An excerpt from Frank Moore’s The Uncomfortable Zones Of Fun
Recorded Saturday, February 27, 2010 at Temescal Arts Center, Oakland, California
Gestures
Gestures was a ritual that Frank developed during his 3-year performance series at University of California, Berkeley in the 1980s and that he continued to use as a module in many of his performances for the next 30 years.
It is based upon the book MANWATCHING by Desmond Morris. During the ritual, those who choose to participate are paired, then strips of paper are drawn randomly from two bags and read aloud; one bag filled with the gestures, one bag filled with adjectives.
Here are all of the tools and resources you need to conduct and participate in your own Gestures Ritual.
Click on the buttons below to select a random adjective and then a random gesture. Click again to select a new adjective and gesture.
Here is the introduction to the ritual that was read during a performance. Substitute the "Linda" with the name of the person reading the gestures. There is no set time for how long each gesture should be performed. The person conducting the ritual should rely on their instincts for when the time feels right to read the next gesture.
A Chanter sings:
“This is a ritual, a magical ritual, a ritual of Gestures which will open up a physical, magical force within those who choose to participate. At times the ritual will be very silly. At other times there will be a raw vulnerability, an intimacy that is not limited by social taboos, not framed in by romance or sex.”
“This magical ritual operates on the random principle. Magicians and mystics have used the factor of change throughout the ages to get past the rational, the logical, the linear, to get to inner knowledge or to universal wisdom. Shuffling the tarot cards and the throwing of the yarrow sticks for the i ching are but two examples of this random principle. In this ritual, the random principle, pulling gestures out of the box, will direct the ritual. Some gestures are silly. Some gestures are intense and intimate. The random principle makes each gesture equal. The random principle will remove the linear limiting taboo, sexual, romance context.”
“Linda will now pair people … to do the gestures.”
The Chanter waits until Linda finishes pairing. Then the Chanter sings:
“Slowness is important in the quiet gentle sounds and laughter will help the magic. Watchers should refrain from talking during the ritual.”
“Each gesture has a special time length. You should keep doing one action until Linda sings the next gesture.”
“You will start releasing the physical force of eroplay in your bodies. This ritual will take eroplay out of social, moral, sexual, and romantic contexts, so that the focus will be on the pure magical fun and pleasure. It is important that each act be done gently, slowly, softly, completely.”
The Chanter quietly exits. Linda takes over.
Videos
Recorded July 24, 1986
Performed at Eleanor Antin's class.