The socio-political crisis Covid-19 pandemic has caused, has most certainly exposed the weaknesses of an economic structure long-ago questioned. It has made us stop, retreat. Now we find ourselves in another context, that of the so-called “new normality”; this new situation where we can begin to leave our soft-prison houses to go out again into the world, but slowly, cautiously and where everyone seems to be a menace. And this is how the word “new” looses suddently all its magic, its aura of pleasant wonder which usually produces novelty. The piece “Neue Normalität” – its homologous in german, its original – is reminiscent of authoritarian modes of social control and separation, and seeks to make users reflect on the kind of society we want after the global standstill. Do we really want to go back to the normality we come from? Are we ready to confront it? Will we take everyone into account?
“Neue Normalität” intends to create a reflective experience for the participant-spectator, who, through a sensorial-interactive circuit becomes co-creator of the design of this ambiguous and weird so-called ‘new normality’ that governments are beginning to implement.
Along this journey, responsibility is transferred from authorities to individuals, or… maybe not so?
A digitalised, dehumanised voice-over becomes the companion of the interactive game; she makes the questions, we must answer to continue.
Screen after screen, answering hides a challenge in itself. An apparently entertaining game with a much more macabre underlying subtext with makes us question our individual participation on this whole project.
By the end of this experience, two possible ends awaits, based on the answers to your fears, hopes and subconscious. Do you accept the challenge?