A sudden outburst of laughter
A Painting Exhibition
2015, Trykkeriet, Bergen, Norway
The car broke down on the way from Bujumbura to Marunge. We came to a standstill in a tiny village. Houses embraced and hidden by lush greens. We called the mechanic, and waited outside the car. Curious village children lined up to look at us, the strange invaders. They laughed and pointed their fingers. Like animals in the zoo, we tried to ignore all the attention. The longer we sat there, the more faces appeared in the forest line: Dusky figures, leaning against trees and hunched over in the midst of large leaves. The light was illuminating the bleak orange and mature pink powder in the air. It was erasing the sensation of depth in the landscape.
Bodies dissolving in the curves and colours of the land. At once so near, yet barely noticeable.
After a few hours of communication through enlarged arm gestures, the village children lost interest. This was the amount of time it took for newness to wear off. What was foreign turned insignificant, in the most pleasant of ways.
The exhibition was kindly supported by Norwegian Arts Council
Image credit: Apichaya Wanthiang