You will forget yourself

About the video work

Steven Jouwersma attempts to transcend barriers that exist amidst neurologically divergent perceptions of being in the world. The practice of ‘forgetting yourself’ is conceived as an experience in the physical world made possible through a simultaneous meditation on perception itself. It presents the relations within diverse concepts and experiences ranging from Zen Buddhism to activities performed by his mother. Adjacent to this, Steven has researched the concept of snoezelen rooms. The verb “snoezelen” is a combination of the Dutch verbs “snuffelen” (to seek and explore) and “doezelen” (to relax).  Snoezel spaces are specifically designed for this practice and are found in care institutions and schools for neurodiverse people. These ideas combined form the potentials for exploration into a flexible relation between the self and reality.

The video playback is done with a Raspberry Pi that loops the video and simultaneously controls lights and sound based on the timecode of the video.

The lights switch between a normal cosy mode (as the photo above) and during key moments switches to a more “snoezel”mode that is more dim and colorful. The bench is fitted with blue PVC material that is also seen in the video and is a standard material found in snoezel spaces. The bench vibrates low sound frequencies on a few key moments when a deep sound is part of the video.

The aim with this installation setup is to shift the viewers perception from the frame of the screen to the frame of the whole space and the viewers body within it.