Katalog / What is it like to be me?/ Tokyo Independent Collaboratory by Anang Saptoto

Through the enigmatic hole Through the enigmatic hole Ayako Onzo

What a surprise it is for me to be one of the performers at International Biennale Puppet Festival 4 in Yogyakarta. I think there is a hole in life, through which we get to an unimaginable place while rolling our eyes. This hole should be called a hope. I remember the fake sign language interpreter at the Nelson Mandela’s Memorial standing next to President Barack Obama. What a wonderful hole the world prepares! Although he must have been though the strictest examination, nobody can say that he was a good interpreter. But his sign language seemed to me a beautiful dance even if not conveyed correct meanings. I feel deep sympathy for him because I don’t know, too, why I could be there for the festival. I had visited once Papermoon Puppet Theater with Kanade and had heard that they were trying to extend the idea of puppetry. On that occasion, Kanade found a place to realize her long-held ambition. Her idea was based on a science study this 3 What a surprise it is for me to be one of the performers at International Biennale Puppet Festival 4 in Yogyakarta. I think there is a hole in life, through which we get to an unimaginable place while rolling our eyes. This hole should be called a hope. I remember the fake sign language interpreter at the Nelson Mandela’s Memorial standing next to President Barack Obama. What a wonderful hole the world prepares! Although he must have been though the strictest examination, nobody can say that he was a good interpreter. But his sign language seemed to me a beautiful dance even if not conveyed correct meanings. I feel deep sympathy for him because I don’t know, too, why I could be there for the festival. I had visited once Papermoon Puppet Theater with Kanade and had heard that they were trying to extend the idea of puppetry. On that occasion, Kanade found a place to realize her long-held ambition. Her idea was based on a science study this

time. She is an artist who wanted to become a scientist in her youth. (Incidentally, I am a scientist who wanted to become an artist in my youth.) She had been waiting an opportunity to sublimate the scientific idea to an art piece properly. The idea was concerning our perception of the self and the body. She believed that it would be the best for the idea to be embodied on the stage of puppetry.

Through the enigmatic hole

By Kanade’s and various people’s efforts, Yuta and I were given a chance to hold a workshop there and talk about what is puppetry as scientists. I knew my research interest matched Kanade’s interest. I’ve been studying on the self-awareness in the field of neuroscience. What is me? What is others? To what extent can we understand each other? Whereas every person is unique, we can share experiences and even feel someone else as if s/he were ourselves. How? and Why? Facial makeup, masks, and fictions. Those

which substitute for us and are shared among people have been my fascination. So should be puppetry. But actually, after witnessed the rehearsal by Papermoon Theater and Cake Industries, Yuta and I walked to a café and sipped coffee in silence. We had lost words. Their show was utterly beyond our imaginings. On our way back, we said simultaneously, “I want to go home now.” and helplessly smiled. Their puppets were not at all humans’ substitutes. The puppets and humans coexisted and loved each other. Humans were not the simple assistants of the puppets behind the scenes, but showed the richest facial expressions. The vivid presence of both didn’t seem to require any complex stories. *** Another impressive thing for me was what Ries, who took great care of us, said in the rehearsal of Kanade’s performance. When Kanade said to Putri, who also helped us greatly, “Is it you?,” pointing to Putri’s nose, and Putri answered “Yes,” suddenly Ries said,

Through the enigmatic hole

4 time. She is an artist who wanted to become a scientist in her youth. (Incidentally, I am a scientist who wanted to become an artist in my youth.) She had been waiting an opportunity to sublimate the scientific idea to an art piece properly. The idea was concerning our perception of the self and the body. She believed that it would be the best for the idea to be embodied on the stage of puppetry. By Kanade’s and various people’s efforts, Yuta and I were given a chance to hold a workshop there and talk about what is puppetry as scientists. I knew my research interest matched Kanade’s interest. I’ve been studying on the self-awareness in the field of neuroscience. What is me? What is others? To what extent can we understand each other? Whereas every person is unique, we can share experiences and even feel someone else as if s/he were ourselves. How? and Why? Facial makeup, masks, and fictions. Those

Puppetry and Science. Indonesian people and Japanese people. Words and non-words. No easy understanding. They share some, and differ some. I lost what to say. But I had regretted that I didn’t explain my work, or my science, so much to Ries when I first met her. I was nothing but a good friend of Kanade, who was a resident of Ries’s place. Ries was an art director and I was neither an artist nor a resident. I wanted to be friends with her very much because she was very attractive and kind, but hesitated to talk about my things before the difference.

thought. I got to know that a certain amount of talk must resolve the tension between strangers, even if it cannot make them completely understand each other. “A spoken letter to Ries”, with which I wanted to start something. This is the original idea of my performance. I am very happy if my performance became an opportunity for everyone to think if science and art, or we, are so different. And I am deeply grateful to Ries for watching through my performance with an affectionate and a little bit sour face.

Ayako Onzo

“That’s a Japanese action. Not ours. We place the palm of our hand on the chest when refer to ourselves. Not on the head. Not with the fingers. Don’t be influenced like that, Putri. We are Indonesians,” in a dignified voice.

“I don’t do the same thing this time,” I 5 “That’s a Japanese action. Not ours. We place the palm of our hand on the chest when refer to ourselves. Not on the head. Not with the fingers. Don’t be influenced like that, Putri. We are Indonesians,” in a dignified voice. Puppetry and Science. Indonesian people and Japanese people. Words and non-words. No easy understanding. They share some, and differ some. I lost what to say. But I had regretted that I didn’t explain my work, or my science, so much to Ries when I first met her. I was nothing but a good friend of Kanade, who was a resident of Ries’s place. Ries was an art director and I was neither an artist nor a resident. I wanted to be friends with her very much because she was very attractive and kind, but hesitated to talk about my things before the difference. “I don’t do the same thing this time,” I

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?” Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?” Kanade Yagi

The performance begins at the entrance of the gallery. Kanade Yagi (KY) stands by the door facing the audience, who are outside the gallery. Inviting the audience into the gallery, like in an artist talk tour, she begins her performance with an introduction of her past works. She is holding a handy-cam and the image shot by it is projected to a screen placed at the end of the space, throughout Scene1.These figures and objects are displayed on the walls on both sides. Figure 1: A picture of a little girl Figure 2: A thin Japanese hand towel with the print of a traditional Japanese pattern and a Kanji Figure 3: 7 pieces of photographs pertinent to a solar eclipse, on a white A0 size of paper Figure 4: 6 pieces of photographs of mounted cameras, on a white A0 size of paper Object 1: An iPad; a photograph of a Sony Cybershot

10 The performance begins at the entrance of the gallery. Kanade Yagi (KY) stands by the door facing the audience, who are outside the gallery. Inviting the audience into the gallery, like in an artist talk tour, she begins her performance with an introduction of her past works. She is holding a handy-cam and the image shot by it is projected to a screen placed at the end of the space, throughout Scene1. These figures and objects are displayed on the walls on both sides. Figure 1: A picture of a little girl Figure 2: A thin Japanese hand towel with the print of a traditional Japanese pattern and a Kanji Figure 3: 7 pieces of photographs pertinent to a solar eclipse, on a white A0 size of paper Figure 4: 6 pieces of photographs of mounted cameras, on a white A0 size of paper Object 1: An iPad; a photograph of a Sony Cybershot camera is on the screen

camera is on the screen Object 2: Improvised mask with cloth Object 3: Small human-shaped stickers made of thin card Scene 1 KY: Selamat sore (good afternoon). Today I introduce to you my work, and invite you to a science experiment. With me are members of -TIC (Tokyo Independent Collaboratory). *Points to Ayako Onzo and Yuta Nishiyama* They are scientists. This space is not wide enough for you, but I hope everybody can come in. *Moves to Figure 1* First of all, I want to introduce her. *Points to Figure 1* This is my friend’s kid. Her name is Saya. When I came to Indonesia for the first time, I learned that “saya” means “I/my/ me/mine”, so I wondered: If she introduces herself, she has to say, “Nama saya Saya.” (“My name is Saya.”) “Saya” isn’t a very rare name in Japan.

