Who are the strangers? They're all relatively slender, attractive, youthful. According to other sources, the individuals involved are actors, musicians, or individuals otherwise in the entertainment industry. The strangers are paired up two at a time in front of a camera -- and with a tip of the hat to non-heterosexual couples, one of the pairs is two women, and another two men -- and after a few awkward moments, they kiss. Some of the kisses are chaste, hesitant, respectfully brief; others are lingering, open-mouthed, and seem to involve the whole body rather than merely the lips.
I'll not delve into a discussion of what kind of people were selected for the project, since the internet has parsed in detail the issues surrounding a young, hip, relatively ethnically homogeneous group of individuals. That aside, my impressions of the video are as follows:
It left me cold. And feeling a bit squeamish.
Perhaps it is old-fashioned to consider kissing beyond a simple peck to be an intimacy that should not be part of such a voyeuristic project. What is it about kissing? To me, kissing on the lips is an introduction. A prelude. A step down a path. It is a question and an answer; an ending and a beginning. It's not always to be taken lightly, nor always to be taken seriously. And certainly, it's not to be performed with a stranger for the entertainment of others.
I want to see you.
Know your voice.
Recognize you when you
first come 'round the corner.
Sense your scent when I come
into a room you've just left.
Know the lift of your heel,
the glide of your foot.
Become familiar with the way
you purse your lips
then let them part,
just the slightest bit,
when I lean in to your space
and kiss you.
I want to know the joy
of how you whisper
"more.”
― Rumi
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