Gathering Motion: Thought Is Action (2002)

World peace is important because we all say it is.

January 2002, Anti Gravity Surprise presented gathering motion: thought is action, a creative response to September 11, at the Spareroom.

gathering motion: thought is action began as we posted stickers that read "World peace is important because... _______" in busy places all over Chicago neighborhoods. Then, we went back and photographed the responses that people offered.

We distributed peace questionnaires and handmade paper boxes in twenty locations in Chicago. We placed questionnaires and boxes at: Horizon Hospice, The Muslim Community Center, Cosi Coffee, Uptown Center Hull House, The MLK Boys and Girls Club, Flying Saucer, Good News Community Kitchen, The New City YMCA, Hotti Boscotti, The Chicago Women's Health Center, Healing Earth Resources, The Virgin Megastore, Lula's Café, Hostelling International, Chicago Chiropractic Center, The Walsh Park Apartments, Global Yoga and Wellness Center, Earwax Café, The Southside Community Art Center and Chela Joe's. In addition, we designed a traveling box with questionnaires that visited Joseph Kellman Public School, Truman College's Lakeview Learning Center and Union Station. In total, we collected about 350 questionnaires with everyone's ideas on why world peace is important.

On January 19 and 20, 2002, we presented gathering motion: thought is action at The Spareroom artists' co-op. We displayed all of the questionnaires, boxes and photos along with our own creative responses to September 11th: performances, art installations and an audio journal. Both evenings concluded with guest speakers and open discussions.