Seeing the World Through Different Eyes
As if
Closeness I create around me
Swallowing words I wish to say
As if I hardly understand my words
Your words, as if…
I understand your words
As if, as if, as if…
Contradiction of existence
The inconsistency of my position
Where I've been born
As if I am aware of it every moment
Should I?
As if I can say choices are coming upon you
Can I?
Thoughts not to immerse myself in a dream
Narrow limits
As if you can tell me, to believe in a belief
As if I can tell you to believe in me
As if, as if, as if
Reflection
I saw myself with a more quiet eye
Reflection
Brown eyed, blue eyed, green eyed
Your sinking eyes, liquid eyes
Innocent eyes, eyes so sad
Images remain of so many childhoods
Images of war, dictators, hatred, those teachings of aggressors,
that to live we must first of all learn to kill
Nothing could ever justify this useless suffering
As if I know what it really means
As if I can demand not to judge
Judgment won’t be my friend
Why should I? Judgment and I
Narrow limits
As if timeless moments
To be relieved of grudge
I feel strange and still
Along with everything
Stiller than I've ever been, as if…
You are somewhere in this world
Open eyes to learn
Teach me about your world
Focus on choices you want to make
Cleared from passing judgment
To see with other eyes
To hear with other ears
And to think with other thoughts
Valued eyes, yours and mine
lyrics and music by Monique van Kerkhof
Our eyes may limit us in our perception and experience of reality leading toignorance and arrogance. Narrow minds degrade, devalue others by race, color and sex. Questions must be raised in order to create, remove limitations and build resources.
Tunnel vision, a tank story
There once was a man with great power, who wanted more. He had many men and women working for him.
The man lusting for power selected five men and one woman to be spies. They had to go on a quest to find more wealth, more power, and maybe some knowledge.
Five men and one woman went to search in a vast area of dryness. The sun was shining bright, much too bright for their unaccustomed eyes. Their eyes became blinded by the blinding sun. Their minds went blind too. They bought cheap, extra-dark sunglasses at a local store, the only ones the store owner had. They put them on never to be taken off. Their eyes adjusted to the darkness and could not do without them anymore. Only the woman adapted and used a veil feeling pretty comfortable. Over the wide sand dunes they encountered a dark, huge object. The sun was shining straight into their eyes. Unclear what it was they hesitated to get closer.
One man made the first step and walked toward the object, touched it, and let out a scream of joy. "It's a drum," he said, and started hitting it with his bare hands. And their was a dull sound. He imagined clearly what he had discovered.
The second man reached for the top, grabbed a hard, solid object but not so solid, and it started to turn towards him. "Look out, everyone! Stand back! A bed is falling on top of me!"
The third man moved sideways and bumped his head against a pipe. With his one hand on his forehead he waved to the others to come closer. "I felt it. It is a palm tree bent over by the strength of the wind, I tell you. There might be coconuts scattered around here."
The fourth man opened the small lid of the oil tank and the smell of fuel reached his nose. Enthusiastically he said, "It is a cooking stove! Fetch me some water and a tea bag."
The fifth man opened the round, big lid of the entrance. "I am dumbfounded. Look what I have found--A toilet!!! Oh, so comfortable!" And he was about to squat when he heard the exasperated woman's voice.
The woman with the veil, who could see more, had circled completely around the object. Then she looked at the sky, her hands stretched out in disbelief. "What fools," she said. "Your eyes are covered. You each see only one aspect of the object. Take off your dark sunglasses and see - A TANK AIMED TO KILL ..."
Photo Kang Jin Ju
Date:
3 & 4 October 2003
Location:
United Nations University 5-53-70 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8925 JP
Member:
Performers:
Buddhist Priests: Shinestu Fukushima, Kanryu Fukui, Eijyun Arai, Hideki Hashimoto, Fujita, Kenko Ota,Togen Moss, Mokugen Xa Costa, Senrin Huck-Haegel
Dancers: Monique van Kerkhof, Bo Oudendijk, Nie Oudendijk, Zowi Oudendijk, Eynat Molenaar/EvenTov
Dance Group: Sal Vanilla - So Ueda, Propa-gun, Kyomu, Prince Swan, OG, Yotoku
Percussionist: Art Lee, Miho Morimoto, Monique van Kerkhof
Musicians: Masayasu Hanai, Bo Oudendijk, Monique van Kerkhof
Actors: Tom Schmaltz, Eynat Molenaar/Evan-Tov, Phillip Wijers, Inna Tamaki, Yumi Wijers/Hasegawa.
Motors: Hoshino Yasunori, Richard Smith, Monique van Kerkhof
Welders: Matsuri Tabata, Rob Oudendijk
Vocals: Sakie Yamazaki, Monique van Kerkhof
Chorus:
National Children’s Castle Children - Airi Kataoka, Akiko Imai, Aoi Watanabe, Asuka Shinagawa, Asuka Yamaguchi, Atsuka Yoshimura, Aya Uenami, Ayaka Hanzawa, Ayane Nakae, Ayano Tsuru, Ayumi Kusano, Chiharu Itabashi, Chihiro Suga, Chika Nishihata, Erina Yamada, Fuyumi Kishiro, Fuyuna Okama, Gaku Nakamura, Go Itou, Hana Sakuma, Hiroo Yamada, Hitomi Hashino, Itsuki Kashiro, Kai Tanaka, Kanae Touma, Kanako Kawamata, Maho Dogauchi, Maho Kamiya, Mikina Mochimaru, Mirei Kanazawa, Masayuki Kinutani, Mikiko Kamiya, Misae Touma, Moe Kamata, Momoko Nakajima, Maho Tsuchiya, Motoko Iwasaki, Motoko Tokunaga, Masayazu Hanzawa, Motomi Yoshida, Naoko Tagawa, Naru Matsuyama, Natsumi Kurata, Natsuno Tokunaga, Okabe Aya, Risa Ohashi, Ruri Sakamoto, Sakura Nakatamari, Seira Okano, Sakie Yamazaki, Seiya Ono, Shintaro Nakajima, Shoko Osugi, Taichi Iijima, Takushi Itou, Taku Tamura, Tatsuki Kanzaki, Tomoko Iwadare, Yoshitaka Tsuchiya, Yuka Yamamoto, Yuki Masuzaki, Yukiko Oka, Yukiko Shima, Yumiko Sou, Yuto Tabata, Rei Chigira, Shiho Hoshino, Yoko Shinada, Yosuke Mano, Yuriko Sou
Camera: Michael Goldberg, Next Co., Ltd.
