Question: I am curious to know what you think about….XYZ
Interactive game designed to encourage people to ask questions of one another, to be humble and curious of other’s perspectives, and to engage with an exhibition in a different way.
Why did I get people to ask each other questions? Because I wanted to challenge the typical patriarchal style of exchanging knowledge and ideas. I observed that people tend to shower their conversation partner with their memorized facts/opinions, and rarely ask them any questions. When people do not inquire about the thoughts of another, or give them the space to express those thoughts, it stunts our collective intellectual growth.
The visitors were instructed to approach a stranger and pose them 3 questions from the prompt card. Afterwards, they had to reflect on the reason for devising the game.
The questions were related to the themes explored in the artworks, ranging from the philosophical to the personal. For example, “What would you compost?” “What do we not talk about enough?” “What is your connection to the forest?” “Who is the God of Berlin?”
Game intro text
Hello, how are you? How do ants organize themselves? What was that philosopher Hume’s theory of aesthetics? Why Brexit? Why does that plastic Prada bag cost 2,000 euros? Could it just be a “genuine fake?” How do you make Kambucha? What’s the difference between transgender and gender fluid? Do birds of different species understand each other’s songs? What’s that pull of the moon – just physics or a sprinkle of something mystically unexplainable? Monogamy – outdated? The ugliness of mullets – objective? Love – a mental illness? Are mushrooms the only ones with a grand plan? Can you imagine a world without Capitalism? Imagine yourself without control? What do we need to #MakeBerlinGreatAgain? How many questions have you asked others today?
Do you want to play a small game?
Just 3 steps:
Take a question paper – think of your response and ask someone else the same question.
Pick an artwork. What thought or emotion does it evoke? You can be honest.
What are you curious to know? Ask someone their opinion on it.
Please complete these 3 steps and then come to the glass nest at the back of the room with your answers. I look forward to asking you the bonus question there! (and revealing what this is all about.)
