What happens, when we can’t define and modify our immediate living environment? When we get dependent on the decision-making of others? When we leave our comfort zone to face paternalism, prejudice and/or degradation? This work, consisting of six separate video parts, plays with the viewer’s own imagination and individual perception (formed by knowledge/education/cultural background/…), linked to the words human recycling. Which outcome do we envisage?
Six people have been invited into the process of this work. They received briefly some verbal information by Bello, just before the recording of their improvisational performance in front of the camera. In playing though an imaginary situation through the individual performances, the participants showed signs of hopelessness, fear and frustration. Their immediate environment was perceived as a suddenly alienated space, unknown and uncomfortable to them, irritating and daunting.
- 01 HUMAN – deported | Performer: bello benischauer
- 02 HUMAN – recycled | Performer: elisabeth m eitelberger
- 03 HUMAN – investigated | Performer: Bryn Davies
- 04 HUMAN – consulted | Performer: Christine Porr
- 05 HUMAN – declined | Performer: Don Walters
- 06 HUMAN – dispatched | Performer: Maria Hildrick
Following information was given: the general living circumstances have changed. There is one ruling Government left that has started to question people in trying to fit them into a new system. Every single person gets investigated. This helps the Government to decide whether to integrate the individual into the new system and how. Some cases get declined. But… what does it mean? Others have to downgrade their lifestyle, because they cannot afford their current living status. People cannot live on credit any more. They have to purchase their own life. They only possess what they can really afford. There is no support whatsoever.
Our general work focuses on multicultural/transnational issues. We look at chosen or forced (of different circumstances) situations, induced/inflicted by the immigration to a foreign country/culture. Within our personal lives we perceive difficulties that arise from such conditions. We look at changes that occur for the individual in terms of discovering/stabilising personal identity/belonging and how the broken, distorted, often repressed understanding of such issues can lead to social isolation. We try to raise the general awareness of such issues through our work.
The Human Recycling Project draws attention to situations (not necessarily of cross-cultural impact), in which we suffer from suddenly changed living conditions (that we all face at times and to a certain degree). What happens to our identity, when we are placed outside our familiar environment? Do we try to adjust to the new situation? Do we struggle to maintain, defend our individuality?