Photographers: Kang Jin Ju, Fuyou Tago, Akihiro Amagai
Sound: Kazayuki Takahashi
Lighting: Masayuki Matsumura, Toshita Mori
Text/Lyrics/Music: Monique van Kerkhof
Videoprojection: Monique van Kerkhof, Rob Oudendijk
CG: Rob Oudendijk
Editing: Monique van Kerkhof, Rob Oudendijk
Costume Design: Monique van Kerkhof
Support:
Main financial sponsor:
Carl Zeiss Inc. - Larry Hansen and John Bourke.
UNU - Hans and Bep van Ginkel, Francois D'artignan, Anthony Powers, Max Bond
Dutch Embassy - Monique Ruhe,
Sanko - Mr. Takemura and the security crew
Nippura
NCCJ
Canon Inc.
Master Mind
Ministère des sports de la jeunesse et de la vie associative
Birdland - Ichihara Masaharu, Akira Inaba
Mastermind - Maarten Molenaar
International Vidoworks Inc. - Michael Goldberg
DCTV - Keiko Tsuno
Daily Yomiuri - Paul Jackson
THE JAPAN TIMES - Eric Prideaux
Thanks to:
Taro Akuzawa, Seiro, Marion & Burchard Pennink, Walter & Mayumi Veenhof, Sawako Nakayasu, Yuki Takemura, Sumio Tanaka, Zulu, Ake Sasaki, Byron Baron, Shine Yamakuchi, Anna & Theo Peters, Eric Blomhous, Onno Jalink, Marjolein Elbers, Aart Jacobi, Robin Togen & Kyono, Shujen Lan (Newcom), Yasuko Sagara, Naomi Tajitsu, Atsuko Morita, Gerard van Kerkhof, Riet van Kerkhof, Jo Kanamori, Naoko Iwamoto, Lina Kunimoto, Seji Takaya, Yuri Shimizu, Yamaguchi, Marc Wesseling, Marni & Akihiro Amagai, Hideko Kimura, Robert Darrell, Masaru Akita, Tetsuhiro Shikiyama, Hiromichi Hosoda, Yukie Hashimoto, Tomoko lchihara, Asami Kamimura, Etsuko Yuge, Emi Kimura, Yuri Mikami, Karin Sasaki, Saori Tanaka, Mika Ando, Satoru Ishigami, Isabel van Daalen, Maaike Boots
~We want to dedicate this performance in memory of a little friend, Fuuka Amagai, Piet Oudendijk, and Tetsu Taniguchi~
The University building, designed by well known Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, is a landmark in the heart of Shibuya Ward. The UNU adds an important international dimension to Tokyo, and is eager to have the Japanese public familiar with its activities.
In this context, I have agreed to give my support to a gifted international artist, Ms. Monique van Kerkhof. She and her team will hold a not-for-profit performance on the University premises in September 2003, on the theme “Seeing the World Through Different Eyes”. The aim of this public presentation is to promote dialogue between civilizations, which touches the core of the United Nations University’s academic activities.
Ms. Monique van Kerkhof is approaching you to help sponsor this art performance. I heartfully recommend her to you, and hope you will find it possible to contribute to the success of this important cultural project.
Prof. Dr. Hans van Ginkel
Under-Secretary General of the United Nations
Rector of the United Nations University
VISION 2020
Tonight's performance "Seeing the World Through Different Eyes" will help some people simply "see the world"
Some disturbing facts:
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An estimated 45 million people worldwide are blind
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Every year, an additional 1·2 million persons go blind
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More than two-thirds of this blindness is treatable and preventable
-
Without proper interventions the number of blind will increase to 75 million by 2020
VISION 2020 is a global programme to help eliminate unnecessary blindness by the year 2020. Jointly launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) in coalition with a number of international Non Governmental organizations, VISION 2020's mission is to enable the millions of people who needlessly go blind every year to keep their vision.
When Carl Zeiss became the first Corporate Sponsor of the VISION 2020 initiative in April 02, Dr. Mike Whitlam - the head of the IAPB - was pleased. "We are delighted," he said, "that the first Corporate Sponsor joining VISION 2020: The Right to Sight will be Carl Zeiss, one of the most highly regarded names in healthcare."
Today, you too can help. All proceeds beyond those used to cover direct costs will be given to the Vision 2020 initiative. Not only can you see the world through different eyes; you can help others to simply see the world. It will not just IAPB that will be delighted.
Thank you in advance, Carl Zeiss Co. Ltd. (Japan).
For more information on Vision 2020, please visit