*Moves to Figure 2* KY: We use Kanji (a component of the Japanese writing system, derived from the Chinese) to write our names. For the name “Saya”, we use this Kanji character. *Points to Figure 2* This Kanji and the sound, “saya”, actually refer to the pattern printed on this towel. This is a traditional Japanese pattern. *Move to Figure 3* KY: *Points to Figure 3* These images are of--I don’t know whether you remember or not, or if you have already seen or not--a total solar eclipse in 1999 in Europe. I was in Japan at that time and I really wanted to go there to see this eclipse. But I could not go, and I just saw these images through the television. At once I took pictures of TV broadcasting about eclipse with my camera. I felt weird, imagining there were thick and long long something, like a tube or tunnel composed of many optical equipments, cables, lenses and many people’s eyes, between the event and me; I could see the image from far far away. I wondered, what were these images which I was seeing. And then I felt as if my body 11

Object 2: Improvised mask with cloth Object 3: Small human-shaped stickers made of thin card Scene 1 KY: Selamat sore (good afternoon). Today I introduce to you my work, and invite you to a science experiment. With me are members of -TIC (Tokyo Independent Collaboratory). *Points to Ayako Onzo and Yuta Nishiyama* They are scientists. This space is not wide enough for you, but I hope everybody can come in. *Moves to Figure 1* First of all, I want to introduce her. *Points to Figure 1* This is my friend’s kid. Her name is Saya. When I came to Indonesia for the first time, I learned that “saya” means “I/my/ me/mine”, so I wondered: If she introduces herself, she has to say, “Nama saya Saya.” (“My name is Saya.”) “Saya” isn’t a very rare name in Japan. *Moves to Figure 2* KY: We use Kanji (a component of the

Japanese writing system, derived from the Chinese) to write our names. For the name “Saya”, we use this Kanji character. *Points to Figure 2* This Kanji and the sound, “saya”, actually refer to the pattern printed on this towel. This is a traditional Japanese pattern. *Move to Figure 3* KY: *Points to Figure 3* These images are of--I don’t know whether you remember or not, or if you have already seen or not--a total solar eclipse in 1999 in Europe. I was in Japan at that time and I really wanted to go there to see this eclipse. But I could not go, and I just saw these images through the television. At once I took pictures of TV broadcasting about eclipse with my camera. I felt weird, imagining there were thick and long long something, like a tube or tunnel composed of many optical equipments, cables, lenses and many people’s eyes, between the event and me; I could see the image from far far away. I wondered, what were these images which I was seeing. And then I felt as if my body were extended worldwide. *Draws a line representing the ground, the earth’s surface

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

12 Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

Kanade Yagi

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

were extended worldwide. *Draws a line representing the ground, the earth’s surface and eyes below the pictures, and then lines connecting each photo to the eye* It was a mysterious experience for me, although watching TV is such a normal thing for us. I didn’t see it with my own eyes, but I can say that I saw this image, through their cameras and their eyes. *Move to Figure 4* KY: *Points to Figure 4* This is from 2009. There was a total solar eclipse seen from Japan. At that time, I was under the sky where the event was supposed to happen. Unfortunately it was cloudy but it was okay for me because my interest was in another thing. I was surprised there were a bigger number of cameras than people, waiting for the moment the eclipse occurs. Humans were helping them see it. For me, the cameras appeared to be their eyes. *Draws faces on the cameras pointing upwards to the sky in the photograph* *Moves to Object 1*

*Picks up Object 1* This is a photo of a Sony Cybershot. Actually, I only got this image from the Internet. But I actually bought this camera two years ago. And then I named this camera “Mr. S”. Mr. S is this person. *Swipes to another image, the photograph of a man* Long hair, beard, and has a big belly. He is a philosopher, and he is one of the most important philosophers in Japan. Everybody who wants to be a philosopher knows about him; so he’s famous. But he never writes essays and books. He avoids taking documentation of his life. Ria Papermoon (RP): So that’s the concept of his philosophy. KY: Yeah, there is a connection with his ideas, his philosophy, and his decision not to take any documentation. Then I decided to document his life using only this camera secretly. I named this Mr. S, and defined it as the camera that can take

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

14 and eyes below the pictures, and then lines connecting each photo to the eye* It was a mysterious experience for me, although watching TV is such a normal thing for us. I didn’t see it with my own eyes, but I can say that I saw this image, through their cameras and their eyes. *Move to Figure 4* KY: *Points to Figure 4* This is from 2009. There was a total solar eclipse seen from Japan. At that time, I was under the sky where the event was supposed to happen. Unfortunately it was cloudy but it was okay for me because my interest was in another thing. I was surprised there were a bigger number of cameras than people, waiting for the moment the eclipse occurs. Humans were helping them see it. For me, the cameras appeared to be their eyes. *Draws faces on the cameras pointing upwards to the sky in the photograph* *Moves to Object 1* *Picks up Object 1* This is a photo of a Sony Cybershot. Actually, I only got this image

from the Internet. But I actually bought this camera two years ago. And then I named this camera “Mr. S”. Mr. S is this person. *Swipes to another image, the photograph of a man* Long hair, beard, and has a big belly. He is a philosopher, and he is one of the most important philosophers in Japan. Everybody who wants to be a philosopher knows about him; so he’s famous. But he never writes essays and books. He avoids taking documentation of his life. Ria Papermoon (RP): So that’s the concept of his philosophy. KY: Yeah, there is a connection with his ideas, his philosophy, and his decision not to take any documentation. Then I decided to document his life using only this camera secretly. I named this Mr. S, and defined it as the camera that can take only his photos. It cannot take photos of landscape, or sea... or Jogja--or maybe only if

only his photos. It cannot take photos of landscape, or sea... or Jogja--or maybe only if he comes here. I want to invite him. This project is an ongoing project. It will continue until he dies. I wonder what is a set of Mr. S. *Move to Object 2* Through these experiences, I had begun to think of a camera like this *sets up handycam to Object 2 as its eye*--a puppet! Hi. *Holds up the camera puppet and waves her hands to the audience for a while* Ah, I have others for you.

*KY hands out Object 3 to the audience. A hole is made on its head, its size the similar to the lens of most phone cameras. The audience sticks these figures onto the back of

Kanade Yagi

RP: Oh, yes this is a big one. But there are some, they are very nice. There isâ&#x20AC;Ś Someone. Oh, he has. Ah, you want something?

15 he comes here. I want to invite him. This project is an ongoing project. It will continue until he dies. I wonder what is a set of Mr. S. *Move to Object 2* Through these experiences, I had begun to think of a camera like this *sets up handycam to Object 2 as its eye*--a puppet! Hi. *Holds up the camera puppet and waves her hands to the audience for a while* Ah, I have others for you. RP: Oh, yes this is a big one. But there are some, they are very nice. There isâ&#x20AC;Ś Someone. Oh, he has. Ah, you want something? *KY hands out Object 3 to the audience. A hole is made on its head, its size the similar to the lens of most phone cameras. The audience sticks these figures onto the back of their mobile phones*

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

their mobile phones*

Man: SAYA! SAYA!

KY: So, any camera can be a puppet! *Hands out to the documentation camera staff another improvised mask and he set the video camera to the mask*

KY: *Points puppet’s face* Ini…?

*Refers to the camera puppet she’s holding* I think…, if this has a name… her name would be… SAYA. She will introduce herself like this “Nama saya SAYA.” *Moves the camera puppet in front of audience face to face slowly*

Man: *Thinks for a while* We are confused!

KY: Nama saya SAYA. *Point puppet’s face* Ini SAYA. (Ini=this) *Points to an audience who hands his mobile with human-shaped stickers* Itu… anda?(Itu=that; Anda=you/your/yours) Man in the audience: SAYA! KY: Oh, *Point puppet’s face* Ini SAYA. *Point to the man* Itu… SAYA?

Man: SAYA! KY: Where is anda?

KY: *Points puppet’s face again* Ini SAYA. *Point to the man* Itu…, Man: *Points to him and answer* SAYA. KY: SAYA? *Points to the man’s mobile* Itu…,

Man: *Point to his mobile and answers* SAYA. KY: SAYA? Ah I see. *Point puppet’s face* Ini…, Man: *Waves his hand to the puppet* Hi, SAYA. KY: Hi! *Waves her hand to the man*

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

16 KY: So, any camera can be a puppet! *Hands out to the documentation camera staff another improvised mask and he set the video camera to the mask*

KY: *Points puppet’s face* Ini…?

Man: *Thinks for a while* We are confused!

Man: SAYA! KY: Where is anda?

KY: *Points puppet’s face again* Ini SAYA. *Point to the man* Itu…, Man: *Points to him and answer* SAYA. KY: SAYA? *Points to the man’s mobile* Itu…,

Man: *Point to his mobile and answers* SAYA. KY: SAYA? Ah I see. *Point puppet’s face* Ini…, Man: *Waves his hand to the puppet* Hi, SAYA. KY: Hi! *Waves her hand to the man* Man & KY: *Wave their hands to each other* Hi, SAYA.

Man & KY: *Wave their hands to each other* Hi, SAYA.

Man: SAYA. *Points at KY’s camera Puppet* SAYA.

Another man in audience: This is SAYA, this is also SAYA.

