A Scene

A Scene #32 – #1
On this website and on Facebook I announce small events that will take place at a certain location and at a certain moment in the near future.
Everybody is invited to be at the exact spot at the exact time to contribute to the scene with his/her own simultaneous activity (or inactivity).

A Scene #32: back and forth
30 October, 2021.
I am standing on a bridge over the Río Segura in Ojos (38° 08′ 58″ N 1° 20′ 22″ W), Spain.
At the same time, G. is standing on another bridge over the Río Segura, in Blanca (38° 10′ 46″ N 1° 22′ 41″ W), 7 km upstream. Our phones are on speakerphone and the volume is on maximum.

At 2.20 pm (CEST) I call G.
She picks up. We don’t speak a word, but keep the line open.
We point our phones down at the fast-flowing water under the bridges.
Ten minutes later, at 2.30 pm, we disconnect.

In collaboration with Giuli Grippo.

A Scene #31: both sides
October 9, 2021. 5 pm (CEST) 
Calle Nueva de Blanca 23, Blanca, Murcia.
38° 10.7269′ N, 01° 22.5945′ W

I am sitting on a chair on a terrace. On the table in front is a glass of beer. Opposite me, at the other side of the street, is a wall to which a galvanised drainpipe is attached. The wall is plastered in a dark brown colour to about 1.20 metres high. Above that, the wall is pink. The pavement in front of the wall consists of grey tiles, stained and dirty.

Yesterday I was standing there, in front of that pipe, from 5:00 pm until at least 5:05 pm.
I was wearing sunglasses, a black short-sleeved shirt, grey shorts and black sandals. In my left hand I had a notebook. I was looking at a plastic chair, behind a rattan table. I imagined myself sitting there today. I had no idea what I would be wearing and what drink I would have in front of me.
That is what I remember.

 

A Scene #30: a street where nobody speaks
On Friday, August 20,  between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., users of the Neißstraße (between Weberstraße and Uferstraße) in Görlitz (D), were personally addressed, and asked not to speak or to make any other noise. Small cards were handed out with the following texts:.

“Liebe FuBgängerin, lieber FuBgänger,
Heute, am 20. August, ist diese StraBe ein Ort der Stille. Bitte tragen Sie dazu bei, indem Sie während
lhren Spaziergang nicht sprechen oder Lärm machen. Wir danken lhnen herzlich für 1hr Engagement.”

“Drogi przechodniu,
Dziś, 20 sierpnia, ulica ta jest miejscem ciszy. Prosimy o nie rozmawianie i nie halasowanie podczas spaceru. Dziękujemy za Państwa zaangażowanie.”

A Scene #30 was part of STRE!FEN performance festival

A Scene #29: the real world
On Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 2:20 PM (UTC + 1) I stood in front of the door of a house,
Grotekerksbuurt 36, in Dordrecht, the Netherlands (lat: 51.813892, long: 4.66324, alt: 0).
On the door was a poster, showing the exact location, date and time.
I stayed there until the time ran out.

 

A Scene #28: a parallel improvisation
in collaboration with Steef van Lent
On Saturday January 9, in the afternoon, we drove through the city of Rotterdam.
S drove his car in the northern part of the city, while I drove in the southern part of the city.
At exactly 2:20 pm I called S on the hands-free phone. During our call, we both spoke out loud the names of the streets we were driving through. The conversation took 25 minutes and was recorded.
Later I drew the routes on the satellite photo of Rotterdam. I connected the mentioned streets on either side of the river.

A Scene #27: Private, dark mode
On Saturday 12 December at 02:00 (UTC+1)  I was standing motionless at the window of my living room (51.8137612 N, 4.671336 E) for 15 minutes, and looked into the nocturnal street. My face to the South, my arms beside my body.

A Scene #26: Private
On Saturday, October 31, 2020 at 2 p.m.,
I was standing in the backyard of my house for 15 minutes, with my eyes closed, my arms beside my body. Because the frontdoor was closed, it was not possible to join the scene on location. The event was documented live on video and presented in realtime on the facebook event-page.

A Scene #25: Time, Rate, Distance
On Monday 28 September 2020 at 2:28 PM (CEST) I was standing outside my studio (51.8085854, 4.6706976), with my back to the front door.
I set the timer on my phone at 2:44 PM.
I checked the compass which direction I am facing.
At exactly 2.30 pm I started to move forward. I walked round blocks when necessary, to get as far as possible in the direction I was facing.
When the alarm on my phone went off at 2:44 PM, I stopped moving for two minutes.
At exactly 2:46 PM I turned 180 ° and walked back the same route at the same speed.
At 3 PM I arrived at the starting point and entered the building.

