ADAM K ON RUPTURED SPACE

“THREE CHEERS FOR RUPTURED SPACE!”

At the end of The Italian Incident, Rohini asks us to consider this space in an academic fashion. Instead of focusing solely on the specifics of the incident and its outcome, my mind takes me to the blog heading under which the posting resides and formulates an ancillary sort of uber question: What constitutes a Ruptured Space?

In trying to answer this question, my Yin-Yang mind first seeks to locate and identify a space that could be considered as the opposite of a ruptured space: some sort of a priori state of relative peace, tranquility or harmony. The operative word or concept here is “relative”, since it could be argued that on some level (at the subatomic level, for instance) there is always some degree of rupturing going on in any given space.

Unable to identify or perhaps justify the existence of an absolute non-ruptured space, my mind turns away from the presupposed to the more predictable – to some sort of aggressive or violent action that is typically linked, in a causal sense, to a space being ruptured. Rohini’s throwing of the wine glass is a good case in point. But here again, I end up with only a relative understanding, which is confirmed by the set of questions she asks at the end, “Whose space was ruptured? His or ours?”

Frustrated, but not daunted by my (admittedly) mental limitations, I double back to my original question, and to my surprise, discover an interesting aspect to this whole ruptured-space thing.

The image of an empty boxing ring appears. Viewed from above, I see a space that is pure in color and design in what might be considered its a priori state. Then, the fury of combatants, fists flying with a flurry of aggression and violence, ruptures the wholesomeness and harmony of this pure white square image. I begin to wonder is this the anthropomorphic manifestation of the subatomic nature of things? A sort of sanctioned violence, where the rupturing of space is cultivated, even honored? I start to tick of off other similar spaces. The running of the bulls in San Fermin. The collective tomato fight in Bunyol. The gridiron on Superbowl Sunday. Indeed, is the violent rupturing of space a part of what it means to be alive, to be human?

Perhaps Elvis Costello said it best, “What’s so good about peace, love and understanding?”