KULA ZONE - Otieno Gomba - Maasai Mbili

Original Report

KULA ZONE is the name I give to my installation cum performance. It’s an installation of a local open air hotel/restaurant. As you know the theatre and its audience is used to mind disturbing performances and other stuff that will always make your mind tired.

But this one is simple. In Nairobi’s industrial sectors many open air hotels have been set up. This is as to carter for the grassroots’ man.

Here many people pop in at different times every day. While taking their meals they talk different things about different issues. They laugh, chat, argue, but just for the little time they spend there. Then each one leave’s at different times while others arrive this makes one debate be shared by many people. Only the cook and the waiter get almost the whole story.

To me the cook and the waiter are the curators of an installation (hotel) and a performance (customers, noise, eating). The next unique thing is that all the people (performers) in the installation (hotel} act as an audience at a particular time or a particular moment. That is- when two people are arguing the rest enjoy the show. When others shout while ordering the others watch them. Everyone always have a chance of being the audience and the performer!!!

I think that this could be a very cool piece at the theatre. The visiting audience will be free to get into the installation order a hot meal of ugali, fish, githeri or anything else they would like to have for free.

Later well have the audience tell us on camera or recorder what notion the piece/place of art brings on their minds