Tuesday 8 May 2018

In rememberance of Bernie DeKoven

'Prui', 1969, a game described in 'The New Games Book':

‘[...] everybody wants to find and become part of the Prui. To do this, everyone stands in a group, closes their eyes, and starts milling about. When you bump into someone, shake his hand and ask, “Prui?” If the other person asks “Prui?” back, then you have not found the Prui. Keeping your eyes closed, find another person to ask.
When everybody is bumping about, shaking hands, with strains of “Prui? Prui? Prui?” floating around the crowd, the Referee whispers to one of the players that she is the Prui. Since the Prui can see, she opens her eyes. It seems that the Prui is also a smiling mute, for when someone bumps into her, shakes her hand, and asks that gentle question, she doesn’t respond. Ask again, just to make sure: “Prui?” No response. Eureka, you’ve found the Prui at last!
Now you can open your eyes – you’re part of the Prui, too. Keep holding the Prui’s hand, and when someone bumps into you, shake with your free hand, and don’t respond when he asks. That’s how the Prui grows.
You can only shake the Prui’s hand at either end, so if you bump into two clasped hands, you know you’ve got the Prui somewhere in the middle. Feel your way to the end and join it. Soon enough, everybody’s happily holding hands except one or two lost souls groping their way along the line of bodies. When the last stray joins up and opens his eyes, the smiling Prui usually breaks the silence by letting out a spontaneous cheer.’



'Guards', 2004, Francis Alÿs:

‘64 Coldstream guards walk separately in the City of London, unaware of one another’s route. The guards wander through the City looking for one another. Upon meeting, they fall into step and march together. When a square measuring 8 by 8 guards is built, the complete formation marches towards the closest bridge. As they step on to the bridge, the guards break step and disperse. These instructions form the basis of the film.’