This work was performed simultaneously by approximately 40 people at different locations in the Netherlands.


 

A Scene #24: Leave the Place
On Saturday July 4 2020 at 2 p.m. (CEST) I was standing in front of the bronze doors of Blaak 10, Rotterdam (5155.1223,N, 00429.3217,E).
At exactly 2.20 pm I walked towards the train station (Blaak), descended the stairs, went to platform 3 and took the first train in southern direction.

A Scene #23: Acceleration
Acceleration is the rate of change of the velocity of an object with respect to time.
Saturday June 27.
I was standing at Hofplein, Rotterdam (5155.4866 N, 00428.6858 E), facing Coolsingel.
At 2:00 (CEST) 
I walked in the direction of Beurs metro station, where I earlier parked my bicycle. I took my bike and cycled on in the same direction, Schiedamse Dijk. I passed Erasmus bridge, Wilhelmina square and stopped at Kop van Zuid, where I earlier parked my car. I put my bicycle in the boot, got in the car and continued my way in the same direction.
About  A Scene #23: Acceleration

A Scene #22
On Saturday 23 May 2020 at 2:20 PM (CEST), I stood in the middle of the food market at Statenplein, Dordrecht, the Netherlands (5148.8870 N, 00440.1692 E).
I looked around until I recognised someone, and while I was looking at this person I grabbed my phone and called him to ask how things are. After a while, I made clear that I was within visual distance, stopped the conversation and raised my arm to say goodbye. I left the market.

A Scene #21
On Saturday, April 11 2020, from 2:00 till 2:30 PM (CEST) I was pacing up and down between the iron gate and the front door of the studio building Singel 222, Dordrecht (51.8085854, 4.6706976).
Please, keep your distance!

A Scene #20
On Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at 2:20 PM (CET) I was standing in the aisle of a flying Boeing 767-300 between the Netherlands and Iceland. With my eyes closed, my arms beside my body, I was for 15 minutes contemplating the enormity of the ocean below.

In memory of Antoinette Reuten.

A Scene #19: Doubts
On Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 2:20 PM (CEST) I was in the middle of a field at Ons Park, Feijenoordstraat, 3071 LN Rotterdam, (51 ° 54’53.5 “N 4 ° 29’50.4” E).
I considered the direction where I came from and I considered and reconsidered where to go from there.
When I made a decision, I left in the chosen direction.

A Scene #18
On Thursday October 24, 2019 at 10:00 (CEST) I was standing on the jetty at Fondamenta de le Zattere ai Gesuati, Venice, Italy (N45.42914814482034  W12.326794266700745), waiting for the first boat to bring me to the other side of the water: Giudecca Palanca (N45.42678386442304 W12.325501441955568). While waiting I was facing the jetty at the opposite side.
Once on the boat I was standing at starboard and I looked out over the waters in north-western direction.
When the boat moored at Giudecca Palanca I left the boat but I stayed on the jetty, waiting for the first boat to bring me back to Zattere. While waiting I was facing the jetty at the opposite side.
Back on the boat I was standing at starboard, looking out over the waters in south-eastern direction.
At Zattere I left the boat and walk away.

A Scene #17: A Walking Lunch
On Saturday Juni 15, 2019 at 14:00 (WEST) I left my studio at Rua Damasceno de Monteiro (N 38 43 5.8 W 9 7 55.5) for a walking lunch towards Cais do Sodré (N 38 42 20.16 W 9 8 36.958).
I started with a glass of Moscatel do Douro, then, walking through the Jardim da Cerca da Graça, I had an Oeuf Mayonnaise. Going down the streets towards the river, I had a mixed salat with tomatoes, bacon, walnuts and grapes, a slice of bread and a glass of red Douro wine. As a desert I ate Flan de Ovo. When I finally approached Cais do Sodré I finished the lunch with a double espresso with sugar.

A Scene #16
On Saturday May 18, 2019 at 14:00 (WEST) for 20 minutes I was reading a newspaper in a queue at Ponto Inicial Trem 28, Rua Senhora Saúde 6B, Lisbon, Portugal (N38°42’54.1116” W9°8’12.048”). After 20 minutes I folded the newspaper, left the queue, and walked away in the direction of Rua da Graça.