*KY points to the screen; again, the man is looking straight into the camera and is seen onscreen*

Man: *Points to the projection of himself and point to his chest* Yes, SAYA. KY: Itu SAYA? Man: Yes yes. *Shows his mobile with humanshaped stickers* SAYA! Man & Kanade: *Pointing at each other* Itu SAYA. KY: *Points puppet’s camera* Ini SAYA. *Points to the projection, showing the man and mobile with the human-shaped sticker* Itu SAYA?

KY: *Points the body of the camera attached to the puppet face* So, ini SAYA? Man: That’s camera! KY: *Points to the puppet* But this is SAYA. *Points, from the face of the puppet, to the camera body* So, this is SAYA too, isn’t it? Man *speaks in Bahasa and is translated by RP*: SAYA and the camera are not sold separately. So it will be sold together. KY: *Points each part of the puppet from the face to the camera body* Ini SAYA. Ini SAYA. *Points the camera display from backside of the puppet face* How about this?

Kanade Yagi

KY: Can you see that? *Points to the projection which shows what her camera puppet is capturing. The man is seen onscreen* Itu, itu…

Man: *Points the camera display for a while 17

Another man in audience: This is SAYA, this is also SAYA. KY: Can you see that? *Points to the projection which shows what her camera puppet is capturing. The man is seen onscreen* Itu, itu… Man: *Points to the projection of himself and point to his chest* Yes, SAYA. KY: Itu SAYA? Man: Yes yes. *Shows his mobile with humanshaped stickers* SAYA! Man & Kanade: *Pointing at each other* Itu SAYA. KY: *Points puppet’s camera* Ini SAYA. *Points to the projection, showing the man and mobile with the human-shaped sticker* Itu SAYA? Man: SAYA. *Points at KY’s camera Puppet* SAYA.

*KY points to the screen; again, the man is looking straight into the camera and is seen onscreen* KY: *Points the body of the camera attached to the puppet face* So, ini SAYA? Man: That’s camera! KY: *Points to the puppet* But this is SAYA. *Points, from the face of the puppet, to the camera body* So, this is SAYA too, isn’t it? Man *speaks in Bahasa and is translated by RP*: SAYA and the camera are not sold separately. So it will be sold together. KY: *Points each part of the puppet from the face to the camera body* Ini SAYA. Ini SAYA. *Points the camera display from backside of the puppet face* How about this? Man: *Points the camera display for a while and points to Kanade* That is Kanade! KY: Oh, yes. *Points the camera body again*

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

and points to Kanade* That is Kanade!

KY’s arm to the man’s arm as she says it*

KY: Oh, yes. *Points the camera body again* Ini SAYA. *Points the camera display from backside of the puppet face again. Display shows Kanade’s face* Ini SAYA. *Points to the screen showing her face* Itu SAYA?

*KY and the man touched their hand like they are making sure of their hand feeling*

Man: Is that SAYA? *Points the screen showing Kanade’s face* You are… So many Saya! KY: *KY hold the man’s arm* Ini anda? Man: Yes. KY: *KY looks at the projection showing KY holding the man’s arm* Itu anda?

Man: I’m confused! KY: *To the audience* What do you think, what do you think? *She takes the man’s hand and asks him to get up from the floor, where he had been sitting* I’d like to invite you to a science experiment. *KY and the man go behind the screen*

Man: Itu SAYA.

― *Behind the screen, KY gives him simple direction for the experiment*

*KY moves her arm’s position holding the man’s hand*

Scene 2 *Screen rises up*

KY: *Looks at the projection showing their arms* Ini SAYA? *The camera closes up from

KY: Welcome to this science experiment.

Ini SAYA. *Points the camera display from backside of the puppet face again. Display shows Kanade’s face* Ini SAYA. *Points to the screen showing her face* Itu SAYA?

are making sure of their hand feeling*

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

Man: Itu SAYA.

― *Behind the screen, KY gives him simple direction for the experiment*

*KY moves her arm’s position holding the man’s hand*

Scene 2 *Screen rises up*

KY: *Looks at the projection showing their arms* Ini SAYA? *The camera closes up from KY’s arm to the man’s arm as she says it*

KY: Welcome to this science experiment.

*KY and the man touched their hand like they

*Man sits down on a chair, his left hand placed on the surface of a table. Right in front of him, beside his hand, is a hand-shaped

*About 1 and a half minute after KY began to stroke by two brushes* Man: I feel my hand there! KY: Could you tell me what you felt? Man *speaks in Bahasa Indonesia, translated by RP*: While my eyes were focused on the hand, I felt that this was my real hand. So while you were stroking the brush on my hand, I was thinking, “Why does my hand look like this?”

KY: Next, I won’t use these brushes. I will use my hands. *KY continues the experiment, this time using her fingertips to touch corresponding parts on the man’s hand and the cake. KY: What do you feel? RP: *Translating the man’s response* He said that he feels it, but not as real as the first one using the brush. He says he feels it to be more romantic! *Audience laughs* *KY continues to touch both his hand and the cake hand, sometimes pushing fingertip or fingernail* *After about 3 min. from the beginning, KY breaks the index finger of the hand-shaped cake, while also suddenly lifting the index finger of the man’s hand. She brings the finger close to the man’s mouth, suggesting that he eats it. The man laughs and promptly turns his head away*

Kanade Yagi

*Man sits down on a chair, his left hand placed on the surface of a table. Right in front of him, beside his hand, is a hand-shaped cake, similar in size to his own hand. A bag is placed between his hand and the handshaped cake so that he cannot see his own hand when he looks at the cake. The puppet camera that KY was holding in Scene 1 is held by another person. KY begins the experiment by taking two brushes and stroking it on corresponding parts on the man’s hand and the cake*

19 cake, similar in size to his own hand. A bag is placed between his hand and the handshaped cake so that he cannot see his own hand when he looks at the cake. The puppet camera that KY was holding in Scene 1 is held by another person. KY begins the experiment by taking two brushes and stroking it on corresponding parts on the man’s hand and the cake* *About 1 and a half minute after KY began to stroke by two brushes* Man: I feel my hand there! KY: Could you tell me what you felt? Man *speaks in Bahasa Indonesia, translated by RP*: While my eyes were focused on the hand, I felt that this was my real hand. So while you were stroking the brush on my hand, I was thinking, “Why does my hand look like this?” KY: Next, I won’t use these brushes. I will use my hands.

*KY continues the experiment, this time using her fingertips to touch corresponding parts on the man’s hand and the cake. KY: What do you feel? RP: *Translating the man’s response* He said that he feels it, but not as real as the first one using the brush. He says he feels it to be more romantic! *Audience laughs* *KY continues to touch both his hand and the cake hand, sometimes pushing fingertip or fingernail* *After about 3 min. from the beginning, KY breaks the index finger of the hand-shaped cake, while also suddenly lifting the index finger of the man’s hand. She brings the finger close to the man’s mouth, suggesting that he eats it. The man laughs and promptly turns his head away* Man: I cannot eat my own hand!!! RP: *Translating the man’s response* No, this

Man: I cannot eat my own hand!!! RP: *Translating the man’s response* No, this is my real hand, I couldn’t eat it!

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

Scene 3 KY: We invite you to do the same experiment in pairs. If you don’t have a partner, you can watch. *A table is brought in. KY hands out brushes to the audience, and hand-shaped cookies for them to try the same experiment. The audience begins to do the experiments on their own* *While the audience conducts their own experiments, an editor who is backstage takes footages of the earlier experiment with the cake hand, and edits them with other material which were already shot by Kanade. The editor was directed to edit a video as parody of the “Rubber Hand Illusion” posted on YouTube by an English science TV program*

20 Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

is my real hand, I couldn’t eat it! Scene 3 KY: We invite you to do the same experiment in pairs. If you don’t have a partner, you can watch. *A table is brought in. KY hands out brushes to the audience, and hand-shaped cookies for them to try the same experiment. The audience begins to do the experiments on their own* *While the audience conducts their own experiments, an editor who is backstage takes footages of the earlier experiment with the cake hand, and edits them with other material which were already shot by Kanade. The editor was directed to edit a video as parody of the “Rubber Hand Illusion” posted on YouTube by an English science TV program* Editing operation behind the scene3. Editing operation behind the scene3.

*After a while, the audience is finished with the experiment*

richer explanation tomorrow, because we will have presentations.

Mas Nindit: I have comments.

KY: Thank you for your comment. Tomorrow, Yuta and Ayako from TIC will give lectures. He will not only explain about fake hand experiment; there are also other interesting experiments that Yuta will introduce. I hope you will be there!

Mas Nindit: I have many comments, actually. In the beginning, when you were showing the experiment, the guy was able to feel the fake hand to be his own hand. When you continued with another session, using your hands, he started to lose the feeling; maybe because he started to think about it rationally. And then when you offered all of us to try this, I already worried, and I told her *points to companion* about it, maybe I won’t feel it anymore because I already get the logic. But when I try it on her, she can still feel it. But when she did it on me, I couldn’t feel anything; it just isn’t my hand.

