-- 113 MILES BETWEEN ONE SHOWER OF RAIN AND THE NEXT

'Last week I bumped into the “Cyber Steam Bath” now mounted at the W139, in the centre of Amsterdam. When I entered it I managed to forget about the busy city life and I had an experience, which I believe it must be somehow similar to sitting on a boat in the middle of a thunderstorm. Lots have been said about the benefits in terms of social impact of steam baths/saunas etc., as they are cosy spots where to share a story or an anecdote. Even if undressed among strangers, there you don’t feel vulnerable; instead, pampered by the warmth you can easily relax or engage in small conversations. Once immersed in the steam, your imagination is set free and your mind can to land into another reality. This made me think of a hike I did in the Alps, during a day when the fog was so thick that it was almost impossible to engage with other people; so, I just left my thoughts synchronizing to the rhythm of the steps between the rocks. Once the excursion ended, it was almost difficult to re-establish a regular social interaction, because everybody had embraced the dimension of silence created by that special atmosphere. To describe his performance walks, Richard Long, in his monographic publication “Mirage, used very little words and a black and white picture, but that was enough to originate vivid sensations. One of the examples is indeed: “113 Miles Between One Shower Of Rain And The Next”. This statement already projects yourself next to him, walking into a landscape, which gradually becomes more and more similar to your inner desires. Imagine then, how it would be if he would seat inside a steam bath next to you, talking about his last walk… (?!)'

Arisen from the image of a walk through fantastic scapes, -- 113 MILES BETWEEN ONE SHOWER OF RAIN AND THE NEXT is a short reading experience of selected artists’ personal thoughts, diaries or landscape descriptions, inside the C’hu steam bath. The selection of reading is proposed by Mariana Lanari as part of her on-going current performance Moving Thinking at the Stedelijk Museum Library.

The reading lasts about 15 minutes and requires to the attendees to be undressed, in order to secure an equal position to all the participants. In order to participate please write to reading113miles@gmail.com, as a maximum of six persons can access the steam bath. There will be some space to relax and share your feelings over a drink, after the reading. “In general it feels as there is a silent protocol at C’hu steam bath, which people quite respect, and they feel more comfortable in being undress than the opposite.”

-- 113 MILES BETWEEN ONE SHOWER OF RAIN AND THE NEXT
Is a reading of artists’ confessions inside a steam bath, initiated by Emma Panza

Sunday, the 1st of November from 6.30pm
W139
Warmoesstraat 139, Amsterdam