Background
Since October 15, 2002 a silent vigil has gathered by the Capitol building each week. They are present for one hour "as a witness" for peace. Their concerns include peace "in Iraq, its neighbors, the Middle East, and around the world. " (www.quaker.org/langleyhill). A Quaker from the Langley Hill Friends Meeting in McLean, Virginia started the vigil. Now participants come from many religions and beliefs. They stand with just one banner, with the quote from Psalms 34:14, "Seek peace and pursue it."

The Floating Lab Collective first approached the Peace Committee at Langley Hill Friends Meeting (Quakers) and asked for input into a piece involving the vigil. Our idea was to capture the physical, bodily presence of silent protest. We wanted to learn about silence as a force, and about what it means to witness for peace. The Floating Lab filmed each person individually. We hope to project the 13 in meaningful public spaces as silent presence.

"As I vigil, I am always very aware and moved by the fact that I am standing silently with my chest and face towards the U.S. Capitol, one of the major power symbols in DC…. I am often having two strong feelings: That the only thing protecting my chest and face from that power is the Constitution. And that this is an act of spiritual defiance." -Chuck Kleymeyer, vigil participant.

It was a very hot Saturday in July as we watched a man roll on to the West Lawn of the Capitol with the banner strapped to his bike. One by one the participants came and silently took a place in line facing the capitol building and the hot sun. One man sat down underthe shade of another's umbrella. One woman sat in a folding chair. All told, 13 people came to witness for peace. At the end of the hour, participants shook hands to "break the silence."

Project
We approached the protester with the idea of amplifier and extend their protest by recording and disseminating their discourses by publicly projecting on other locations. Their silence images are projected in monumental scale in public spaces, where the passing public have to confront their action.