A Scene #15
On Saturday April 13, 2019 at 14:20 (WEST) I was at the public garden Jardim Augusto Gil, Largo da Graça, Lisbon, Portugal (GMS N 38°42’57.96″ W 9°7’50.519″), in order to perform a short collage of casual movements I perceived there in the days before. The carrying out took about 10 minutes.

A Scene #14: Over and Under
On Saturday December 15, 2018 at 14:20 CET I waited for a tram in southern direction, at tram stop Leuvehaven (51°54’55.625″N, 4°28’56.857″E), Rotterdam. I stepped into the first arriving tram. The tram crossed the river Maas over the Erasmus bridge. I got off the tram at the first stop on the other side of the river: Wilhelminaplein (51°54’26.72″N, 4°29’34.756″E).
I then entered the Metro station and waited at the platform for a metro train in Northern direction. I took the first arriving train, and crossed the river Maas through the tunnel. I left the train at the first stop: Leuvehaven.

A Scene #13: The Announcement
On Saturday 8 December 2018, at exactly 14:20 CET, I publicly announced a new event with the name: ‘A Scene # 14’, on the website
fransvanlent.nl and on Facebook. Unlike all previous events, you could be part of this occurrence at any chosen location,
if you were online on that specific moment.

A Scene #12
On Saturday October 13, 2018 I walked on the Bergweg, Rotterdam (on the right site) in the direction of the Gordelweg, carrying a plastic bag with oranges. At exactly 14:20 CEST, I passed the corner of the Zaagmolenstraat (51°56’08.6″N, 4°28’35.2″E), in front of Bergweg 184 A, and at that exact moment the bag teared open and the oranges spread over the pavement. I then gathered the oranges, put them in another plastic bag and walked on in the same direction.
(this scene was a repetition of A Scene #1 of October 11, 2014).

A Scene #11
On Saturday May 12 2018, I walked on the left pavement of the Schiekade, Rotterdam, in a north-westerly direction (Schieweg). At exactly 14.20 (CEST) I arrived at the corner of the Provenierssingel (51.928456, 4.473318). From there I turned to the right and crossed the Schiekade, towards the Roo Valkstraat. As soon as I arrived at the Roo Valkstraat, I turned around and crossed the street again, back to the Provenierssingel. I continued to do this, forward and backward, until 14.40 (CEST). From that moment I continued my walk in a north-westerly direction.

A Scene #10
On Saturday, January 20, 2018, at exactly 14:20 CET, three persons (Jane Martin in London, Frans van Lent in Rotterdam and Josh Schwebel in Berlin) started calling each other incessantly. The ringing went on but every call was pushed away, no connection was made. The calling stopped at 14:35 CET.

A Scene #9
On Saturday, November 18th, 2017, at exactly 14:20 CET, I entered a department store at Hoogstraat 185 , Rotterdam (5155.2323,N,00428.9270,E).
I walked straight on to the menswear department and selected three jackets. I went to a fittingroom and tried on the three jackets.
The first jacket did not fit my size, the second jacket did not fit my taste, the third one did not fit my budget.
I returned the jackets to the clothes racks and left the store without spending any money.

A  Scene #8A (In cooperation with Johanna van Overmeir)
On Friday June 16, 2017 I travelled from Dordrecht to Breda by train. At exactly 14:20 CET I entered the T-Huis, John F. Kennedylaan 15, Breda, (51.59127340000001 4.78122350000001). I took a seat and ordered a mint tea and a piece of applepie. I read my newspaper, drank my tea, ate my pie. At 15:00 I asked for the bill and paid the waiter. I then folded my newspaper and walked into the park.

A Scene #8B (by Johanna van Overmeir)
On Friday June 16, 2017 I travelled from Antwerp to Breda by train. At exactly 14:20 CET I entered the T-Huis, John F. Kennedylaan 15, Breda, (51.59127340000001 4.78122350000001). I took a seat, ordered a coffee, a glass of tap water and a piece of cake. I drew in my sketchbook, looked at the park, drank my coffee, ate my pie and drank my water. At 3PM I asked the bill and paid the waiter. I closed my sketchbook, went to the restroom and walked into the park.

