Time to watch out
In every corner of the world, people are staying at home and trying to overcome this strange «quarantine» time. The project «Time to watch out» was created to do this together. I offered different people to share the view from the window and their thoughts written on the glass. Such a collective practice provides an opportunity to speak, to be distracted, and most importantly — to feel that you are not alone. I wanted this alarming time to become a time of solidarity and closeness. Here is the document of the self-isolation — one month of notes.
«I want no one to be sick». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Spring is passing by». Irina Heinz, Russia, St.Petersburg.
“I want to hug people again». Ksenia Kartasheva, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Distance is about tenderness». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Мечтаю быть в горах». Luke Lambert, USA, San Diego.
«I have a honeymoon now. Although there was no wedding». Dilara Dautova, Timashevsk, Krasnodar region.
«I want to be that pigeon. P. S. He flew away». Katya Pak, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«We all will die, but that’s not for sure». Alexander Grudnev, Russia, Sochi.
«The sun was shining all day, by the evening began to snow». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«What will happen when my cat gets tired of me?». Alena Batenkova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Really want to take a walk». Nadya Andreenko, Russia, Moscow.
«It seems I became more aware of my responsibility. It makes breathing easier». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«World, I’m with you». Ksenia Burn, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«My sore head wants to eat me up». Anita Dich, Russia, Moscow.
«On the rocket: „The world“. Above: „Let’s go!“ The list: „1. To get medical help. 2. To the pharmacy. 3. To the store. 4. To relatives who need help. 5. To the job, having a special pass. 6. To take the trash out. 7. To walk the dog or cat“». Gosha Koth, Russia, Rubtsovsk.
«It’s spring outside». Masha Gromova, Russia, Moscow.
«Now we all have realized what is truly important. How fast will we forget about it again?». Irina Heinz, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«It seems we have all become more careful: to ourselves, and the world, and each other». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«Planes no longer fly, but the sky is just as beautiful». Kate Peters, Russia, Saint Petersburg.
«This week, the crow finally settled in the nest. Her husband watches from the roof and drives away all the gulls». Sasha Absurd, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«My hair began to curl, that’s mother’s genes came out to rock-n-roll». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«Today I’ll wash my cat and windows for sure». Signorina Deborah, Russia, Kaliningrad.
«I like when the wind howls strongly behind the windows and knocks on the glass. So I imagine that little has changed». Dasha Guzi, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«At this time, I was supposed to be in Piter, but I’m on Jupiter. Take me home, mom». Irina Zarubina, Russia, Barnaul.
«Living alone, I began to discover the sounds. Today I realized that I like how the milk is crackling on a hot stove and how varied my refrigerator can sing». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«I’m finally home». Nadya Babaskina, Russia, Barnaul.
«I sent my inner children for a walk while the playground was empty». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I’m tired of the news. Of no people around. Of four walls and a ceiling. I understand it’s temporary. My lipstick ends, by the way. I’ll not be sad». Irina Heinz, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I’ve bought new sneakers. Wearing them while working». Dasha Guzi, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«My favorite thing is dancing home from the subway: crossing the bridge, playing with fingers on the railing right on the way. I miss these everyday flights». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Miss my relatives, want to hug them». Nataly Rudova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I want to cuddle! Long, long time! A lot, a lot!». Olya Kovaleva, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Lonely days go by like minutes». Liza Nevzorova, Russia, Murmansk.
«I miss you, sunshine!». Nina Slusareva, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Pedestrians cross the road in the prohibited place. At least something hasn’t changed». Marina Pchelintseva, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«So sad to watch the sea in which you can’t swim». Rybaleva Anna, Vietnam, Nha Trang.
«I always thought: „What for should we choose the view from the window if we’re working all the time“». Maria Abt, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«The sun used to shine here in the mornings». Aleksandr Gavrilov, Russia, Moscow.
«This is not a vacation. This is a new reality». Polshchikova Ksenia, Portugal, Lisbon.
«Why should we be afraid? Not a big deal: snow or rain. Look how much is waiting for us. The sun will stay, the storm will pass». Valentina Bukato, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«It’s terrible to realize that you’ve been alone for a long time even when the one you love is here for 24 hours a day… But so far…». Anna Paluhina, Russia, Norilsk.
«Heaven, don’t cry! I’m not happy either, but not weeping for no reason. Why are you acting like a baby? I would climb to the highest mountain to hug you if I could! I can’t. But in my thoughts, I’m with you. Don’t cry!». Gosha Koth, Russia, Rubtsovsk.
«Endless monologues, reflections about nothing and everything. Talking with my mind, at the top of the voice and out loud. Thanks to self-isolation. Now I am afraid of the ceiling and myself». Anna Mironich, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Heaven will not collapse on the head for sure. At least the sky is in its proper place». Julia Ovchinnikova, Kansk, Krasnoyarsk region.
«I’m not smiling. I’m squinting in the sun». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«I haven’t notice half of April passed. Soon we’ll see how leaves appear». Tatiana Saltykova, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«Ksusha has been here». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I’m sad and doing things all day. Now I’m about to bake cheese puffs». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I can wake up at ten a.m., stay in bed until three p.m., spend another three hours in the bathroom and then go back to bed again». Galina Gavrilova, Russia, Moscow.
«Every day I see the same view. But the states are different». Polina Kozhevnikova. Russia, St.Petersburg.
