The Apology Workshop Description - Columbia University · The Apology Workshop Description: ... How...

TheApologyWorkshopDescription:TheApologyWorkshoptakesonaninquisitivemethodtoanalyze,andinterveneintotherituals,habits,andpolitenessoftheday.Itisinterestedinthewaysinwhichweexpressregret,andshamethroughtheapology,ascomplexemotionarefertilegroundsforcollectivetransformation.Distinctfromtheneoliberalconsensus,thatworkstoremoveofspacesofdissensus,argumentsandconversations,theapologythrivesonacknowledgingdifferences,anddoesnotaskforunity.Thecraftingofanapologyrequiresrigoroustreatmentofitscontent,anditseffectivenessisdirectlyevidentineventsoftheeveryday.Itisanincrediblyeconomicaldevicetorehearseforimprovements,andaccessibleforintervention.TheApologyworkshopisaseminarthataimstodissectthestructureofawell-craftedsampleapologyinordertoshedlightonthecrisisthatisthestateofourapologiestoday.Itisaclassroomfortheartist,whereparticipantsareinvitedtoexaminetheproposedstructureofanapology.Itisarehearsalroomthatinvitesforacollectiveeditofthescriptusingthesampleapology.Itisatheatre,wherethedramaoffinaleditsareperformedforthepublic,andforeachotherwithinthegallery.Throughtheinvitationtoalterthescriptofthesampleapology,theworkshophopestointroduceargumentsanddisagreements-elementsintegraltotheformationofsocialrelations.Theparticipantsareencouragedtousetheartistastheobjectforrehearsal(ApologytoZouZhao).Howdoweapologizetooneanother,andonwhatgroundsdoweapologizetoeachother?Theattempttowrite,andrehearseourcollectiveapologywillrevealethos,andpathosofourourtime.Theapologyisinfocushere.Awellcraftedapologyexemplifiesahopeforreconciliation,camaraderie,andapromisetolisten.Itrequiresthestructureofrepresentation,(foronecouldonlyapologiseonbehalfofanother,evenifadifferentversionoftheself),defenseofanidea(motivationfortheactiontoapologizefor),emotionalintelligencetoreadthefeelingsandattitudeofothers,andaneffectivemodeofaddress…

DefinitionofanApology:Anapologyshoulddothreethingsatonce:Itshouldbeabletoclarifythemotivationofapreviousaction,thatistheclarification,anddefenseofanidea.(ThismuchisindebttoPlato’sapologiawhichisessentiallyadefenseforSocrates’Trial).Second,itshouldacknowledgethehurtthatone’sactionhasdonetosomeoneelse,andtakeresponsibilityforit.Third.Itshouldbeabletoexpressandechothesentimentsofthecomplexfeelingsoftheaddressee.Itshouldbeabletobemadeinpublic.Itisalsoimportanttorealizethatanapologycomesfromaplaceofprivilege,andisnotwithoutitsownelementsofcoerciveness.Noticethatwithanapology,thespeakerisassumedtohaveplacedtheballinhisaddressee’scourt,ontopofexpectingredemptionfromhimself,withtheacknowledgeoftheaddressee,invitedaswitness.Lastbutnotleast,withanapology,animageofthefuture,iswhatitpresentsessentially.Itisanimagewhichboththespeaker,andtheaddresseehasbeeninterpellated.Thispartisalsomostchallenging,becauseofitsinherentpotentiallyviolentnatureofinterpellatinganotherintoone’sownnarrative.Asophisticatedapologyrequiresthespeakertolistenandrigorouslydismantlehisownassumptiontoreducedamage,inkeepingwiththeneedtoworktowardsachievingequalityindialogue…Leadingquestions:Whatwouldyouapologisefor,tome.Whatwouldyouapologisefor,onbehalfofme.Whatwouldyouapologisefor,onbehalfofmetosomeoneelseinpublicoffice.Whatwouldyouapologisefor,onbehalfofmetothepublicspace.Whatwouldyouapologisefor,inprivate.Whatwouldyouapologisefor,inpublic.Underwhatcircumstanceswouldyouapologizeinapublicspace.Whatcanwepossiblyapologizeforonbehalfofeachother,tothepublic.Whatcanwepossiblyapologizefor,toeachother.WhatisyourcollectiveapologytoXiXitheartist.Whatistheapologia?(Whatideaareyoudefending?)Howwouldyouimproveandmodifyit,afterhearingthefeelings,attitudesandfeedbacksfromtheothers?Editingthesampleapology,intoacollectiveapologia.Everyoneneedstoagreewithit.Performingtheapology:Howcanwedistributethesensibleofacollectiveapologia?Whataresomeofthewayswecandistributethat?Wespeakinthe“I”,butspeakandperformdifferentparts.Performancesupport:4musicstands.2microphones.Theperformanceistowardsthepublic,andalsoforeachotherintheworkshop.Theartistiswillingtobethestand-in/placeholderastherecipientoftheapology.

