Reaching Out

In "Reaching Out" a dimly lit room with glowing faces illuminated by phones, surrounded by dynamic projections of text conversations on dark walls or hanging panels, blending light, shadow, and motion.

This installation explores the intimacy and disconnection of digital communication, highlighting how technology shapes our relationships and identity. By contrasting the isolated, glowing faces of individuals with the projected conversations on the walls, the installation underscores the duality of connection—simultaneously uniting and separating us.

The dim, intimate setting immerses viewers in the participants' digital world, creating a voyeuristic perspective of private interactions, inviting reflection on how communication unfolds in the modern age.

Structure and Experience

1. Setting the Scene: "Faces in the Dark"

The room is completely dark except for the faint glow of 10 participants' phones, illuminating their faces.
The people are spread in different parts of the obscure room but near enough of the walls so a chat can be screened over them
The light from their phones emphasizes isolation and focus, as if their worlds are self-contained.

Visual Design

Participants’ glowing faces form the only points of light.
The room's darkness amplifies their expressions—detachment, focus, or slight reactions to their devices.
Phones emit a cool, dim light, emphasizing a ghostly detachment from the physical room.

2. The Transition: "Unveiling the Invisible"

After one minute of only being in the dark with the phone’s lights over the performers, a subtle audio cue (like the sound of a notification) signals a shift.
The walls surrounding the participants light up with projections of “real-time conversations” between five pairs of participants drawn from social media platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facetime.
Each pair has their own screen-sized projection, displayed in a clean, minimal interface style (e.g., WhatsApp green bubbles, Instagram DMs, Facetime video chats, Twitter exchange of ideas, or flirting in Tinder).
The spectators would be able to follow how one person in one part of the room communicates with another on the other side, and follow the writing, video, or photo communication is evolving

Conversation Projections

Text bubbles for WhatsApp display typing indicators ("...") before messages appear, creating a dynamic, immersive feel.
Facetime videos mirror a live conversation between the two participants, with emotive pauses or hesitations.
Exchange of photos on Instagram, join with some words
Twitter exchange of ideas
Tinder flirt, chatting, photos,…
Emojis, typos, and edits animate in real-time, making the projection feel alive and familiar.

3. Content of the Conversations

Each pair of participants is engaged in a unique type of dialogue, representing varied aspects of digital communication:

Reconciliation: A heartfelt attempt at mending a strained relationship.
Casual Banter: Light, playful messages, showing humor and spontaneity.
Flirting: A conversation layered with subtlety, tension, and digital intimacy.
Conflict: Misunderstandings escalate into a tense exchange, with long pauses and emotional responses of a current issue, such as pollution, IA, democracy..
Support: A moment of vulnerability, where one participant seeks comfort from the other.

The messages are personal but universal enough to evoke resonance, reflecting how digital conversations often amplify both connection and misunderstanding. The content will reflect the primary themes of social media, such as fear, anger, and greed.

4. Audience Interaction:

The audience becomes observers, seated or standing around the room, witnessing back and forward the 5 different chats in the different media

This juxtaposition invites reflection on how we interact digitally versus physically—how we express emotions through screens and the dissonance between the two realities.

5. Ambient Soundscape: "The Noise of Connection"

As the projections unfold, the room fills with subtle notification sounds (text message dings, typing sounds, Facetime tones), layered to create a soundscape that mirrors the chaotic yet familiar digital environment.
Each pair’s conversation may also include snippets of faint audio (voice notes, laughter, or sighs), creating a fragmented but emotive sound layer.

6. Conclusion: The Lights Fade

After five minutes, the projections slowly dissolve, leaving only the dim phone glows again.
The participants look unchanged, engrossed in their devices as if the conversations never happened.
The room fades to black, leaving the audience to ponder the fleeting, intangible nature of digital connection.

Symbolism and Themes

Illuminated Isolation: The glowing faces symbolize how phones bring light to our lives but also isolate us in the process.
Hidden Lives: The projections reveal the inner emotional world of the participants, typically invisible to an outside observer.
Fragmented Intimacy: The asynchronous, disjointed nature of digital conversations reflects the gaps in understanding and closeness that technology often creates.
Audience as Voyeurs: Observing private conversations creates an unsettling sense of intrusion, mirroring the transparency and lack of privacy in the digital age.

Elements & Technical Design

Projection Technology: High-definition projectors display conversations on four walls, ensuring text is legible and dynamic.
Lighting: Carefully calibrated phone glows and ambient projection light maintain a balance between visibility and intimacy.
Participants' Roles: Participants can be real people following a script or actors simulating realistic phone behavior. Their lack of visible reaction emphasizes the dissonance between physical and digital communication.
Sound System: speakers spread around the room, to feel the noise of connection

"Reaching out" immerses the audience in the quiet, poignant world of digital interaction. It challenges visitors to reflect on how technology mediates our relationships, questioning whether these glowing screens connect us more deeply—or merely cast longer shadows over the spaces between us.