BOOK US - LABYRINTH PSYCHOTICA

THE ANOIKSIS EXPERIENCEEnter a waking dream Our new psychosis simulation THE ANOIKSIS EXPERIENCE allows a person to re-enter the mind of Jamie who is now all grown up. Dr Green who just lost her mother wanted to escape into her work and took on a 24 hour shift. The lack of sleep caused her to lose a patient. For the first time it was completely her fault...The experience of THE ANOIKSIS EXPERIENCE enables a wearer to journey into Dr Greens mind who is now experiencing the world as a computer game in which red and green apples are judging her. Just like in our previous simulation you will be simultaneously influenced by real-time semantic information layers, digital video and audio effects. The experience lasts about 8 minutes and includes several scenes and acts. In the experience, you are asked to participate in another fictional medical experiment, in which you again may allow your mind to be linked to the mind of 'A Girl Named Jamie', who is now Dr Green. Your task, while in her mind, is to help her save her patient and help her choose to face her past, present or future.Be prepared to play Twister, meet the Tree of Knowledge, and pick the forbidden fruit as your reality and the reality of Dr Green intertwine. 

WHAT WE OFFER

EXPERIENCE-BASED INTERACTIVE PSYCHOSIS SIMULATION WORKSHOPS

1. PERSONAL LEARNING

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE...

...to hear voices?
...to want to obey them?
...to struggle with different realities at the same time?

2. SHARED LEARNING

HOW DOES IT INFLUENCE YOUR...

...ability to speak?
...ability to move?
...ability to connect?

3. INTEGRATED LEARNING

HOW TO USE THESE INSIGHTS...

...at home?
...in an organisation or institution?
...in public spaces?

THE ANOIKSIS EXPERIENCE OPTIONS

Option 1

LIVE DEMO 250+ people

We provide keynotes and lunch lectures with or without live demonstrations.

Option 2

FESTIVAL 40-80 people

We are the talk of the town when we appear at a festival or a congress.

Option 3

STANDARD 9-24 people

Your team will be buzzing with insights even three years after we have visited.

Option 4

CUSTOM let's talk

A private workshop for a professional, a group workshop for your family?

INTERESTED IN WORKSHOP WITH THE ANOIKSIS EXPERIENCE?

CONTACT

Contact us. Together we will discuss your needs. How many people do you want to reach and in what type of setting? We provide customised workshops of various budgets.

ESTIMATE

Based on the information you provide us, we make an estimate that meets your requirements and expectations. We are experienced with both large and small events.

PLAN

Together we formulate a plan determining practical details of where, when and how. We aim to offer an experience that is talked about for many years to come

OUR PREVIOUS SIMULATIONS THE WEARABLE (soon to be discontinued)With our team of experienced creative actors, we guide you into a world of altered senses. THE WEARABLE allows a person to temporarily surrender to a cinematic narrative in which reality is altered in such a way that it becomes similar to the diverse subjective experiences of psychosis. The experience of THE WEARABLE enables a wearer to see and hear his or her everyday world while simultaneously being influenced by real-time semantic information layers and digital video and audio effects. The experience lasts about 12 minutes and includes several scenes and acts. In the experience, you are asked to participate in a (fictional) medical experiment, in which you allow your mind to be uplinked to the mind of 'A Girl Named Jamie', who is in psychosis. Your task, while in her mind, is to follow her memories, her voices, and her thoughts, and find clues about her experiences. Be prepared to play The Movie Game, to meet The Oracle, to take on power over color, and become pregnant with technology as your reality and the reality of Jamie intertwine. Each experience is uniquely determined by the computer as well as the wearer.

REVIEWS FOR THE WEARABLE

"This experience really is an eye-opener. No amount of books, articles, or patient reports can simulate this experience. I am thankful for the opportunity to experience empathy that is more real. Every mental health professional has to experience this."

