LINDA DUVALL Visual and Media Artist
Project Face to Face
Organizers: Individuals With Ideas Linda Duvall, Lorelie Sarauer, and the late Lorri Sippola
What is it: a diverse range of people all from the
same community are invited to share conversation and food
How does it Work?
Participants are seated in such a way that each person carries on a conversation
with one other person for 10 minutes, after which a shift in the seating
arrangement allows each guest to sit across from and meet a different
person. The process is repeated throughout the event.
Why? One of the best ways to create understanding
across diverse parts of a community and break down barriers of mistrust
is for individuals to actually meet face to face in a friendly, non-adversarial
and equal environment.
A trial version was held on October 29, 2005. From this
we learned:
It is lovely to share a delicious home cooked meal, but organizationally
easier and equally satisfying to simply provide an assortment of snacks,
deserts, and hot and cold drinks.
The three organizers have too limited a circle when they just invite their
own friends and acquaintances. For future events, they will consult with
and request the assistance of community groups from different parts of
the city and representing a range of constituents.
People want the possibility of having future contact with some of the
people that they met during the event. We will develop a way to both respect
participants’ needs for privacy while still enabling subsequent
interaction.
Comments from Trial dinner –
“Thank you for last night. It was an extraordinary experience, and
I came home feeling enriched and satisfied.”
“I found it fascinating that within the structure you and your fellow
organizers and hosts had developed there was such a feeling of freedom
and lack of pressure.”
“The way you had designed the event seemed to allow an ease of interaction
that isn’t always possible in a less formalized environment. I am
grateful for having been included.”
“I want to thank you for a most stimulating evening. It was really
fun, and the food was delicious.”
. 