Scene 4 *Lights are turned off* *A video “Rubber Hand Illusion” referred from YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=TCQbygjG0RU) is projected*

*RP translates Mas Nindit’s comments to Bahasa Indonesia*

*After that, another video is shown, this time of the experiment in Scene 2 which had just been edited backstage during the audience experiments (Scene 3), as a parody of the original “Rubber Hand Illusion”. The audience watches in the video the experiment that they had just seen in this performance*

RP (to everyone): Actually, you can get a

*YouTube homepage is seen onscreen. The

Mas Nindit: I have comments.

Kanade Yagi

KY: Yes?

21 KY: Yes? Mas Nindit: I have many comments, actually. In the beginning, when you were showing the experiment, the guy was able to feel the fake hand to be his own hand. When you continued with another session, using your hands, he started to lose the feeling; maybe because he started to think about it rationally. And then when you offered all of us to try this, I already worried, and I told her *points to companion* about it, maybe I won’t feel it anymore because I already get the logic. But when I try it on her, she can still feel it. But when she did it on me, I couldn’t feel anything; it just isn’t my hand. *RP translates Mas Nindit’s comments to Bahasa Indonesia* RP (to everyone): Actually, you can get a richer explanation tomorrow, because we will have presentations.

Scene 4 *Lights are turned off* *A video “Rubber Hand Illusion” referred from YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=TCQbygjG0RU) is projected* *After that, another video is shown, this time of the experiment in Scene 2 which had just been edited backstage during the audience experiments (Scene 3), as a parody of the original “Rubber Hand Illusion”. The audience watches in the video the experiment that they had just seen in this performance* *YouTube homepage is seen onscreen. The upload button is clicked, and the video file of the parody of the ”Rubber Hand Illusion” selected. The video is then posted on YouTube*

upload button is clicked, and the video file of the parody of the ”Rubber Hand Illusion” selected. The video is then posted on YouTube*

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

KY: I will upload this video on YouTube now. So, you can see both of them online: original one, and Jogja version. Thank you very much. RP: So, thank you Kanade, thank you Tokyo Independent Collaboratory, and thank you, all of you, for having these experiments. Please get some cookies if you wanna eat. There are many of these available. Tomorrow, there will be a presentation with Kanade and -TIC. For more of their information, you can get those flyers. Hope to see you tomorrow!

Reference: Botvinick, M. & Cohen, J. “Rubber hands ‘feel’ touch that eyes see.” Nature, 1998. “Rubber hand illusion” by New scientist (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=TCQbygjG0RU)

Transcription to the performance “What is it like to be me?”

Reference: Botvinick, M. & Cohen, J. “Rubber hands ‘feel’ touch that eyes see.” Nature, 1998. “Rubber hand illusion” by New scientist (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=TCQbygjG0RU) Note: - This performance was presented as one of the programs in Pesta Boneka #4. - This script was transcribed from the

Cookie hand illusion experienced by the audience. Cookie hand illusion experienced by the audience.

Kanade Yagi

Note: - This performance was presented as one of the programs in Pesta Boneka #4. - This script was transcribed from the documentation video and touched up for readability. - The video work edited during Scene 3 and posted on Youtube in Scene 4 can be accessed through: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=HhPOPBJtFegwas.

23 documentation video and touched up for readability. - The video work edited during Scene 3 and posted on Youtube in Scene 4 can be accessed through: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=HhPOPBJtFegwas.

Spoken word poetry Science is empathizing Spoken word poetry Science is empathizing Ayako Onzo

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been thinking what I can present to the people who have different backgrounds. In my childhood, I was dreaming to have friends who live far far away. I was thinking there would be someone who felt exactly the same way as me, if I looked for all over the world. After many twists and turns, I became a scientist. In the end, I found science is to think about things and people different from myself. At the very beginning of my scientific life, my teacher said, “Can you imagine a mantis’s feeling?” A mantis? -Belalang in Bahasa Indonesia. Let’s pretend to be a mantis! A mantis walks like this. But what is this hook for?

24 Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, I have been thinking what I can present to the people who have different backgrounds. In my childhood, I was dreaming to have friends who live far far away. I was thinking there would be someone who felt exactly the same way as me, if I looked for all over the world. After many twists and turns, I became a scientist. In the end, I found science is to think about things and people different from myself. At the very beginning of my scientific life, my teacher said, “Can you imagine a mantis’s feeling?” A mantis? -Belalang in Bahasa Indonesia. Let’s pretend to be a mantis! Mantis, drawing by Ayako Onzo. Mantis, drawing by Ayako Onzo

A mantis walks like this. But what is this hook for?

To eat? To prey?

Let’s think about our faces.

Have you ever imagine how a baby mantis comes into the world? A baby mantis has a small body and tiny tiny fragile hook. How do they take food? If they cannot prey, they will just die.

Face is distinguishing. You see my face most among my body parts. This face is a symbol of myself.

Another time, my teacher said to me again, “You should read papers or books, imagining the authors. It is not important whether you are interested in the paper or not, but why the authors are interested. You should share the feeling first.” We adults know we cannot really be someone else. But scientific training was all about empathizing. So what is the scientific truth? That is the things between you and me.

Which is the true face, the one you see or the one in my mind? A research says, the self image in our brain is by almost 10 percent more beautiful than the real face. Do you agree? We are somewhat posing in the mirror, and memorize the finer face in the brain.

So we are beautiful in our own mind. It is difficult to fill the gap between you and me.

Ayako Onzo

What is it like to be a mantis? This is scientific thinking.

On the other hand, I don’t know how my face looks now, how my face is moving now. I have to use mirrors and photographs to see my face. You see my face directly, but this is the very thing I cannot see.

25 To eat? To prey? Have you ever imagine how a baby mantis comes into the world? A baby mantis has a small body and tiny tiny fragile hook. How do they take food? If they cannot prey, they will just die. What is it like to be a mantis? This is scientific thinking. Another time, my teacher said to me again, “You should read papers or books, imagining the authors. It is not important whether you are interested in the paper or not, but why the authors are interested. You should share the feeling first.” We adults know we cannot really be someone else. But scientific training was all about empathizing.

So what is the scientific truth? That is the things between you and me.

Let’s think about our faces. Face is distinguishing. You see my face most among my body parts. This face is a symbol of myself. On the other hand, I don’t know how my face looks now, how my face is moving now. I have to use mirrors and photographs to see my face. You see my face directly, but this is the very thing I cannot see.

This is the place where fiction is born.

Spoken word poetry Science is empathizing

Some people apply facial makeup. Why do they do so? They modify the original face to make an agreeable face among the others. The social face is like a puppet, which is not me, not you, but a bearer of reality. The face includes our best wishes, and our sadness. One very dark night, I did one thing. On the narrow street just the moon lit, I sat down with my friends, one by one, with a distance we could see each other’s face faintly in the darkness. I told them to walk away if they thought they saw something in between. I had decided to smile only once in the darkness. Now I know there’s no single person who feels exactly the same way as me. But now I dream what kind of place and time I can make among people, like here with this beautiful people.

Spoken word poetry Science is empathizing

26 Which is the true face, the one you see or the one in my mind? A research says, the self image in our brain is by almost 10 percent more beautiful than the real face. Do you agree? We are somewhat posing in the mirror, and memorize the finer face in the brain. So we are beautiful in our own mind. It is difficult to fill the gap between you and me. This is the place where fiction is born. Some people apply facial makeup. Why do they do so? They modify the original face to make an agreeable face among the others. The social face is like a puppet, which is not me, not you, but a bearer of reality. The face includes our best wishes, and our sadness.

One very dark night, I did one thing. On the narrow street just the moon lit, I sat down with my friends, one by one, with a distance we could see each other’s face faintly in the darkness. I told them to walk away if they thought they saw something in between. I had decided to smile only once in the darkness. Now I know there’s no single person who feels exactly the same way as me. But now I dream what kind of place and time I can make among people, like here with this beautiful people.