"Half an hour in the experience is equal to two weeks of training"

“I found the experience quite surreal at times, like an LSD trip. At one time I found it almost enjoyable, but after taking it off, it made the real world seem more disconcerting for a while. I was sweating. Ten minutes on, my mind is still trying to adjust and make sense of what my senses have just experienced. To have these conditions be part of daily life would be torturous. An experience that would benefit anybody who would be in contact with a person suffering with it.”

“Thank you. Amazing experience. Interesting perceptional experience instances of being disembodied – distanced from your voice and from own body- overlaid voices and images strangely enjoyed the experience.”

THE LABYRINTH

THE LABYRINTH experience begins when you enter the labyrinthine multimedia installation that was developed with the help of 8 different creatives (see credits). You walk a path as if you are entering the deep crevasses of a brain. Making way with your arms, you ‘swim’ through a trajectory of light and darkness, that constantly changes in texture and atmosphere. Explore four rooms before you reach The Oracle in the center.
 
You experience being in another world in which reality is there and not there at the same time; a world pregnant with meaning, which revolves around you as the visitor. A world, in which others become mere actors upon a stage, who infiltrate your experience in uncomfortable ways; a world of surprises around each corner, in which you lose your sense of time and space.
 
Unlike a maze, a labyrinth may consist of a single path that twists and turns towards a center. It is believed that to walk a labyrinth is to embark on a spiritual journey towards oneself. Many believe that psychosis is a spiritual emergency or personal crisis that re-creates The Self. THE LABYRINTH thus becomes a metaphor for psychosis, of losing and finding oneself, and for how beautiful yet terrifying the experience can be. Bookings for THE LABYRINTH are dependent on the technical rider specifics. Contact us for more information. THE LABYRINTH is currently in storage, resting after visiting 13 countries

REVIEWS FOR THE LABYRINTH

“Possibly the most elusive of all exhibits at FACT is the Labyrinth Psychotica, forcing even the most stable minds into a weary state of contemplation and uncertainty. As you’re handed a lab coat and led into utter darkness, you’re forced to immerse yourself into the mesmerizing, terrifying and confronting world of psychosis. Immeasurable twists and turns leading you further into the unknown trick your mind into replicating symptoms of psychosis. Expect strobe lighting, claustrophobia and absolute darkness (with whispering voices thrown in to really trip you out).”

“The stand out piece for me was Jennifer Kanary Nikolova's 'Labyrinth Psychotica' […]. The gallery staff requested I remove my bags and jacket, and instead adorn a white lab coat. Stepping into the labyrinth, I felt a rush of excitement like I was embarking on a Crystal Maze quest, but that soon wore off when I realized that it was dark, disorientating and a little scary. Moving through the cloth only seemed to reveal more cloth and more darkness, and I wondered when it would end. I could sense my movements becoming increasingly erratic until I stumbled a beautiful light piece amidst the darkness. This installation, in a creative and engaged way, attempts to show the audience how psychosis blends realities and perceptions. I certainly experienced an altered state of mind.”

“I experienced Labyrinth Psychotica at @FACT_Liverpool on Sunday. It was intense, suffocating and unforgettable.” 

FOLLOW

FAQ

The way a question is asked limits and disposes the ways in which any answer to it — right or wrong — may be given ~ Suzanne Langer

EXPERIENCE AT OWN RISK

The main question we usually get is: Are the simulations dangerous? Might they stimulate psychosis, instead of simulating it? Our experience is that Labyrinth Psychotica simulations shift perspectives on what psychosis entails in an intense but gratifying experience. 
 
Our simulations are created to manipulate our emotions and senses. The experiences are art experiences 'at own risk'. They are a 'do-it-yourself' psychosis experiences, meaning we decide how far we let our imagination run in Jamie's Mind. The experiences are technologically immersive. Hence we provide the following warnings that come with any multi-media experience:
 
In rare cases, quick changes in lighting may trigger a migraine or epileptic episode. Certain noises may affect existing tinnitus. VR glasses may cause nausea, like carsickness or seasickness. This effect is known as cybersickness. Please contact us for more detailed insights into potential side effects. If you have any concerns, let's talk!