I board the train, right next to the railing is the emergency break handle. Once I lay my eyes on it all my logic systems collapse. It whispers to me: "come, come", and I think: "yes, yes"…!
After all, it doesn't belong to anyone, it's always there, day and night. It usually works this way: "I don’t have any interest in it, and it doesn't have any interest in me". But despite the mutual lack of interest it always reminds me of the possibility of me becoming a victim in an emergency situation, thus becoming a part of it, forever. An emergency with no emergency. I go through this experience without experiencing it. So, I stand close, it makes me stare at it as if it's a freshly baked apple pie that just came out of the oven. I know this emergency break handle so well, it's my personal safety belt, the emergency hammer on the bus, the Atropine injection inside my gas mask box, the level 2 shelter in my home-town apartment building.
The revelation of such scenarios threatens the most minute, minuscule time unit imaginable, which is the immediate present; it breaks the rules, paralysing our immediate desires. And whilst during everyday life little things such as an SMS, a flickering light or a good song can affect my mood, in emergency situations people are mostly affected by the behavior of those around them. Suddenly a group of strangers operate as one, cohesive organism. When everyone boards the train, and choose their seat. And then there's me staring at the emergency handle, wondering to myself, what if I pull it and it won't even work?
The regime of terror, intimidation and emergency that colors my reality creates a situation where emergency has lost its currency, it's looking to redefine itself, and thus me, looking to redefine it too. On one hand I need it, because it's all I know, but on the other hand because it's so known and familiar to me, I find it, and whatever it symbolise both curious and alluring at the same time. My freedom. It has well and truly taught me to create intellectual disruptions and new speculations, to reveal new, not-yet-seen opportunities, no to hurt but to examine and enquire.
Continuing a research i'm starting in my Studio class this semester, i decided to transcribe notes that i write whenever i feel the potential of emergency. Naturally, it is very subjective feeling. i want to work with that raw material. search for patterns and just write them. make them tangible.
Here are some scan from my notebook about emergency: not so exiting
During the process i had to think about a few factors
- most of my notes were written in Hebrew, what are the correct and "right" words to use in the social/cultural context i am currently living in?
- what about the fact that "the state of security is different in israel than in the u.s? CONTEXT.
- when to stop? i have so many.
- i had to re-write a lot of things to make them as accurate as possible
Link to my text:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rAnbBYCH4shpmEu9dFnEfhzb7WreozDs4G_TKgf2A0I/edit?usp=sharing
My Text
No doorman in the entrance to a venue
No metal detection at the entrance of the venue
No Security guard at the entrance of the store
A guy with a Hugh coat in the middle of the summer walking in the street
One light in the emergency vehicle isn’t working
6 armed soldiers walking in the station, holding a loaded m16 gun
A woman carrying too many electronics, so many wires going from different pockets
5 exit signs
CPR kit
9 digit interface for alarm
The driver left the bus with the students in and the engine on, anyone have access to the his sit
No exit sign
No way to go down other than using the elevator
A security guard fell asleep
Security camera moving in the street from right to left for 2 minutes
7 security camera on one electricity poll
Dispatch calling for a security guard to go to the next building
The exit sign isn’t working
Emergency windows handle on my bus
A security alarm is on and nothing seem to happen in the store next to my house
Long tube of concrete
Concrete windows
Plastic sheets to cover windows
left over of Brown Tape on windows
My room
Knife
5 gallons water tank under my bed
Batteries
Gun
Civil defence siren pole on the roof of a building
neighbourhood patrol on my street going back and forth for an hour
Emergency booth in the subway
Emergency Hand break in the train
Emergency Hand break on my bus
Uniforms
Red and blue together
Tsunami guide signs referring to how far you are form the sea
Shelter sign
Sand bags in square structure
3 High Wall/border concrete in a row
A desk
Gas mask box
A green running man in a sign
No one checked my backpack
A staircase with windows
No re-entry from this floor
no one asked if i carry weapon
This if or now. i think i will continue to update this.
I had fun. important thing to remember for the next assignment.