(2021) Moniker – Identity Training Facility
As part of a large-scale experiment entitled Perpetual Beta, The Grey Space hosted a group residency with three makers (collectives). In close collaboration with the public, a new form of presentation is explored based on the principles of open source. The result is an exhibition of work-in-progress, where the public is invited to take a look, participate and contribute.
Moniker is an interactive design studio by Luna Maurer and Roel Wouters that explores the social effects of technology and regularly involves the public in the development of their projects.
Moniker develops a short film about a fictional world in which technology has proposed a solution for humans to live in a “post-woke” society in the form of a new consumer product. A hand fan – to be placed in front of one’s mouth when speaking – automatically translates everything someone says into painless politically correct sentences.This results in a frictionless world in which nobody has to be afraid to say something controversial or hurtful.
In this fictional world, wellbeing is at an all-time high and humankind is in a mode far beyond survival. A great increase in leisure time increasingly puts the emphasis on identity. Who am I, which label suits me? There is a great variety in possible labels related to gender, skin color, religion, morale, ethnicity, age, education and sexual orientation. The hand fan makes sure that any differences between people become insensible.
They work on various aspects of the project via scale models, silicon casting, and the writing of dialogue together with experts and the public.