Talk and workshop report Puppet and Body Talk and workshop report Puppet and Body Yuta Nishiyama

1. Talk summary How do we recognize puppetry? Or, how do we recognize the world? They are the same questions. The point is, what is the other or what is the self. I proposed that some objects such as a puppet and the body, are interfaces between the other and the self. Objects enable us to recognize the world. First I explained “body in the brain” from the viewpoint of information processes of nervous systems. “Body in the brain” differs from a physical body in terms of arrangement, size and spatial position. It suggests that some objects, e.g. a puppet, can be “body in the brain” in place of a physical body. Also, “body in the brain” consists of many kinds of information. In other words, it results from integration of information. Next, I introduced the several psychological tricks in which “body in the brain” is easy to change by given information: Rubber hand illusion *1 [see cookie hand version of this in Workshop #1], mirror limb illusion *2 27 1. Talk summary How do we recognize puppetry? Or, how do we recognize the world? They are the same questions. The point is, what is the other or what is the self. I proposed that some objects such as a puppet and the body, are interfaces between the other and the self. Objects enable us to recognize the world. First I explained “body in the brain” from the viewpoint of information processes of nervous systems. “Body in the brain” differs from a physical body in terms of arrangement, size and spatial position. It suggests that some objects, e.g. a puppet, can be “body in the brain” in place of a physical body. Also, “body in the brain” consists of many kinds of information. In other words, it results from integration of information. Next, I introduced the several psychological tricks in which “body in the brain” is easy to change by given information: Rubber hand illusion *1 [see cookie hand version of this in Workshop #1], mirror limb illusion *2

Talk and workshop report Puppet and Body

[Workshop #2], and body disownership feeling *3 [Workshop #3]. These tricks indicate that “body in the brain” results from not only integration of information but also differentiation of information. Thus some objects have ambiguous properties of integrated and differentiated information and reconcile the paradoxical processes. The objects dynamically mediate the other and the self. Lastly, I accommodated my argument to Kanade’s performance *4. Her performance was based on the rubber hand illusion; this time, the fake hand was made of cake. A man was asked to participate in her performance and seated in front of a table on which the fake hand was put. His hand was also positioned on the table. He could not see it because of a partition, and only sees the fake hand. She stimulated synchronously the fake hand and the real hand for a few minutes. He must have regarded the fake hand as not only his own hand, but also food. At the end of performance, he was asked to eat the fake hand. He, however, hated to do so. Let’s imagine that the performance is a scientific

experiment and the participant will eat the fake hand without control. I suppose that the experimenter’s intention can be turned over by the ambiguity of the fake hand. Then the experimenter is no longer a transcendent controller. The participant is confused with the experimenter through the fake hand. I interpreted that her performance represented such dynamic relation between the other and the self by uncovering the ambiguity of objects. We can find something new by uncovering the ambiguity. The ambiguity of objects always underlies living things. Puppets and the body are prime examples of such objects. *1. Rubber hand illusion: Botvinick, M. & Cohen, J. “Rubber hands ‘feel’ touch that eyes see.” Nature, 1998. *2. Mirror limb illusion: Stafford, T. & Webb, M. “Mind Hacks: Tips & Trucks for Using Your Brain.” O’Reilly Media. 2004. *3. Body disownership feeling: Nishiyama, Y., Tatsumi, S., Nomura, S, and Gunji, Y-P. (in preparation).

Talk and workshop report Puppet and Body

28 [Workshop #2], and body disownership feeling *3 [Workshop #3]. These tricks indicate that “body in the brain” results from not only integration of information but also differentiation of information. Thus some objects have ambiguous properties of integrated and differentiated information and reconcile the paradoxical processes. The objects dynamically mediate the other and the self. Lastly, I accommodated my argument to Kanade’s performance *4. Her performance was based on the rubber hand illusion; this time, the fake hand was made of cake. A man was asked to participate in her performance and seated in front of a table on which the fake hand was put. His hand was also positioned on the table. He could not see it because of a partition, and only sees the fake hand. She stimulated synchronously the fake hand and the real hand for a few minutes. He must have regarded the fake hand as not only his own hand, but also food. At the end of performance, he was asked to eat the fake hand. He, however, hated to do so. Let’s imagine that the performance is a scientific

*4 Kanade Yagi’s work produced in a performance as a parody of “Rubber hand illusion” https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=HhPOPBJtFeg 2. Workshop

[Workshop #2] Mirror limb illusion This is inspired by an alleviation of the phantom limb*. A participant moves and reflects one limb in a mirror and synchronously moves another limb behind the mirror. He/

Yuta Nishiyama

[Workshop #1] Cookie hand illusion This is inspired by a classical experiment of rubber hand illusion. A fake left hand made of cookie (rubber in the case of rubber hand illusion) is put on a table in front of a participant who put his/her own left hand behind a partition. The participant cannot see his/her own hand but the cookie hand. An experimenter touches the both hands synchronously for a while. The participant becomes feeling as if the cookie hand is his/ her own hand. What feeling is eating it?

29 *4 Kanade Yagi’s work produced in a performance as a parody of “Rubber hand illusion” https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=HhPOPBJtFeg 2. Workshop [Workshop #1] Cookie hand illusion This is inspired by a classical experiment of rubber hand illusion. A fake left hand made of cookie (rubber in the case of rubber hand illusion) is put on a table in front of a participant who put his/her own left hand behind a partition. The participant cannot see his/her own hand but the cookie hand. An experimenter touches the both hands synchronously for a while. The participant becomes feeling as if the cookie hand is his/ her own hand. What feeling is eating it? [Workshop #2] Mirror limb illusion This is inspired by an alleviation of the phantom limb*. A participant moves and reflects one limb in a mirror and synchronously moves another limb behind the mirror. He/

Talk and workshop report Puppet and Body

she feels as if the visual limb on the mirror is the real limb behind the mirror. If he/she suddenly stops the only movement behind the mirror, then he/she feels as if his/her own body is split in a moment. *The phantom limb: Amputees often suffer from this. It is a strange feeling as if there is a limb even though it was removed by amputation. [Workshop #3] Body disownership feeling People can feel even disownership of our own body. A participant wears a head mounted display (HMD). He/she is filmed by video camera. Real-time images of one side of his/her upper body are projected on to HMD. If he/she moves his/her hand with the hidden elbow behind the upper body, he/she feels as if the hand is not his/her own in spite of moving it his/her own will.

3. Discussion: The cookie hand illusion as a preliminary experiment

We show a preliminary observation of cookie hand illusion (CHI) here. A fake hand was made of cookie instead of rubber. The cookie hand is not just cookie but “something like my hand and food”. We will be able to demonstrate the difference between before and after CHI by examining a change of the taste, because the sense of taste is affected by not only chemical stimuli but also anticipation. It is difficult to anticipate the taste of one’s own hand, unlike usual cookie. Our workshop was also a preliminary experiment. Five participants responded to a questionnaire after CHI [Figure 1]. The questionnaire included five items to which participants agreed or disagreed about feelings during CHI. Answers were given in values from -3 to +3 [Figure 2]. The sense of ownership over a cookie hand is reflected in item 1 and 2 and the taste of the cookie is reflected in item 3 and 4. Furthermore item 5 asks whether the participant feels as if the cookie hand is one’s own hand and food. The positive answers of item 1 and 2 indicate that participants attribute the cookie hand to their own body image. Therefore CHI can cause the sense of ownership

Talk and workshop report Puppet and Body

30 she feels as if the visual limb on the mirror is the real limb behind the mirror. If he/she suddenly stops the only movement behind the mirror, then he/she feels as if his/her own body is split in a moment. *The phantom limb: Amputees often suffer from this. It is a strange feeling as if there is a limb even though it was removed by amputation. [Workshop #3] Body disownership feeling People can feel even disownership of our own body. A participant wears a head mounted display (HMD). He/she is filmed by video camera. Real-time images of one side of his/her upper body are projected on to HMD. If he/she moves his/her hand with the hidden elbow behind the upper body, he/she feels as if the hand is not his/her own in spite of moving it his/her own will.

3. Discussion: The cookie hand illusion as a preliminary experiment

Item1

Item2

Item3

Item4

Item5

over an object as well as RHI. High correlation of answers in item 3 and 5 is interesting. It suggests that the feeling of eating one’s own hand might correspond to the strange taste. We could not mention the change of taste by the current method. However some relation between the intensity of CHI and the taste motivates the future researches.

Figure 2. Results of the CHI questionnaire.

1. It seemed as if I were feeling the touch of the paintbrush in the location where I saw the cookie hand touched. Value: 2. I felt as if the cookie hand were my hand. Value: 3. The cookie hand had a strange taste. Value: 4. I felt the cookie hand was very delicious. Value: 5. I felt as if I were eating my own hand. Value: Age:

Gender: □Male □Female Figure 1. Questionnaire used in our workshop.

