The butterfly project is an attempt to answer several questions about the nature of individual uniqueness in the society through the Existentialism principles. How to perceive and realise own potential, how to be sure that expressing the inner self individuals do not realise social programs and demands?
Our society system is based on external principles, rather than internal: we rely on knowledge that already exists, decreasing the ability to create own values and determine a meaning to our life by accepting the mental habits, reactions, projecting them on own life: how we should behave, professions we need to get to be successful, places where we work and live in, things we buy just because society makes us think we need them (even if we don’t) – sometimes it may seem that we live not our own lives serving system needs instead of bringing about changes we were born for. I believe that we own have our own job in this life - to create, as conscious human being nature is constructive, but not destructive. The problem is how to express our natural self., living in the society that has plenty of schemes, models, roles, stereotypes, definitions, or other preconceived categories the individuals may fit.
The testing method and intervention itself was a series of immersive experiences, doing crafts in particular by the group of people. According to the scenario, it was offered to create a unique butterfly for its special path, that was determined by the participants. Later all the crafts were collected for the unsuspected experiment: instead of launching butterflies it was offered to act different patterns and social life situations, reflecting the main idea of the philosophy of Existentialism as a conflict of existence and essence, collective consciousness and individual consciousness. Butterflies were offered to have a place in the box, that could protect the creatures from the danger they may face in their unique path (if it is unique, who knows what difficulties and problems may be faced, so it would be wiser to
avoid risks); the artificial piece of water was provided as an alternative choice, where butterflies lost their wings playing a role of fish (the water was close, but the lawn was in the indefinite future); some butterflies were blended in the food processor.
The first experiment was conducted at the art–cafe “Accent
Hall” (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) with a group of people who position themselves as active conscious beings, aware how to express themselves, their vision and propose ideas that could be out of the existing society norms and knowledge system, with no fears. However among 3 people only one person was struggling for the initial idea of the unique flight, rejecting the offers. Other people agreed to experiment and achieved individual results, but “not that bright”, according to the comments of the art-cafe director.
Another experiment was conducted at the youth centre “Zaryad” (Recharge) affiliated with Department of Culture, Physical Culture, Sport and Youth Policy of Sosnovoborsk town (Krasnoyarsk region, Russia). The participants were young individuals, 15-17 years old. After the experience the significant results were achieved among all the teenagers, who shared their life stories they face expressing themselves in the contemporary society. According to the centre’s project manager, by the virtue of doing crafts teenagers were able to experience own emotions and build up own understanding how to be settled in their lives. It was pointed out, such immersive methods are useful for working with teenagers who usually share their problems with reluctance, but talking about crafts as third parties they projected own concerns and shared thoughts readily.
The last experiment was carried out with a 29 years old woman who desired to take part in the experiment, but could not attend the meeting. She connected the experience with her own life.
I see development of my project in a sphere of immersive theatre and virtual reality as a next level of immersion.
Any conscious being has plenty of own resources, but for some of them it seems like a hidden inconceivable knowledge, what I would like to change
with my project.