PROJECT Enforced Encounters
We live in a time of growing threats. The resistance against immigrants is growing, just like the threat of terrorism. The past few months I photographed during police trainings of the Riot Squad Forces. They train according to precise protocols how to behave in situations of conflict. What fascinated me during these trainings was the contrast between the scripted scenario and primal emotions. It became very clear to me that adrenaline could in fact be evoked and that primal emotions can also occur in a constructed setting. Adrenaline is a hormone and a neurotransmitter that is released during a fight-or-flight situation. It switches on our drive to survive, but what happens when adrenaline occurs when these primal reactions aren’t necessary?
THESIS The Constructed Reality
In my thesis I researched constructed behavior in combination with group behavior. I researched theories of sociologist Erving Goffman. Goffman plays a large part in my interests. He describes daily life according to the terminology of theatre. This corresponded with my vision; I see the world around me as a script, as a guide we use to structure our lives. In my thesis I researched how to break with these rules and how art has a mirroring function in this change of perspective. My thesis in combination with my graduation project has lead to new insights. This brought me a stable fundament to build on in the future.
