of Trips to the Countryside