9 | Do you want a hug?
3-way conversation between Brother Nut 坚果兄弟, UBERMORGEN and The Third Sister
Dear Luzius
I didn’t expect to receive your letter the moment I woke up this afternoon!
At that time, I hadn’t yet recovered from yesterday’s intense emotions and dizziness. The two powerful embraces yesterday felt so real!
Without a doubt, we all like you and Billie very much, as well as Lola and lizvlx whom we haven’t met yet—as transnational fellow travelers, as explorers, as provocateurs, and above all, as partners who can trust, respect, and play with one another. This mutual bond is also so real!
Our laughter, eye contact, communication, pauses, and food yesterday were also so real!
Of course, for me, I have a similar feeling to yours. Being in a crowd, my brain often overloads and crashes, leaving me restless.
Just now, late at night, I was riding my bicycle on the streets, by the river, aimlessly, alone, dripping with sweat—only then did I feel a part of myself calm down from those intense emotions.
It wasn’t until yesterday that I gained a deeper understanding of UBERMORGEN as a unique way of working: respect and trust built on love, and the full creative freedom of each member built on trust. Today, when so many working methods have failed and when “democracy” has become incredibly complex, this approach feels all the more crucial. I was deeply moved.
On this land where I am, one of the working methods we sometimes have to adopt is to gather different partners to form temporary working groups addressing various social issues; once the project ends, the working group disappears. Sometimes, we invite young strangers to create a new project based on our previous work. We just need to take a step back and watch things unfold. Sometimes, at times, we try to build a framework—or rather, a vortex. We invite close friends and young strangers to throw their time, emotions, questions, and even their bodies into this vortex. We reflect each other, scrutinize each other, linger around each other, and interweave with one another. Together, we construct a vivid, living event architecture, attempting to reach a broader public.
Yesterday, I truly felt what you were feeling—at least a part of it. I also often find myself trapped in a cycle of avoidance and guilt, at a complete loss. Sometimes, I realize that the problem is me.
I think, whether here or elsewhere, the time we have with each other is still long, very, very long. We still have plenty of time to understand each other more deeply, to “interweave,” and to take action!
May you have a good night’s sleep tonight!
Nut
__
亲爱的陆之：
没想到下午刚醒来就收到你的来信！
下午那会，我还未从昨天的强烈情绪与晕眩中缓过来。昨天两次强烈的拥抱是如此真实！
毫无疑问，我们都很喜欢你和Billie 以及还未能见面的Lola、lizvlx（Liz） ，作为跨越国界的同行者作为探索者作为挑衅者更作为我们能相互信任相互尊重相互玩耍的伙伴本身。这种相互间的情谊，也是如此真实！
昨天我们彼此的笑声、眼神、交流、停顿与食物也是如此真实！
当然，对于我来说，我和你有相似的感觉。置身人群中，我常常脑袋过载宕机，坐立不安。
在刚才，深夜，我骑着自行车，在街头，在河边，漫无目的，一个人，大汗淋漓，才感觉从浓烈的情绪中平静一部分。
直到昨天，在爱基础之上的尊重与信任，在信任基础之上的各个成员的充分的创作自由——这是我加深理解UBERMORGEN作为一种独特的工作方式，在很多工作方法失效的今天，在“民主”变得无比复杂的今天，这种工作方法显得更加重要。我深受触动。
在我所在的这片土地上，我们有时不得不采用的工作方法之一是，面向不同的社会问题，我们找来不同的伙伴组成不同的临时工作小组，当项目结束，这个工作小组也消失了。有时候，我们邀请陌生的年轻人，在我们的工作基础之上，创造一个新的项目。我们只需退后一步，静观其变。有时候，有时，我们会尝试构建一个框架——或者说，一个漩涡。我们邀请亲密的朋友和素不相识的年轻人，将他们的时间、情感、疑问，甚至他们的身体都投入到这个漩涡中。我们彼此映照，互相审视，彼此流连，彼此交织。我们共同构建一个鲜活的、有生命力的事件架构，试图能面向更广泛的公众。
昨天，我真切地感受到了你的感受——至少一部分。我也常常发现自己陷入逃避和内疚的循环中，不知所措。有时，我意识到，问题本身就是我。
我想，无论在这里，还是其他地方，我们相互之间的时间都还长，非常非常长，我们还有大量的时间更深入地了解与“交织”，并采取行动！
愿你今晚睡个好觉！
坚果