A Scene #7: One hour in sixty minutes
On Saturday, April 15th, 2017, at exactly 14:20 CET, I was standing on Stationsplein, Rotterdam
(51 ° 55’24 “N 4 ° 28’13” E), facing Central Station.
One minute later I started to move very slowly in an arc to the right, to walk a circle with a diameter of about six meters.
One hour later, at exactly 15:21, I was back at the starting point and closed the circle.
I then entered the railway station and left.

A Scene #6: The London Stone
On December 18, at 15:00 GMT we, Alisa OlevaIrina Danilova and Andrew McNiven and Frans van Lent, met at 111 Cannon Street, London, UK .
We established that the building, that protected the London Stone for so long, was now in a process of demolition.
The London Stone was temporarily displaced to the Museum of London.
Each of us looked for a small piece of stone or a pebble on the pavement. When we found a stone, we put it in our pocket and we left for a walk to the museum of our personal choice:
-Alisa walked to the Institute of Contemporary Arts (exhibition: Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2016).
-Andrew walked to the British Museum (exhibition: Museum Collection, Egyptian section).
-Irina walked to the Museum of London (exhibition: ‘Pleasure Gardens’, media installation).
-Frans walked to the Tate Britain (exhibition: Turner Prize 2016).
When we arrived, each of us entered and unnoticeably added the stone to the chosen exhibition.

A Scene #5a (in cooperation with Ienke Kastelein)
On Saturday April 23, 2016 I was standing in front of a butcher’s shopwindow at Meent 67a (51.923001N 4.4839874E). In my left hand I had the dog leash, my dog sat next to me. In my right hand I carried a red shopping bag, full of groceries. At exactly 14:20 CET I noticed a woman leaving a shoe store at the opposite side of the street. I recognised her and called her name (Ienke). She looked in my direction, smiled, waved her left hand. I put down my bag and waved back. I watched her walking hastily in the direction of the Binnerotte. She turned right and got out of sight.
Scene #5a is related to A Scene #5b

A Scene #5b (by Ienke Kastelein)
On Saturday April 23, 2016 I was at Pim Sneakers Store at Meent 50 (51.922859N 4.484160E) looking for a pair of red sneakers size 39 or 40. I wore a red coat and walked with a black cane. At exactly 14:20 CET I left the store. Someone called my name. When I looked around I saw a man with a dog standing in front of a butcher’s shop on the opposite side of the street. I recognised the man (Frans). I smiled and waved at him with my left hand. I continued walking hastily in the direction of the Binnerotte. I didn’t look back; I turned right to the Binnerotte and walked on.

A Scene #4
On Saturday October 17 2015, at exactly 14:20 CET, I entered a department store (51°92’04.02″N, 4°47’86.3789999996751″E) De Bijenkorf, Coolsingel 105, Rotterdam, and I bought a small black umbrella. With this umbrella I walked to the exit Van Oldenbarneveltplaats and left the building.
A. When it rained I would open the umbrella and walk away.
B. When it did not rain I would go back into the shop, return the umbrella, get a pay back and leave through the exit Coolsingel 105 (where I entered the building).
I did B.

A Scene #3
On Saturday June 6 2015, I walked in the Kipstraat Rotterdam in the direction of the Hoogstraat (corner Hampshire Hotel) carrying a small coffee table wrapped in plastic. At the same time a person approached the same corner (Hoogstraat, direction Kipstraat) carrying a kitchen chair wrapped in plastic. At exactly 14:20 CET we passed each other at the corner (51°92’24.09″N, 4°49’21.17″E) . After some possible unclearness in how to do this with these big objects, we continued our walks in opposite directions.

A Scene #2
On Saturday November 15 2014, at exactly 14:20 CET, I walked into the city library (51°55’15.9″N, 4°29’18.8″E), Centrale Bibliotheek, Hoogstraat 110, Rotterdam), carrying a black cotton bag.
At the center of the hall I stopped walking and checked the bag and all the pockets of my cloths. Whatever I was looking for, I did not find it.
I waited a few seconds. Then once more I thoroughly checked the bag and my pockets. I turned around, walked back to the door (hastily) and left the building.

A Scene #1
On Saturday October 11 2014, I walked on the Bergweg (on the right site) in the direction of the Gordelweg, carrying a plastic bag with oranges. At exactly 14:20 CET, I passed the corner of the Zaagmolenstraat (51°56’08.6″N, 4°28’35.2″E), in front of nr 184 A, and at that exact moment the bag tore and the oranges spread over the pavement.
I then gathered the oranges, put them in another plastic bag and walked on in the same direction.