Yuta Nishiyama

Questionnaire Please answer the following questions by choosing a value -3 ~ +3 to indicate a degree of affirmation or negation: -3 (Strongly disagree), -2 (Disagree), -1 (Slightly disagree), 0 (Neither agree nor disagree), +1 (Slightly agree), +2 (Agree), +3 (Strongly agree)

Discussion Discussion

Workshop Workshop

On Tokyo Independent Collaboratory at PESTA BONEKA #4 On Tokyo Independent Collaboratory at PESTA BONEKA #4 Ria Papermoon, Organizer, PESTA BONEKA

TIC is not a Puppet Theatre artist, so its involvement at PESTA BONEKA #4 alone has contributed a new fresh color to than just a matter of exploring puppetry. The unique performance and experimentation had surely surprised most of the audience who came to PESTA BONEKA #4. It is because normally people come with their expectation in their mind, or sometimes they even have mind set on what they would see in the festival. Very intriguing to witness the surprise, wonder or some even showed the unable-to-get-the-idea-expression. Nevertheless, in the end audience acquired a new and interesting experience for they are taken to a new path of exploration than just watch a conventional practice of puppet theatre. Normally, audiences are exposed to puppets which given roles, life and live a story. In a more common practice of puppet theatre, there is an invisible agreement between the puppeteer and audience to synchronize the senses and mind frame. Consensually, the

34 TIC is not a Puppet Theatre artist, so its involvement at PESTA BONEKA #4 alone has contributed a new fresh color to than just a matter of exploring puppetry. The unique performance and experimentation had surely surprised most of the audience who came to PESTA BONEKA #4. It is because normally people come with their expectation in their mind, or sometimes they even have mind set on what they would see in the festival. Very intriguing to witness the surprise, wonder or some even showed the unable-to-get-the-idea-expression. Nevertheless, in the end audience acquired a new and interesting experience for they are taken to a new path of exploration than just watch a conventional practice of puppet theatre. Normally, audiences are exposed to puppets which given roles, life and live a story. In a more common practice of puppet theatre, there is an invisible agreement between the puppeteer and audience to synchronize the senses and mind frame. Consensually, the

audience can see the puppets live and tell stories. If you believe that it is a ‘hand’, alive and livened, so be it. It is the basic logic for puppetry. This is what is explored by TIC in a completely different way. Indeed, there was a need for a ‘bridge’ to slowly usher the audience to the other side of puppetry logic, to be the puppet and to experience being given a life. Not all can find the bridge, therefore it was quite specific for who then could get the idea and enjoy the performance and experiment. Also that the performance and experiment were executed in a gallery format, instead of a stage, had brought a new enrichment, in the form of experiment, to a puppet festival.

35 audience can see the puppets live and tell stories. If you believe that it is a ‘hand’, alive and livened, so be it. It is the basic logic for puppetry. This is what is explored by TIC in a completely different way. Indeed, there was a need for a ‘bridge’ to slowly usher the audience to the other side of puppetry logic, to be the puppet and to experience being given a life. Not all can find the bridge, therefore it was quite specific for who then could get the idea and enjoy the performance and experiment. Also that the performance and experiment were executed in a gallery format, instead of a stage, had brought a new enrichment, in the form of experiment, to a puppet festival.

Comment from the Participants of PESTA BONEKA#4 Comment from the Participants of PESTA BONEKA#4 Abimanyu, Anak Muda Bicara Teater

At first, when I saw the performance of Kanade Yagi, I felt like entering an absurd photography exhibition. When Kanade Yagi, Yuta Nishiyama and Ayako Onzo started their performance, I was transferred more to the realm of confusion, especially when they named the audience “saya”, utilizing stickers attached to the mobile phone cameras of all visitors. Confusion and amazement had made me wonder “how could they think the way they are thinking?”. My amazement was escalating when I was chosen to become the subject of the Rubber Hand Illusion experiment. While focusing my eyes and mind on the fake hand, I felt that the false hand, was my hand. I really felt it when my hand touched, massaged and caressed with a brush. I tried to let go of the thought that the fake hand was not my hand, but I could only hold the thought that it was not my hand only for a moment. I was ‘coerced’ to think that the fake hand IS my hand. The moment when Kanade ripped the hand off, my heart leaped and I was gasping in shock and felt a rush for nauseous feelling

36 At first, when I saw the performance of Kanade Yagi, I felt like entering an absurd photography exhibition. When Kanade Yagi, Yuta Nishiyama and Ayako Onzo started their performance, I was transferred more to the realm of confusion, especially when they named the audience “saya”, utilizing stickers attached to the mobile phone cameras of all visitors. Confusion and amazement had made me wonder “how could they think the way they are thinking?”. My amazement was escalating when I was chosen to become the subject of the Rubber Hand Illusion experiment. While focusing my eyes and mind on the fake hand, I felt that the false hand, was my hand. I really felt it when my hand touched, massaged and caressed with a brush. I tried to let go of the thought that the fake hand was not my hand, but I could only hold the thought that it was not my hand only for a moment. I was ‘coerced’ to think that the fake hand IS my hand. The moment when Kanade ripped the hand off, my heart leaped and I was gasping in shock and felt a rush for nauseous feelling

flow through my stomach. I was really believe that the hand made of pastry, that finger Kanade ripped, was my hand. The sensation occurred for a while, about 1 to 5 minutes. Only after that I resumed to my normal senses, I realized how powerful our mind control our body. And when the mind is under an influence, then the body become puppet and are controlled by the mind. Outstanding experiment. note: He was selected as subject from the audience, and the man mentioned in the transcription of the performance.

Jesse Stevens & Dean Petersen, Cake Industries, media artists “Tokyo Independent Collaboratory” hosted a truly unique project as part of “Pesta Boneka #4” in December 2014. It was truly something we hadn’t seen before – a performance that

was somewhere between social experiment, exploratory science, and performative installation. Kanade and her team initially explained the concepts of separation of mind from body, and the phenomenon of video cameras allowing a kind of telepresence unknown before this technology existed. Through carefully crafted anecdotes and examples, the audience was shown through the exploration that had taken place up to that point by the team. Then, in an unexpected twist, an audience member was put through what is known as the “Rubber Hand Experiment” in which their brain is retrained to accept a rubber hand (or in this case cookie hand) as being their left hand. Once the subject’s brain accepted this hand as their own through careful experiments, the subjects false finger was torn off abruptly and offered to the subject to eat – which was met with shock and horror. The entire audience was then offered cookie 37

hands to continue the experiment in pairs and the social experiment continued to evolve as new interpretations were taken on under the team’s watchful eyes. We thoroughly enjoyed the work, and had our minds opened to a new way of thinking about the idea of self. The execution of the project was as important as the work itself, and both sides of this project worked harmoniously to create a sense of wonder and occasion. We as artists were so moved by it that we aim to collaborate with Kanade and her team (“Tokyo Independent Collaboratory”) in future to continue to experiment with the separation of one’s mind from their body, and explore what it means to exist. Jesse Stevens & Dean Petersen Cake Industries, media artists

38 hands to continue the experiment in pairs and the social experiment continued to evolve as new interpretations were taken on under the team’s watchful eyes. We thoroughly enjoyed the work, and had our minds opened to a new way of thinking about the idea of self. The execution of the project was as important as the work itself, and both sides of this project worked harmoniously to create a sense of wonder and occasion. We as artists were so moved by it that we aim to collaborate with Kanade and her team (“Tokyo Independent Collaboratory”) in future to continue to experiment with the separation of one’s mind from their body, and explore what it means to exist. Jesse Stevens & Dean Petersen Cake Industries, media artists

Report on Yogyakarta Everything is my clash Report on Yogyakarta Everything is my clash Yuta Nishiyama

“What feeling is an eatable hand?” said Kanade. In September 2014, Kanade, Ayako and I were at a café in Tokyo. We arranged for our works at Pesta Boneka #4. Kanade had been keeping the first question for a long time. When she knew the rubber hand illusion (RHI), she hoped to create a parody of RHI by using an eatable fake hand. I said, “It is awesome! We should do it as soon as possible!” because I had been feeling a lack in RHI. One can feel a sense of ownership to a fake hand by RHI. This sensation is a part of “being I”. However I thought that a sense of disownership is also a part of “being I”. Indeed, people practice “being I” with accepting a difference between “I who I know” and “I who the others know” [see also Ayako’s Spoken Poetry]. In Kanade’s performance at Pesta Boneka #4, she tried to let a participant eat a fake hand with a sense of ownership. It represented that ownership (my body) and disownership (a food) are simultaneously recognized. I hope that many researchers are inspired by this work [see “The cookie hand illusion as a preliminary experiment”].

42 “What feeling is an eatable hand?” said Kanade. In September 2014, Kanade, Ayako and I were at a café in Tokyo. We arranged for our works at Pesta Boneka #4. Kanade had been keeping the first question for a long time. When she knew the rubber hand illusion (RHI), she hoped to create a parody of RHI by using an eatable fake hand. I said, “It is awesome! We should do it as soon as possible!” because I had been feeling a lack in RHI. One can feel a sense of ownership to a fake hand by RHI. This sensation is a part of “being I”. However I thought that a sense of disownership is also a part of “being I”. Indeed, people practice “being I” with accepting a difference between “I who I know” and “I who the others know” [see also Ayako’s Spoken Poetry]. In Kanade’s performance at Pesta Boneka #4, she tried to let a participant eat a fake hand with a sense of ownership. It represented that ownership (my body) and disownership (a food) are simultaneously recognized. I hope that many researchers are inspired by this work [see “The cookie hand illusion as a preliminary experiment”].

