Mapamelt
An interactive installation to challenge the concept of borders in Biennale di Venezia.
2017
Challenge
To understand the meaning that the words foreign and foreignness carry today and how they could grow into in the foreseeable future.
Learn more about the initial challengePeople struggle to identify with a specific country as their home and are looking for other ways to support their identities
The consistent exchange of cultures grows our character as individuals and it allows us to reflect, redefine and overcome our mental borders
How to understand the already complex landscape of individuals and the stories of their influences throughout their life?
Research
We designed an interactive installation to start the conversation about identity and borders with visitors from Biennale. Our aim was to learn how might we present a future outlook for society to question the current concept of identity?
Check the experienceWe designed a process where individuals create their identity map where the user is depicted in the centre of the world and its continents that surround them are just further options for them to explore.
Set of questions
Day 1
Culture and daily habits
Day 2
Imaginary states of life
Day 3
Exploring stereotypes
Mapamelt Installation at Biennale Sessions
1. Introduction
We intrigued participants with our intial five questions that make up the personal identity-map. At this point we would explain our theme of foreign and foreignness and how we reach our project installation.
2. Create your shape
As we were interviewing participants we equipped them with pins and threads. With joy they would begin to map our their own personal identity-map according to the answers they gave us from our set of questions.
3. Drawing your shape
After participating in the big map we asked participants to redraw their personal shape on a acrylic sheet. The metaphor at play was to extract their map from the big picture and see a more clear shape of their own identity.
4. Take a photo
After drawing their personal identity map we asked our participants to have a photo with their personal identity shape they created. This component of the process would allow us to better synthesise our results once we were back in Berlin.
5. Add your map to the gallery
The shapes are geometrically abstract much like borders are today. The gallery allowed participants to visualise how their shapes were matching or ovelapping with others and it was a valuable moment to reflect on the main concept of Mapamelt.
Analysis
We collected data from 30 people from all over the world, identified insights and develop an extended version of the idea to transfer it to a business context.
Check the identity mapsDidier
People had a very particular connection and a very emotional response to the project. The stories became crucial in our research because they became conversation sarters that later were our first source of insights and inspiration.
Pauline
During the exhibition we got the change to listen to a number of stories about migration and movement around the world and how people build sympathy towards each other just by reflecting on their own identity and projecting it in the installation.
Cardynn
On a deeper level, they were able to hack the map as a political symbol and build on the idea of tolerance. Mapamelt is the beginning of a community that is able to build sympathy with the other and the stranger.
Results
To scale the Mapamelt interactive research to a possible business opportunity we ideate and come up with these options: A travel agency that provides support in planning a trip according to your desires. The creation of a community that enhances cultural exchange experiences and an interactive platform for kids that will help them learn about the world differently and entertainingly.
