"Through the use of “unofficial” texts keyed to the circles on the floor of the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center, Renee Petropoulos’ Is it Possible
countermands the use of language in institutional space. Government buildings of the last century were usually graced with grandiose quotes about justice, democracy…words taken from speeches by presidents, poets, philosophers. Meanwhile, another language was spoken behind the closed doors of the courtroom…dates, times and infractions; evidence, testimony…the highly specific words of the law. But what is everyone thinking as they pass through these halls? Our own words are never official, and where do they lead? Petropoulos’ floor can be experienced as a game that lets us physically experience the rhythms that grind through our minds while we wait. But, it wasn’t … I just wanted …Is it possible?
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Each of the black circles on the lobby floor represents a word taken from Rainer Marie Rilke’s The Notebook of Malte Laurids Brigge. Published in 1910, it was
the poet’s first book, and his only novel. In it, a young Danish man living in Paris questions himself about the truths hidden behind ordinary situations and “things.” He can’t get over his own outrage at how people’s highest ideals and brilliant ambitions are thwarted. When he asks Is it possible?, he’s really asking: How can this be? The yellow circles represent Rilke’s words broken down into syllables. Do syllables turn words into music? How can words change through their utterance? Shoulders of words, heads of words, words dragged out like shuffling feet. The open circles –– black around white –– stand for questions Petropoulos recorded while designing this piece. She listened to boys and girls just before their cases were heard in the Juvenile Court, and asked them what they were thinking. Why did I have to end up here? Is there an end? Will the judge give me one more chance? How do people see me?"
– Chris Kraus, Editor, Semiotext(e) Native Agents and author of Torpor