Pesta Boneka #4 was the art festival in which I took part for the first time. Also it was the first challenge for us to relate scientific research to artist’s work. Best of all, I really appreciate Ria (Papermoon Puppet Theatre) and Ries (Jogja contemporary) who accepted our challenge pleasantly and helped us generously. I’d like to thank every audience. Especially, Sue (Polyglot Theatre) and Anya (assistant director, PESTA BONEKA) [==>Ries, could you change Anya’s name and position correctly?] translated my confused talk into easy-tounderstand words and also Bahasa Indonesia for the other audience. I was impressed by their warm heart and intelligence. As soon as our workshop started, Zak (Polyglot Theatre) came and said, “I’ll try it!”. I was worried whether the audiences would enjoy it but I was saved by his words. Everybody tried some experiments with eyes shining. It was a very happy time. Kovács Tamás, who controlled a huge dinosaur suit with skill, told me about some interesting creators, and the next day, he said that he deeply thought about his own body the previous night. I was glad that we could make a good impact on

each other. I met many wonderful artists and works at PESTA BONEKA. They moved and inspired me. At the artist’s cooking, we made sushi, onigiri and green tea. Many people regardless of age or gender took them as soon as we made. So nothing was left on the plate. I was smiling with embarrassment during cooking time. One week passed since I came back to very cold Osaka. My heart keeps hot like Jogjakarta. I am very grateful to you all again, and shall never forget PESTA BONEKA!

Report on Yogyakarta Everything is my clash Report on Yogyakarta Everything is my clash

Top ; Waiting for Kanadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance, in front of the venue, IFI- LIP gallery Top ; Waiting for Kanadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance, in front of the venue, IFI- LIP gallery

Yuta Nishiyama

Bottom ; In the excitement after cooking among people in Kepek Village, Timbulharjo Bottom ; In the excitement after cooking among people in Kepek Village, Timbulharjo

Discussion A warrior figure’s right-hand problem

One night, I encountered a situation where blind people gathered on a street, talking to each other. A person said, “So, how about the moon? What is it like for you?” Another person said, “Hmmm…for me, it is like a ball.” “Boy! For me, it is…”

Discussion A warrior figure’s right-hand problem

What is a ball like for congenitally blind people? They haven’t seen a ball. Is the touch feeling of a ball the moon?—we can’t touch the moon. It is very hard to know exactly “what it is like” for other people.

Ayako Onzo

I have once experienced that the moon felt like a hole on the earth. The inside of the earth was dark and the outside was filled with light. Through the hole outer light came like a spotlight on us. In my mind, at the exact moment, the hole was the moon. (I was standing alone on a long sandy beach in Australia. There were the vast sea, the vast sand, and the vast sky in the darkness, except the shining full moon. I was camping near there with my Australian colleagues but very

46 One night, I encountered a situation where blind people gathered on a street, talking to each other. A person said, “So, how about the moon? What is it like for you?” Another person said, “Hmmm…for me, it is like a ball.” “Boy! For me, it is…” What is a ball like for congenitally blind people? They haven’t seen a ball. Is the touch feeling of a ball the moon?—we can’t touch the moon. It is very hard to know exactly “what it is like” for other people. I have once experienced that the moon felt like a hole on the earth. The inside of the earth was dark and the outside was filled with light. Through the hole outer light came like a spotlight on us. In my mind, at the exact moment, the hole was the moon. (I was standing alone on a long sandy beach in Australia. There were the vast sea, the vast sand, and the vast sky in the darkness, except the shining full moon. I was camping near there with my Australian colleagues but very

lonely because of my English problem at that time.) How is everything around you pictured in your mind? I always feel like talking about those images as the blind people was doing. About the image which might be false, but real in our own sense. *** I found a science paper in which the author took the subjects to a museum and showed them around. Half of the subjects were asked to take pictures of the art works. The other half just saw the works. The paper examined which group could remember each work better. (Henkel LA. “Point-and-Shoot Memories. The Influence of Taking Photos on Memory for a Museum Tour.” Psychological Science, 2013) The answer was the people who just saw the works. Our brains have no necessity to retain the memories in themselves when they can use cameras for storage. If we don’t want to

forget, we shouldn’t take any records. (Ria was right. It was impressive that she said every time, “Don’t take photos during the show, please be here.”) I like this study. The result was very important. But I had one question. How did the author examine human’s memory accuracy? For example, the next day, the author asked the subjects on the Tang Dynasty warrior figure in the museum, “What did the warrior have in his hands?” with the response options —“a shield”, ”a spear”, “his helmet”, and “nothing”. The memory accuracy was calculated as how many correct answers were marked. Of course, it cannot be better than we can memorize that kind of the details correctly. But when we are really impressed by the warrior figure, what will we say? Do we bring home the memory of “what is in his hands?” as the most important thing with us? 47

Discussion A warrior figure’s right-hand problem

If I am strongly moved by the figure, the first thing I say will not be like “The figure has a spear in his right hand!” What we copy in our mind might be something different from the original figure. The image in our mind might be false in the objective sense, but mysteriously real especially when we are moved. I am still searching the words for the vivid and indescribable feeling I had for the love between the human lady and the puppet tiger in the performance by Cake Industries feat. Papermoon Puppet Theatre. What is in our memories? How are things affected when we copy them into our mind? How can we tell? *** It was amazing a talk session was held every ending of the performances at the Pesta Boneka 4. But in my case, because I’d heard that Anya would translate my words of English to

Indonesian for the local audience after my performance, I was stunned when she started to talk in English about my poem. “Let me confirm. I think what Ayako said is that…. Is that true, Ayako?” “I’m afraid not. I think Ayako said that….Isn’t it so, Ayako?” I wound up witnessing a cascade of translation of my English poem in English by the audience. In the confusion, I guessed it was due to my poor English skill at first, but gradually I felt an enormous sense of happiness to hear them talking. *** “What is it like for you?” Our performances are a bit more conceptual than the other performances. But we think that “what is it like” must be confirmed for words and concepts, too. Words have meanings, but stay alert! Not only non-verbal performances, but also verbal expressions

Discussion A warrior figure’s right-hand problem

48 If I am strongly moved by the figure, the first thing I say will not be like “The figure has a spear in his right hand!” What we copy in our mind might be something different from the original figure. The image in our mind might be false in the objective sense, but mysteriously real especially when we are moved. I am still searching the words for the vivid and indescribable feeling I had for the love between the human lady and the puppet tiger in the performance by Cake Industries feat. Papermoon Puppet Theatre. What is in our memories? How are things affected when we copy them into our mind? How can we tell? *** It was amazing a talk session was held every ending of the performances at the Pesta Boneka 4. But in my case, because I’d heard that Anya would translate my words of English to

are transformed in our mind! “I think it is…”

Ayako Onzo

We believe a great work begins from such a small voice.

49 are transformed in our mind! “I think it is…” We believe a great work begins from such a small voice.

Project member Project member

Kanade Yagi, from Tokyo, Japan, regards her artworks as a kind of system. By analyzing circumstance and environment, she attempts to construct concepts free from restrictions of time and space. She often does performance, using herself as one of the elements in her work. In 2013, she began to travel extensively to research various socio-cultural conditions in Southeast Asia. Influenced by the independent spirit of artists from both Philippines and Indonseia, she put up Tokyo Independent Collaboratory (-TIC), a platform to make projects across disciplines. -TICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first projectwas held for Pesta Boneka #4 in Jogjakarta. Ayako Onzo, Ph.D. Independent Scholar, is a co-founder of Tokyo Independent Collaboratory. Her interests, both as scientist and as essayist, revolve around notions of memory, face, and words. She investigates how things in the world form (and deform) into memory in the brain, by scanning brains as well as writing what is in her own mind. Her body of research includes an inquiry into why some of us feel the need to apply

50 Kanade Yagi, from Tokyo, Japan, regards her artworks as a kind of system. By analyzing circumstance and environment, she attempts to construct concepts free from restrictions of time and space. She often does performance, using herself as one of the elements in her work. In 2013, she began to travel extensively to research various socio-cultural conditions in Southeast Asia. Influenced by the independent spirit of artists from both Philippines and Indonseia, she put up Tokyo Independent Collaboratory (-TIC), a platform to make projects across disciplines. -TICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first projectwas held for Pesta Boneka #4 in Jogjakarta. Ayako Onzo, Ph.D. Independent Scholar, is a co-founder of Tokyo Independent Collaboratory. Her interests, both as scientist and as essayist, revolve around notions of memory, face, and words. She investigates how things in the world form (and deform) into memory in the brain, by scanning brains as well as writing what is in her own mind. Her body of research includes an inquiry into why some of us feel the need to apply

make-up on the face—the part of our body most important in our social lives. She relates this to the idea that we require fictions to communicate ourselves, and to understand others and the world. Yuta Nishiyama, Ph.D. is specially appointed associate professor in Osaka University, Japan. His research passion comes from the problem, “How should living creatures face the changing world?“. He has conducted very innovative experiments on swarming behavior of crabs and human’s sense of the body, both of which are known to be vulnerable to the external stimuli. He is currently collaborating with dancers and performers to explore the reciprocity between observer and observed.