«It seems I have never watched out the window so much as in the last month». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Whatever happens, life is beautiful. What to see is our choice». Irina Karabinirova, Russia, Irkutsk.
«Yesterday I lost my good friend, a great photographer who inspired me. I feel depressed, and don’t know how to deal with my emotions. So sorry I didn’t call him, didn’t ask how he felt. Some people cannot be left alone; they will disappear thus. And if they pass away, then who will remain around?». Sasha Absurd, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«What the fuck is going on?». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Staying home in the rain is just wonderful». Alena Batenkova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I’ll grow my own forest on this roof soon». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I’m tired of the view». Nadya Andreenko, Russia, Moscow.
«I sit in the dark. And it would be hard to figure out which is worse; the dark inside, or the darkness out». — poem by Joseph Brodsky in an anonymous translation. — Kira Krapivina, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I’d like to say so much but in person. Usually, I keep silent and smile — admire». Agatha Zorina, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Most of all I don’t like that there’s nowhere to go on Friday. Most of all I like there is no need to go anywhere on Monday». Jana Tsielavs, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I no longer erase. Just writing here and there. The whole window is in notes. I’ll just wash it all later». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«April is the longest day of the year». Polina Kunitsyna, Russia, St.Petersburg.
Augul Aydarova, Belgium, Brussels.
«Хочу, чтобы границы поскорее открылись. И больше никогда не закрывались». Айгуль Айдарова, Бельгия, Брюссель.
«The word „gently“ has already become my filler word». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I forgot what date was today… 22.04.20. (kind of)». Alexandra Pozhar, Russia, Chelyabinsk.
«Is the summer really coming?». Marina Pchelintseva, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I’be never knitted that much». Galina Gavrilova, Russia, Moscow.
«Locked like the rest of the world. Locked in another country. I owe to myself, to them. Dependent on some rules. Four weeks there, two here. From one barrack to another, more comfortable one. Though that’s a matter of perspective. Loneliness has become my companion. The world that I built a couple of months ago, collapsed in front of my eyes and self-isolation began on the ruins. High-security vacation. I have never wanted a routine as I do now». Valera Rodkin, Finland, Helsinki.
«I’m about to try to walk without a dog». Galina Gavrilova, Russia, Moscow.
«The snowy rain started again. And in Krasnoyarsk on Sunday it’s going to be up to 30 degrees Celsius». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Every day I see how two boys drive in circles on rollers. All the other children have disappeared». Daria Zarichnaya, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«To do, to be, to wish, to learn, to look, to search, to ask, to wait } and to love». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
Luke Lambert, USA, San Diego.
«The warm winter has relaxed me, so I wish summery weather to go to the balcony just in shorts, sunbathe and read Georgian poets». Sasha Absurd, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Today I wept for the first time during all this „virus“ period. Apparently, worried. Or tired. Hugging is so important. Real people are beautiful». Irina Heinz, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Don’t cry, Ira. Or don’t cry too much. Today is my uncle’s birthday, he spent it at home alone. But he would have spent it alone anyway». Nataly Rutova , Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Hi everyone in this chat. I support Natasha: don’t cry, Ira! But if you cry, then dance, dance!». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«At least they don’t turn off the heating». Galina Gavrilova, Russia, Moscow.
«In the morning I had a dream that the war had begun. But I was scared only by the thought that my mom wasn’t nearby». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St. Petersburg.
«What will you tell your grandchildren about this time?». Ksenia Ryabova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«Should I wash the window or have a glass of wine?!» / «Вымыть окно или выпить бокальчик вина?!» Irina Heinz, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«I need a glass of wine too». Nataly Rutova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«The Queen of Spades, come!», Anita, Russia, St.Petersburg.
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👇🏻The text was attached by the author.
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Growing up I was charmed and scared by the Queen of Spades legend. In camps, they would say that you have to turn off the light at midnight, draw a door and stairs on the mirror, using red lipstick and say «Queen of Spades, come!». Three times. We talked about her so much but we never even tried to summon this terrifying woman.
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Being in self-isolation feels like a simulation for me. I look out of the window every day and try to find any sign of my existence. Also, it is very boring. I am bored that much that I am willing to host the Queen of Spades Herself (but only if she’ll be wearing a mask). I hope, she will notice my invitation.
«The world is opening up again petal by petal toxic and alluring. This scares me. I’m not sure we’re ready for it». Anonymous, United Arab Emirates, Sharjah.
«I'm washing my window and watching May behind it». Ksenia Ivkina, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«The hospital is quarantined. But the laboratory where my mom works every day takes hundreds of tests on COVID». Polina Grigoryeva, Russia, Odintsovo, Moscow Region.
«Learn the lessons this is teaching us… There are a lot!». Ina Heinz, Germany, Tübingen.
«They promised cataclysms, but St.Petersburg rain came. As if the sky has touched the earth with a hip and hasn't noticed. Slow, gray water is around. Dust will not be washed away. There will be dirt». Ksenia Povzun, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«If it ends in June, I’ll be happy. P. S. +21 degrees (Celsius) outside». Nataly Suhoparova, Russia, St.Petersburg.
«My dirty window pane tells me that while there is death and destruction outside, out of our control, at least we can clean the windows». Sreenidhi, India, Bangalore.