Since
modern man’s victorious accent to the top of the food chain and his
retreat to the cities, Mother Nature has found it difficult to challange his
survival instincts the way the lion attacks and generic volcano explosions
of yesteryear used to. Aside from the fear and panic that can be caused by
plauges and other small microbes, the odd fox eating a baby or people falling
into zoo compounds, that daily fight against the Earth’s other animal
competitors has become as leisurely as chopping up worms or drowning a cat.
However, in order that the human race should not become too complacent in
it’s triumphant millenia long reign, town planners have seen to it that
our lives carry at least some of the life or death decision making excitement
that made us so much better than the other animals, even before we had guns.
Whether intentional or not, the dark corners, subways, alleyways and secluded
dark pavement areas of every town give the modern pedestrian perhaps his only
real excitement of the day, even if he doesn’t regard it particulary
pleasant. Walking home at night; under bridges, past gangs of drunk adolecents,
turning a corner in a poorly lit subway - knowing that any minute you could
find yourself thrown to the floor, Reebok classics stamping on your face,
wallet ripped from your trousers and a knife in your guts. Your senses become
highly alert. Every sound and movement is assesed, every fellow pedestrian
becomes a potential attacker, taking the place of the tiger or vulture of
eons past. You plan quick contingencies in your head, your brain is suddenly
called upon to make some pretty important and exciting decisions.
Which is the best escape route?
Would my keys make an effective knuckle duster?
But then, more often than not, you are through the other side and onto safe
territory, breathing a sigh of earned relief and feeling the sweat cool on
your skin. You survived! And with this feeling you carry on the relief felt
by your ancestors when they outran that sabre tooth elephant or punched that
snake. Even in these days of anti-bacterial face wipes you felt the fear of
death.
I decided to amplify this experience for my fellow pedestrians, in areas of
the city were it already takes place - without increasing the risk of actual
attack. By leaving various objects and liquids in these already scary areas
I intend to frighten, alarm and terrify as much, or hopefully more than all
the rollercoasters, horror films, bunjee jumps and asphixiation fetishes in
the world.
