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2001

Touching 1000 People

Diane Borsato

Diane Borsato

Diane Borsato is an award-winning artist, writer, and educator. (Canada) 
Copyright: Diane Borsato
1.jpg
Untitled
Montreal, QC, Canada

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For a month in Montreal (2001) and ten days in Vancouver (2003), the artist subtly touched 1,000 strangers—commuters, shoppers, and workers—in public, exploring how minimal gestures can affect behavior and well-being.

Performance intervention and photographs

“I read a study that suggested that when people are subtly touched, it can affect their behaviour and well being. For a month I went out of my way to delicately bump, rub past, and tap 1000 strangers in the city. I touched commuters, shoppers, cashiers and taxi cab drivers on the street, on the metro, in shops and in museums. The exercise was like a minimalist performance. I was exploring the smallest possible gesture, and how it could create an effect in public.

The action was performed for one month in various locations in Montreal in 2001, and repeated for ten days across the city of Vancouver in 2003.”

Information found on the artist’s website.

Credits

Exhibition History:

- Vu, How To Draw Winter, Solo Exhibition, with catalogue essay by Amish Morrell, Winter 2006, Quebec City;
- Artcite, The Moon in my Mouth, Solo Exhibiton and Visiting Artist Talk at University of Windsor, Spring 2006, Windsor, Ontario;
- Truck Contemporary Art in Calgary, Sleeping with Cake, in ‘Mountain Standard Time: Festival of Performative Art’, Fall 2005, Calgary;
- Mois de la Photo, How to Eat light, Solo Exhibition curated by Martha Langford at ‘Occurrence’, Fall 2005, Montreal;
- CAFKA - Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener, Solo Exhibition as part of ‘Peace of Mind’, 2005, Kitchener, Ontario;
- Gallery TPW, Warm Things To Chew For The Dead, (Solo Exhibition), during Contact 2004: Toronto.

APA style reference

Borsato, D. (2001). Touching 1000 People. walk · listen · create. https://walklistencreate.org/walkingpiece/touching-1000-people/
Submitted by: Dani Spadotto

slew

A short walk or stroll, as in “I’ll take a slew around the harbour before going to bed.” from the Dictionary of Newfoundland English (University of Toronto Press, 1982).

Added by Marlene Creates
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