I represent Everything You Fear
- dedicated to Adrian Piper
- Here Comes A Wicked Witch of East - Zagreb

Mala Plastika, Galerija SC, Zagreb, Croatia, 2007
Stitching in Croatian

NaoKo orchestrates interventions into architectural and urban spaces and generate public ‘sculptures’ through a performance of writing that results in a documentation of process, site and encounter.

Day 1 - Duitchika? Engliska?
... cont. Finish the first row, start stitching half of the word on the middle row, hear a voice, he says, “Dqpojvwei.” See him wearing a t-shirt, it says, “Security” see him standing with two other men. I say, “Oh, I talked to a lady in the SC gallery. She said it’s ok.“ He says, “Duitchka? Engliska?” I say, “Engliska.” He says, "Vaonqeflvkg.” I say, “Etze gallery.” One of them says, “SC Gallejie. Kakowjradkg. SC Gallejie.” See them walking away. Go back to stitching.

Tie the end of full stop, take out the Red, start stitching the first word in red, hear a voice, he says, "Uwivnlw ker thghudvnm.” I say, “sorry, I don’t speak Croatian.” He says,”!?!?!?” he talks with his arms, he leaves. Feel the light on the wall, see the time past, finish the bottom row, tie the end of the last letter, take a big breath... cont.

Day 2 – it’s a secret
Walk towards the gate, take put the Blue, start stitching the right side of the sentences, on the right side of the gate. See a man walking past, see him closing the gate, he says, “Vi… ste …. tako…   Dobro Dobro,” he pouts the gate back in place.

Hear a voice, he says, “Juwer hadcvki?” I say, “Sorry, I don’t speak Croatian.” He says, “But you write Croatian? What does it say?” he says, “It’s a secret? But everyone sees it?” see him walking away, go back to stitching, pull the Blue through the fence, see the dirt coming off the fence, keep stitching.

Hear a voice, he says, “What does it say?” he says, “It’s a secret? Ah, because I don’t understand it.” see him walking away, go back to stitching... cont.

Day 3 - in a quiet place
cont...See the sun going down, hear birds singing, see insects flying around, feel the nettles moving from one side to another, feel the insect moving on to the arm, keep stitching. See the nettle standing just above the chest, feel the ankle getting itchy, keep stitching. Hear a voice, he says, “wocnakshr!” I say, “sorry, I don’t speak Croatian. No Hravaski, Engliska.” See him coming closer, see him holding a bottle of something, see him pointing at the fence. He says, “wiovnlawher ashjfowen i asfdnoqw… “ hear him keep talking, see him pointing at the stitching, keep nodding to what he says, he says, “noiq wrafg?” I say, “Ne….. “ he says, “ne awiher. (not really).” I say nothing, just nod. He says, “Dobro, dobro...” See him pointing his thumb up, hear him saying something, see him walking away.

Go back to stitching, move the nettle way a little, see the dirt coming off the fence, see the light hitting the dirt, see it falling down like rain drops. Keep stitching, hear some footsteps, hear some voices, hear them walking past, keep stitching. Hear no more barking, hear the train going past, hear the wind blowing gently, keep stitching.... cont.

Day 4 - talking with secret words
cont...Walk towards the gate, start stitching, try not to let the Blue going to the middle of the pass-way, try not to disturb the cars going through. See some people walking past, see cars driving closer, see them stopping, see the gard opening the bar, see them driving through. Keep stitching, see a van driving closer, move towards the gate, try to make as much space for the van to drive through, hear it stopping, hear it driving through the bar.

Keep stitching, stitch the words unable to pronounce, stitch the letters familiar with, keep checking a piece of paper with text on, keep stitching. See fingers getting black, see fingernails getting very black, see the Blue going through the fence, see the dirt coming off the fence, keep stitching.... cont.

cont... Hear footsteps, hear some voices, hear them walking past, keep stitching, keep checking the spelling. See the dried twig stuck on the fence, take them down a little, keep stitching, see a newly grown green on the fence, feel bad about taking them down, try to move it to the side, keep stitching.

Heat a voice, he says, “kaqoji cna ni ste?” see two men standing, one of them says, “Do you live here?” I say, “I live in London, I’m here for one week.” he says, “ah, you are tourist?” hear him saying something to his friend, see them walking away, go back to stitching. Feel the sweat coming out, feel the arm getting nackered, keep stitching, hear birds singing, keep stitching.

Hear footsteps, she says, “ownlkahfs wca?” reply to her as usual, see her not understanding me, see her walking away, keep stitching. Feel the wind drying the sweat away a little, only a little, getting itchy all over, keep stitching.... cont.

Day 5 - not much left of everything
Walk towards the gate next to the security office, see the small gate opened, see it showing the words, see the light hitting the stitching, making shadow of in-completed words on the ground. Take out the Blue, start stitching on the bigger panel again, feel the heat on the skin, feel the sweat coming out, see the dirt coming off as the Blue going through the fence, keep stitching.

Hear a car driving close, move the body closer to the gate, hear it stopping by the bar, hear a driver talking to the security guard, hear the car driving through. Keep stitching, stitch same words under the first line, not exactly underneath, no need to check the spelling on the piece of paper, keep stitching, keep looking at the words stitched already.... cont.

cont...See the light between the shadow, walk onto the heated ground, hear some music from the building, walk towards the stitching. Take out the Red, the last Red from all the shops in Zagreb, having bought all the possible ones, hoping to last as much as possible, hoping to stitch the last letter of the sentence.

Start stitching, hear birds singing, stretch the arm, stretch the body, hear the train going past, keep stitching. Feel the mild heat in the air, stitch faster than usual for some reason, getting too used to stitch, getting too quick to do it. Keep stitching, hear trains coming closer, hear someone shouting from the train, see him waving, see the train going past.

Keep stitching, see the nettles in front, stand on the dried branches on the ground, making myself taller than real, keep stitching. See the fingernails grown so much, see them getting very very dirty, keep stitching. Hear a voice, ... cont.