Bursting Bubbles

Humans are inherently social beings. We organise ourselves into communities that make us feel secure and cared for. Yet the present pandemic has forced us to express our sense of belonging in different ways. As social contact has been greatly reduced, we have had to form isolated bubbles. Triggered by this new reality, Emma Lijdsman proposes a different way of engaging with others. Her interactive ‘Bursting Bubbles’ installation features stations fitted with voice communication technology that encourages strangers to strike up conversations. By connecting people in this way, she stimulates the emergence of soft relationships that can help us overcome the sense of solitude we are experiencing today, where spontaneous encounters seem like the ‘old reality’.