“How to be a good boy”

Featuring Stephanie Barber, Zach Blas, April Lin 林森, P. Staff

“The videos assembled for this program don’t set out to answer its titular question; for the most part they probably don’t care. And that’s fine, because learning to thrive under that kind of indifference is the first lesson anyway.

There are other ways to ask this question that might find more resonance:

• how to sit still
• how to listen
• how to follow instructions
• how to disappear
• how to submit

But we could also just formulate as,

• how to watch

I think the idea of passive viewing has gotten a bad rap. I want to be told what to do. I want to be told when to sit, when to be quiet, what to do with my body, my thoughts, my breath. Where to look, when. What is for me, and what isn’t. I want to be told how to be. The idea that I know best what I need, what I can offer, how I can grow, experience pleasure, be of use – I’m increasingly skeptical that these are decisions for me to make. How I should be in the world, with you? I just think that’s none of my business; tell me what you need me to be.”

Programmed by carrick bell

Presented by Xanadu x Project Space Festival Berlin