A Profoundly Loud and Small Distance by Taryn Crankshaw
Commissioned by Karen Franklin
Inspired by the confession…
Artist Statement
What struck me about the confession I chose was the idea of not being hugged for a week. It’s easy to forget how long one can go without physical contact and yet, it can be so profound once we realize how... much time has passed.
Also, I wanted to explore the idea of of the word “meantime” which influenced me to examine how distance, not matter how far or close, can grow (even shrink) as we wait for time to pass.
I started thinking about the idea of hugs, touch and physical affection and how it affects us when we make contact and what happens when that contact is interrupted, displaced or non-existent.
I thought the best way to explore this topic was to create three different perspectives, and stories communicate these ideas.
I chose to record the piece in an effort to explore how contact can be expressed through other senses such as hearing.
The monologues are as follows:
MATTER - A woman recounts how an elementary school science class forever changed her view of the world.
NEEDS TO BE A GOOD ONE - A self proclaimed hug-sommelier critiques their date’s lack of affection.
THE FIRST PERSON YOU MEET - A soon to be parent recalls their own wild, and unbelievable birth story.
To the person who left the confession: Thank you for letting me explore this topic. It was a beautiful and fulfilling challenge. Hopefully, I tapped into something. I wish you warmth and comfort. And I hope that as soon as this weird time in the world is over, that you’ll get that hug.