Philemon Mukarno on Monday (2022) "45min

 The Naked Rhythm of Time: Monday’s 45-Minute Journey

Every Monday, time slows down. In *Monday (2022)*, two naked bodies move through time and space, touching, breathing, and gently pushing existence at one meter per minute. Artist Thomas Zollinger, together with sound artist and performer Philemon Mukarno, stages this minimalist ritual as part of an ongoing exploration of slowness, vulnerability, and human connection.

Nakedness as Honest Presence

Nakedness in *Monday* is not exposure but essence. The absence of clothing removes social armor, leaving nothing but presence and flesh. Every step becomes a confrontation—with the body, the other, and the moment. Transitioning from silence to motion, from stillness to breath, the performance transforms nudity into pure communication. It is not sexual but sincere, insisting that to move slowly and naked is to exist truthfully.

The Pulse of Time

Each Monday, the performance begins one hour later than the previous one. This slow shift creates a rhythm of anticipation and temporal expansion. By limiting walking speed to one meter per minute, time compresses into sensation. Every inch walked becomes a small act of persistence. The performance invites audiences to rethink pace, productivity, and attention. In a world obsessed with speed, *Monday* whispers: slow down and feel.

A Line Between Two Bodies

Two performers walk a straight line, touching continuously yet barely moving. This contact creates tension—both intimate and distant. Their movement is concentration made visible. The line becomes a metaphor for balance between self and other, solitude and togetherness. Transitions between steps hold emotional weight: hesitation, surrender, and rhythm flow through simple movement. The naked bodies become instruments of time and empathy.

From Winterthur to the World

The series took shape on August 15, 2022, at Winterthur Kunst im Depot and later at Altes Busdepot. Each Monday performance unfolds in a new space—sometimes indoors, sometimes outdoors—each transforming the public’s relationship with the human body. These walking sequences belong to Zollinger’s larger project: *24×45 Minutes Walking*. Since 2000, he has dedicated one series to each day of the week. *Monday* marks the sixth, leaving only Tuesday to complete the seven-day circle.

Artistic Trust and Collaboration

Zollinger and  Mukarno, the performance relies on mutual trust. The collaboration itself becomes a performance of balance. Their shared vulnerability mirrors the work’s message: art begins with exposure and courage. Transitioning between artist and witness, performer and documentarian, their roles blur—each reinforcing the other’s presence while expanding the piece’s emotional and spatial reach.

The Meaning of Slow Naked Walking

On *Monday*, walking naked is an act of resistance. Against spectacle, against haste, against disguise. The performance urges spectators to question why slowness and nakedness disturb us. In these gestures of touch and time, humanity reappears—fragile, deliberate, unseen. The slow rhythm unsettles comfort yet invites clarity. To watch *Monday* is to recognize that bodies, like time, cannot be owned—only experienced.