Oneexampleofanedit:

OneExampleofacollectiveapologyperformance:

CollectiveapologybyBryanWilson,andZouZhao,WallachGallery,NewYork.

SampleApologyInvitationtoedit:

(ThesocialistApology,thetranslator’sapology)

OfficialApologyAnnouncement

ThisisanofficialapologyonbehalfoftheChineseCommunistParty,whocurrentlyrunsthePeople’sRepublicofChinaasarecognizablenation-state.Iapologizeontheirbehalf,forthefailureoftheChineseSocialistProject,thatstartedandendedbetween1949to1989.Iapologizeontheirbehalf,tothehardworkingmiddleclasspeopleinSingaporetoday,andtheirwell-intentionedEuropeansupportersfromthepast.Iacknowledgetheregrettableoutcomeswithregardtotheeventofthe1989Tiananmensquarestudentledprotest,onatleast2levels:thegivingupofthesocialistprojectaltogether,andthewillingassimilationintocapitalismbysupplyingitwithcheaplabor,followingAmerica’sneeds.Thisisdoneindisregardtotheintellectualandstudentprotestsallacrossthecountry.Thisapologywillattempttocoverbothhistoricaldecisionsthatpropelledthisfailure,andthecontinuedlegaciesofthesepoordecisions.Youwillsenseinthisapology,asenseofmelancholia,for,Iunderstoodthatitcouldcertainlyhavegoneverywellindeed.ThereweresupportfromourEuropean,SouthEastAsian,LatinAmerican,andTibetanallies.Thisapologycallsformyenvisioningofwhatcouldhavehappenedotherwise.WhileitistruethatmanyeventshasgonebadlyduringtheSocialistProject,butthatshouldnotamounttogivingintoCapitalismaltogether.Forthisreason,Iapologizetoyouallheremostsincerely.ItisregrettabletheChineseSocialistProjecthasnotdeliveritspotential,noritspromisestoitsownpeople,Singapore,ortotherestoftheworld.Iapologizeforfailingtodeliveremancipationtohumanity,aspromised—forthatwastheidea.Throughthisapology,Ihopewemoveforwardfrompastmistakes,andmovebackwardtore-examinehistorywithcompassion,andgenerosity.

TheTranslator’sapology

**原来,

So,andso,andso,andso….

**姹紫

ThisisanoutdatedtuneinChinesepopularmusic.Noonesingsitanymore.

**嫣红开遍

Redandpurpleflowersbloomed.Here,aparodyofthetranslator.Translationisimpossible.Ourrelationshipwith‘present-ness’,nowdependsonasong.Thedilemmabecomesmoreacute.TRUTHIS,WEAREALLSTUCKINAKINDOFAPERPETUALPRESENT.WEAREDEFINEDOFAPAST,BUTBARREDOFAFUTURE.Awomanwilllaterappeartousthroughadeadsong.Modernlanguage’sattempttodecipherhernuancesputsusonaspot.

**姹紫,嫣红开遍,似这般都付与断井颓垣。

Redandpurpleflowersbloomed.Iamspeculatingonitalone.Thereareonlycracksonthewalls.Now,mytaskistocapturethethoughtinonedeadlanguage,andtherealityitclaimstoputbeforeme,andthen,expressitinawayhopingthatyouwillunderstand.

**姹紫,嫣红开遍,似这般都付与断井颓垣。

Redandpurpleflowersbloomed.Iamspeculatingonitalone.Thereareonlycracksonthewalls.Thedeeplyproblematicaspirationbecomesthechefconcernofourcurrentconversation.Myaimtodayismerelytoprovokeafeelingofagreeability,somesortofconsensusbetweenyouandI,andnothingmore.Onthatregard,Ithinkwearedoingalright.Therestcanwait.Therestcanwait!SoyouwillseeIpushonfurtherhere.Butitisnotwithouttheunusualinsistencethatisthetranslator'sconventionalwarningandapology.Andthen,Itaketheliberty.Imoveon.

**良⾠美景奈何天Goodhour,beautifulscenery.

HowdoIwaitfortimetocome?HowdoIsharethiswithyou?

**姹紫,嫣红开遍

Red,andPurpleFlowersBloomed.Iwishyoucouldseethem.ConclusionBecauseoftheabovefailures,wearenowwitnessingconsequencesMANIFESTEDGLOBALLY,suchas:

1) worseningglobalcybersecurity

2) WhateverthatisgoingoninSouthChinaSea

3) TheoutbreakoftheZikaVirus

Finally,IapologizefortryingtohijacktheAmericans’ownjourneytorealizeontheirownaccord,theinherentpitfallsofcapitalism,theinherentpitfallsoftheirowngame.Together:NEVERTHELESS,ITAKETHEOPPORTUNITYTOSAY:IRECOMMENDCHINESESOCIALISMASREMEDYTOSAVEAMERICAFROMITSELF!**Key:Highlightedyellowpartsareplace-holderfornon-verbalcommunications,preferablyasong.Thehighlightedtextisthepunchlineofthework.