Silence, seemingly innocuous, wields a knife beneath the table. The Silent Treatment, whereby lovers or family deliberately torture each other, demonstrates precisely the insidious capacity of refrainment. However, the power of silence is not restricted to spheres of intimacy. Public discussions are ripe to be derailed not only by entitlement and personal anecdote, but by perspectives left unspoken. Which is not to say that every attitude be interrogated, but that to sit silently judging that some aspect be left uncovered, or that certain considerations not be taken up, is bullshit in equal measure to the judge’s unwillingness to do so. A dear friend and fellow curator who often hosts public discussions is in the habit of posthumously rummaging through the Book of Faces and blogs to recuperate these positions. The hope is that within the critique there will be clues as to how to encourage the translation of observation into participation. This, I would like to know: how to create an ambiance that fosters dialogue? How to stimulate improvisation? How to get those folks at the back of the room to speak their concerns?
There is no formula ; each situation has its own parameters of what could / will facilitate such interactions. But the key is to create an environment of open , non pretentious , non presumptuous air to speak within , and that is not something that can be taught
But do you think it could be learned, the distinction being between didactic instruction and a sincere desire to know or understand?
of course it can be learned , but more importantly it has to be lived
also, “Book of Faces” ? Seriously ? and you’re asking how to create an ambiance that fosters dialogue , umm … I can tell you how *not* to …
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