Violinist 1

Every summer a group of instrumentalists from the orchestra goes on a trip to a far-away country to perform on invitation or as a part of an exchange program. Amadeus, Seymour (violin) and Eliza (viola) have just returned from their trip. They cannot stop talking about music, craft, and art. They spent all their money to return home with colorful woven textiles. Amadeus purchased something that he did not know about its existence before his trip. It was a metal object in a shape of an incised torus. He learned from the salesman, that it represented wealth of a married woman. The torus is slit open, so its owner can wear it on her leg. She proudly keeps wearing the object, till the time comes to exchange it for a year's supply of rice or other goods for the whole family, or other goodies. A size of the object symbolizes the value of assets owned by her and her husband, especially the number of cows they have possession of. Eliza works on discovering facts about patterns she found on fabrics she brought home by doing research on a particular culture. She learns about the messages delivered by colors, designs, and patterns of a fabric. Seymour began collecting masks. He discovers they have hidden messages, magical powers and functions. Now he visits special thematic stores, antique shops, and flea markets that sell objects which capture his interest. Time passes by fast there, so he needs to cope with his strict practicing schedule. He'll do the research on the items he bought later on. He becomes aware that collecting cultural objects can become a profession or even an addiction.