THE FAIR OF OTHERS
Exposing ourselves to diversity
Practices to discover the boundaries that separate individuals: a playground for mindfulness, a fair where the main attractions are us, the participants.
The fair of others
One of the things we most frequently do as humans is get an idea and place others into one of two categories: “us” and “them.” The Fair of Others is a fair - a space for recreational activities and break from the everyday. A participatory process that enables a collective reflection on the labels we use to shape our perspective of the world. A show divided into different sections where both fun and contemplation encourage participants to think of the world in a new way.
A game about group dynamics
“The Fair of Others is a participatory art project focused on the wide and complex topic of social perception and conflict, that directly refers to social inclusion/exclusion processes. Being not restricted to a metalevel, it is not (only) an opportunity to reflect, as it concretely exposes participants to social dynamics that get tangible and evident primarily when people are hit by them in first-person. Indeed, during the performance, it is likely to feel excluded from the rest of the group (for example, because one could not receive a letter) or find oneself alone in supporting a different opinion. Therefore, The Fair of Others has the potential to generate a real impact on participants and may represent an opportunity to practice inclusive group games.”
Alessandra Frigerio, PhD
An innovative approach to deal with Diversity and Inclusion
The Fair of Others is a sequence of experiential activities to develop a mindset based on inclusivity and to broaden our view of the collective “we.” Fostering harmony among individuals, making decisions, and respecting differences are all incredibly complex processes, and for them to occur it is necessary to effectively listen to and gather diverse perspectives. Managing diversity also requires emotional competencies: our project allows individuals to compare their own perspectives to others and to develop the soft skills needed to manage the complexity involved in this process.
Credits
Concept Creator and Director
Matteo Lanfranchi
Sound Designer and Technical Director
Roberto Rettura
Project Manager and Producer
Isadora Bigazzi
Set designer
Paola Villani
Austrian Performers
Ana Redi-Milatovich, Anna Koeller, Kerstin Pichler
Scientific Supervisor
Alessandra Frigerio
Production
Effetto Larsen, La Strada Graz
With Support From
BASE Milano
