Playground

an interactive installation on perception

The different stations of “playground – discovering the grounds of perception” are assembled activities from physics, therapeutic fields and brain jogging.
They provide unique physical experiences that lead our attention to something which usually functions effortless: our perception.

Taking part in the activities a distortion will be created through a device, which challenges what the individual perceives.

Having a different angle or distance to an everyday action will influence its execution. The increased difficulty creates a physical response in the body. This challenges the automatic character of perception and makes it noticeable.

Perception is an action that we cannot easily notice physically, unlike pain, which we can feel quite strongly. These activities help making a tangible experience to our perception.

What is it?

Why this participatory installation
before a performance?

How does it work on the body?

Playground is an interactive installation comprised of various perception games. It has been presented in conjunction with dance and theater performances, but is equally well suited to other contexts.

In the activities of “Playground - discovering the grounds of perception” different tools are being used to distort how the individual perceives the external.

Engaging in one of the activities the participants will find themselves in a situation, where they receive a modified impression of the real, where as their propiroception, which is how we internally perceive their body, stay untouched.

Physical reactions are being put between two incongruent realities, the distorted perception from the outside and the real and unchanged internal perception of the body.

Senses are communicating information to the spinal cord or brain, based on a distorted perception of the reality and therefore deliver ‘false’ information.

This incongruence may affect the difficulty of the task and the accuracy of our actions.
Thereby the participants understand the complexity of perception and create a physical sensation to it.

Summary

- Playground as the original side program of "Take a closer look", produced by Generale Oost
12-14 February, Theater aan de Rijn, Arnhem


- Playground as part of "OFFline" by OFFprojects
21-22 March, KORZO, den Haag
10 May, Rotterdam Schouwbourgh, Rotterdam
12 May, Theater Ins Blau, Leiden
16 Mei, Rabotheater, Hengelo


- Playground as part of "Tripple Bill" by ArtEZ Dans Makers
29 May, Theater Oostblock, Amsterdam


- Playground at Tentstockfestival supported by Generale Oost
4-6 June, Tentstock Campingfestival, Arnhem


- Playground as part of MOVING FUTURES FESTIVAL.
7 November, Stadt Schouwbrg, Arnem



In February 2014 my dance piece "Take a closer look" premiered at Generale Oost in Theater aan de Rijn.
Generale Oost produced “Take a closer Look” and Playground as part of GOtalent.

Since the piece is about our perception of details and our sensitivity of looking and perceiving change, I realized that perception needs an introduction.

This was when I created "Playground" as a contex program.
It added a layer of understanding coming from the body.

My personal history with these tests of perception are inherited. My mother being a Ergotherapist and my father a chemicist, Physiology has always been part of everyday discussions.

After "Take a closer look", the context program was invited to the event "OFFline" by OFFprojects at Korzo, where Amos Ben-Tal and his collaborators were already busy with making a full evening experience for their audience.

When "The game room" aka "Playground" contributed to 'the all-around-ness' of the event, I understood that it was potentially beneficial for audiences of many dance and theater pieces.

Therefore I want to open the experience up for invitation and offer "Playground" for interested makers.

Dates, Creation and (hi)Story

Perception is an unconscious chain of actions:
1. Receiving the outside through our senses
2. Passing on of information through neuronal pathways into the spinal cord and brain


Before we act upon our surrounding we try to estimate information like:
- (Information from the external:)
Distance, Direction, Temperature, Texture, Shape, Color, Weight
- (Information gathered from the external, used to instruct the body to act upon the external:)
How to get there?
Which speed is needed to approach it?
How much strength is needed?


Senses estimating and collecting these information.

Based on all accumulative experiences gathered in a lifetime regarding distance, direction, temperature, texture, color, and weight senses are able to estimate those factors quite accurately.

This communication happens by neuronal pathways and is mostly no subject to conscious decision making, but a trained and coordinated, and therefore very quick transfer of information.

Based on these information the individual is able to respond with a physical action and execute a movement.

"In de studio naast staan allerlei spellen ... ze bereiken hun doel wel: ze benadrukken de complexiteit van perceptie en zetten daarmee de zintuigen op scherp."

Dansmagazine

Theaterkrant

Cultuurpers

"Percepties worden uitgedaagd: denk je dat je het doorhebt, sla je de plank mis."

"Bezoekers gaan verschillende ruimtes door en ... worden onderworpen aan experimenten met waarneming. In de theaterzaal gaat die aandacht voor de waarneming verder."

www.off-projects.com

www.generaleoost.nl

Press

KORZO

KORZO

Theater aan de Rijn, Generale Oost

KORZO

Theater aan de Rijn, Generale Oost

Theater aan de Rijn, Generale Oost

pictures taken at KORZO