The name Comfortable Tension comes from a sensation I experienced when entering All Hallows’ Churchyard, located on Pepper Street in Southwark, London.
There is a quiet tension in the space — born from a striking duality: on one side, the sacredness of religious ground and on the other, the presence of prison-like elements. The contrast between garden benches and barbed wire, between the calm of nature and the harshness of shackles and fences, creates a feeling that is peaceful yet unsettling.
Comfortable Tension is a dialogue — silent, indirect — between two beings who do not know each other.
One writes and deposits a message into a space meant for that purpose; the other reaches in and receives it. This exchange is only made possible through a sequence of small, intentional actions.
First, the Giver must have a reason: the will to share.
They write on their own paper, open the dedicated space, place the message inside, and close it again, storing and sealing their intention.
Then, the Receiver must be curious enough to engage.
They reach into the space, pull out a message, and read what was left behind.