51 make-up on the face—the part of our body most important in our social lives. She relates this to the idea that we require fictions to communicate ourselves, and to understand others and the world. Yuta Nishiyama, Ph.D. is specially appointed associate professor in Osaka University, Japan. His research passion comes from the problem, “How should living creatures face the changing world?“. He has conducted very innovative experiments on swarming behavior of crabs and human’s sense of the body, both of which are known to be vulnerable to the external stimuli. He is currently collaborating with dancers and performers to explore the reciprocity between observer and observed.

Project member

52 Project member

Afterword Afterword

The creativity of scientists seem to lie in their problem-setting. In my interactions with them as their friend, I have often observed their creativity and been touched, for example, by how they design their experiments, questionnaires, method of analysis―any and every process of research. I’ve always wished that everybody would have the opportunity to see their process from a much closer distance than, say, instant science news on the internet. I asked the two scientists I worked with to freely write essays or reports about the project in this catalog, to give the reader a look into their usual process. This catalog contains not only the story of how this project in PESTA BONEKA came to be, but also the essence of their ideas about science. Ayako sometimes faced situations in Jogja which gave her deep impressions, leading her to write “We had lost words” or, “I lost what to say” in her essays. As her longtime friend, I wonder whether these episodes would be stored in her memory and eventually build up as a scientific concern.

54 The creativity of scientists seem to lie in their problem-setting. In my interactions with them as their friend, I have often observed their creativity and been touched, for example, by how they design their experiments, questionnaires, method of analysis―any and every process of research. I’ve always wished that everybody would have the opportunity to see their process from a much closer distance than, say, instant science news on the internet. I asked the two scientists I worked with to freely write essays or reports about the project in this catalog, to give the reader a look into their usual process. This catalog contains not only the story of how this project in PESTA BONEKA came to be, but also the essence of their ideas about science. Ayako sometimes faced situations in Jogja which gave her deep impressions, leading her to write “We had lost words” or, “I lost what to say” in her essays. As her longtime friend, I wonder whether these episodes would be stored in her memory and eventually build up as a scientific concern.

Interested in dealing with what people don’t usually expect to be analyzed by science, she shared anecdotes with us, like the one about the fake sign language interpreter, or blind people imagining the moon, not merely as introductions to her essays―they are real scientific concerns that guide her thinking. The way we imagine scientists may change if we read her essays this way. She also said that the scientific truth is what’s between you and me, and, “It is difficult to fill the gap between us. This is the place where fiction is born”. What is this truth between you and me? Yuta’s essays seem to offer one concrete discussion of this. In the summary of his talk, Yuta proposed “that some objects, such as the puppet and the body, are interfaces between the other and the self. Objects enable us to recognize the world”. The Cookie Hand Illusion (CHI) experiment, he said, “represented such dynamic relationship between the other and the self by uncovering the ambiguity of objects”. We understand this “ambiguity” to be about how objects represent both

ownership and disownership. Yuta prepared tricks to demonstrate this in the workshop, exploring ownership (mirror limb illusion), disownership (the one he designed), and both (CHI). The workshop went pretty well, with the audience meeting each kind of sensation with feelings of surprise and strangeness. After the workshop, they got more familiar with the concept of puppetand-body-as-interface-between-the-otherand-the-self. As you know when you read the transcript to the performance “What is it like to be me?”, I turned a video camera into a puppet, which I had also used to lead the audience to the scene for the science experiment (CHI). The audience then had to accept two kinds of peculiar puppets: the video-camera-puppet and the cake-hand-puppet. In her text, Ria explains that people normally “come with their expectation in mind, or sometimes even have their mindset on what they would see in the festival”; and that “there is an invisible agreement between the puppeteer and the audience to synchronize the senses with this mind frame”. I am aware of this 55

Afterword

invisible agreement implied in most stage performances. This made me realize that the concepts of the two scientists, about theinterface-between-the-other-and-the-self, or the-place-where-fiction-is-born, should probably have discussed more in relation to this logic. There wasn’t any chance to discuss this, as I was preoccupied with my performance, maintaining a contemporary art mindset. The basic logic for puppetry indeed runs counter to the audience in contemporary art, who approach artworks as neutral as possible, expecting something they have never seen before. After reading Ria’s text, I thought of my performance as “art wearing a mask of puppetry”, and the audience just accepted us following this invisible agreement which underlies puppetry.

Tokyo Independent Collaboratory Kanade Yagi

I really appreciate Papermoon Puppet Theatre, who invited us, and the audience who accepted our puppetry.

Afterword

56 invisible agreement implied in most stage performances. This made me realize that the concepts of the two scientists, about theinterface-between-the-other-and-the-self, or the-place-where-fiction-is-born, should probably have discussed more in relation to this logic. There wasn’t any chance to discuss this, as I was preoccupied with my performance, maintaining a contemporary art mindset. The basic logic for puppetry indeed runs counter to the audience in contemporary art, who approach artworks as neutral as possible, expecting something they have never seen before. After reading Ria’s text, I thought of my performance as “art wearing a mask of puppetry”, and the audience just accepted us following this invisible agreement which underlies puppetry. I really appreciate Papermoon Puppet Theatre, who invited us, and the audience who accepted our puppetry.

Tokyo Independent Collaboratory Kanade Yagi

What is it like to be me? What is it like to be me? IFI-LIP gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 5th, 6th December 2014

Organized by: Tokyo Independent Collaboratory Co-organized by: Papermoon Puppet Theare Supported by: The Japan Foundation Asia Center, Jogja Contemporary Project members: Kanade Yagi (-TIC), Ayako Onzo (-TIC), Yuta Nishiyama (Osaka University) Project staff: [Performance “What is it like to be me?”] Performance Facilitator: Kanade Yagi Translator: Maria Tri Sulistyani (Papermoon Puppet Theatre) Subject selected from audience: Abimanyu Prasastia Perdana (Anak Muda Bicara Teater) Footage of experiment: Yuta Nishiyama Video editing: Brojol Performance assistant: Ayako Onzo, Ardiana Putri Siswanto Document of the performance: Stage manager: Gading Narendra Paksi, Murti[ask Ries] Video work Direction: Kanade Yagi Man talking about “Rubber hand illusion” in Bahasa Indonesia: Antariksa Script translation (English to Bahasa Indonesia): Antariksa Video footage: Kanade Yagi Video editing: Brojol Title design: Zyrael Genesis Fortes Production of hand-shaped cakes and

cookies Design: Kanade Yagi Recipe design, production adviser: Kiky Sekali (Ky’s bakery) Assistant: Riska (Ky’s bakery), Edwina Brennan, Zyrael Genesis Fortes

What is it like to be me?

[Spoken word poetry “Science is empathizing” ] Performer: Ayako Onzo Translator: Anya

What is it like to be me?

[Science talk “Puppet and Body”] Speaker: Yuta Nishiyama Translator: Anya [Workshop “Puppet and Body”] Facilitator: Yuta Nishiyama, Ayako Onzo, Kanade Yagi Equipment: Yuta Nishiyama Questionnaire: Yuta Nishiyama, Ayako Onzo [Catalog] Editing: Kanade Yagi Translation: Rismilliana Wijayanti (Jogja Contemporary) Editorial Design: Minimi Studio (Anang Saptoto & Viki) [Publication] Design (flyer, poster): Minimi Studio (Anang Saptoto) Facebook page: Rismilliana Wijayanti (Jogja Contemporary) Website: Ayako Hirai Special Thanks to:

Iwan Effendi, Polyglot Theatre, Cake Industries, Jae Sirikarn Bunjongtad & Axm Nj, Anino Shadowplay Collective, Belen Rubira, Bernd Ogrodnik & Hildur Jónsdóttir, GNAYAW Puppet, Kovacs Tamas, All of the audience and the participants, Ningrum Arum, Yu Endo (The Japan Foundation Asia Center) Tokyo Independent Collaboratory tokyoindependentcollaboratory@gmail.com