THE WORLD BEYOND
The future will not shape itself
Episode 1 – 2040
Set in 2040, a build up of environmental disasters and economic collapse saw Melbourne in ruins and taken over by rogue militias. A new rebel base was formed, and this was the first callout to join it.
The event was held at Revolt Art-space Kensington and we spent weeks transforming it into an immersive Post Apocalyptic City. Security dressed as militia and barked orders at people on arrival, who were then taken for interrogation and accused of being spy’s. Inside was a disorientating maze with a nuclear bunker, a cinema of cultural relics from the past, a medical bay with liqueur syringe shots, and shanti markets and beggars.
The rebel base now had a tribe, as the future continued to unfold.
Episode 2 – 2080
The next gathering was in 2080 and the theme was surveillance, hacking and cyberpunk. It mirrored the issues that were going on in the world such as the recent leaks from Edward Snowden.
The entry was through a laser tag battle in the carpark, and each person was given an RFID wristband. You could then have yourself 3D scanned and uploaded onto the wristband, to interact with different terminals. The cyberpunk city also boasted virtual reality holidays, epic live science experiments, a steampunk hairdresser and a cult space that religiously worshiped technology.
Cyberpunk act Monster Zoku Onsomb dominated the main dance-floor, as people unpacked this new world while the tension and potential of technology pulsated through it.
Episode 3 – Year Zero
We had now approached the singularity, Year Zero, where a symbiosis was occurring between nature and technology. The tribe had split into the naturalists and techngnostics, who each saw salvation in their methods. We had incredible installations like an omniscient digital deity you could ask anything, plants that made digital music and a city street with steampunk cars and a device that made in rain indoors!
The naturalists’ main floor was a giant cave that set a tribal atmosphere, filled with arial artists, fire shows, interactive projects and natural elixirs to drink.
With rising sea levels, this Utopia symbiosis still faced uncertainty. slogans on the wall read ‘Sea levels are rising, your computer is not a flotation device’, suggesting survival skills still needed to be nurtured.
Episode 4 – 2033
The fourth episode of the series was held at Seaworks, Williamstown, where the Sea Shepard ships dock. This event was a prequel, set in 2033 and rebelling to a microchipped society by ‘Happiness Inc’. Installations included a digital graffiti wall, VR, Augmented reality artworks and cyberpunk installations. It was held in the middle of winter and being right on the bay, was absolutely freezing. This arctic wind added to the apocalyptic feel, especially with the burning fire barrels and punk costumed crowd outside the warehouse.
The entry was an escape room that included Melbourne’s first morgue, and an immersive game ran throughout the whole event, unpacking the core foundations that would sustain this new tribe. Workshops also focused on key survival skills in an uncertain world, such as permaculture, rain water collection and ropes and knots.
Episode 5 – 2021
Coming in 2021!
We see the World Beyond as a truly important event and it will come back, as soon as we can navigate this actual global crisis.
The future is now, let’s do the best we can to craft it in the right direction.
