Summary

This is FireFlies, a fun, informative, interactive and immersive storytelling installation designed for the Boerenkerkhof in Enschede. The installation brings back to life local citizen and poet Hendrik Smelt, who wrote a poem about the great city fire of Enschede of 1862. The installation relies mainly on playfulness and targeting curiosity.

 

Fireflies informs visitors in a fun way on the life of Hendrik Smelt, the great city fire and the butterfly effect. Outside of the installation, visitors are greeted by a portrait of Hendrik Smelt, who introduces himself and invites the visitor to enter the "time machine" and journey back to 1862, where he would recite his poem in his favourite tavern. After strapping on a time travel backpack (vibration backpack), visitors enter the installation and activate the time machine. The time machine is simulated by sound, smell, vision and touch. Once the visitors arrive in the past, Smelt starts reciting his poem. Visitors can add background noises to the poem by pressing buttons. Sound and visuals encourage visitors to play around. However, if the visitors press too many buttons, a fire is simulated (again by visuals, sounds, smell (smoke) and vibration). The visitors are transported back to the present where they are lectured about the butterfly effect; their innocent (seemingly unimportant) actions proved to have severe consequences.

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This links back to how the fire of 1862 was started; a family burned festivity decorations because there was no wood left. This decision caused the fire to get out of hand and burn down half of Enschede. This element of the butterfly-effect is emphasised in our installation. 

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The installation was built to cope with different interactions from the visitors, so it could also provide a fitting response if for example no buttons were pressed.

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Local newspaper Tubantia has written an article about the demo day. You can find it here: https://www.tubantia.nl/enschede/verhalen-van-overleden-mensen-op-boerenkerkhof-in-enschede-komen-weer-even-tot-leven~a80ccdf5/

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For more information about this project, take a look at the demo and process video below (LQ) or request the HQ versions by contacting me.