An art installation is aimed at sparking conversation

It can be difficult to have a meaningful conversation. And how much do you really know your partner or friend? How do you even start?

A new public art installation at the Eileen Garnett Civic Space, at 7200 Columbia Pike in Annandale, is aimed at making it easier.  

The “Conversation Bench,” installed by Community Art for Everyone (CAFE) on June 8, is part of the Art in Daily Spaces project.

It consists of two attached pink-and-blue chairs facing in opposite directions with a glass screen between them. An “observer” sits in one chair, and a “participant” sits in the other one. A sign says the objective is to “bridge the distance between how you are seen and who you actually are.”

The participant scans the QR code on the screen and reads a question aloud. Both players place their fingers on a slider on the screen at the same time. The observer points to a spot on the spectrum where they think the other person falls. The participant points to their actual truth.

Both people look at where their fingers are and ask each other: “What made you see me that way?” You can then swap roles and go again or ask another question.

Related story: Artists display their work at ‘Art in Daily Spaces’

If, like me, you had trouble accessing the QR code, here are a few examples of the prompts:

How easy is it for me to start a conversation like this? – the spectrum ranges from “uncomfortable” to “it comes naturally.”

How do I handle disagreement? – the spectrum ranges from “I avoid it” to “I face it directly.”

How much emotional support did I feel surrounding me as a child? – the spectrum ranges from “I felt alone” to “I felt secure.”

The idea for the Conversation Bench grew out of a series of workshops, held in March, says CAFE President Hannah Joo. CAFE members discussed the need for local residents to improve their ability to communicate with one another.

Another Conversation Bench will be installed in Annandale at a location to be determined.