Conversation Piece

Scene 3 INT. GALLERY – EVENING The vernissage. A crowded room hums with the sounds of chatter, clinking glasses, and footsteps echoing off the painted walls. People wander through the dim, warm light, admiring the artworks. The space is filled with elements juxtaposed with painted walls in light pink, brown, white, and pale green. Canvas pieces hang sporadically, blending into the scene. Together, the walls and canvas create a fragmented, ironic landscape — a “conversation piece”. Dead, yet teeming with movement and context. The walls feature a mix of abstract designs and semi-baroque elements. Here, a draped curtain. There, an ornament sprawling across half a wall— abruptly cut off. WALL #1 (whispering, with dry irony) They all look very artificial to me. ELEMENT #1 (thoughtful, bemused) I think they are... but they don’t know about it. It’s kind of odd. ELEMENT #2 (chuckling) I’m having a lot of fun listening to them. WALL #1 (curious) What are they talking about? ELEMENT #2 (smirking) Mostly us... and themselves. CANVAS (irritated) It’s ridiculous. WALL #1 (mocking) What is ridiculous? CANVAS (deadpan) This whole arrangement is ridiculous. ELEMENT #2 (playful, almost singing) It feels organic to me. I feel quite intimate and free. (pause) I could start singing. CANVAS (rolling its eyes) Blah... WALLS #1 AND #2 (gleeful, overlapping) ...but how delighted I am that you’ve been lured to visit... The atmosphere grows darker, as though the room has slipped back in time unnoticed. Visitors continue their murmured conversations and sip their drinks.