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Thesis of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, 2022 BA Interactive Media Design In The Air We Exist is an exploration that questions if play can help us to survive better in the world we live in. Playing is often associated being being childish and a waste of time for adults, right? Entering adulthood, don’t we have no other choice than to stop playing? In any case, responsibilities and routines take away the last bit of free time we had. This thesis researches the universal phenomenon of play. More specifically on an activity that everyone has experienced as a child and that usually disappears in adulthood and which refers to an activity that is free, uncertain, without specific goal and leaves space for imaginaLon. I wonder if play can have a positive influence no matter the age of the person, as it comes along with essential benefits to the personal development. Instead of restricting it to a limited group of young people, I strongly believe in the positive impact it could have if we allowed it to expand to adults. Whichever age group, it can have a beneficial impact, maintaining human relationships and fuelling hope, as well as helping us when we face difficult and often complex situations. I honestly wonder about the reason for its absence and neglect in western society, as I believe it could partly be a solution for some contemporary problems. The thesis addresses the complex world, we live in. Being constantly confronted with productivity, progress and the desire to seek for control there is not much space for play. Further I research the origin, values and the psychological and sociological impact play can have on a person. The importance of play in childhood alongside its benefits and influence on a person growing older is being presented. Next to that, a selection of artists, all connected by play, demonstrate the fruitful addition it brings to their work. All these segments are inspirational elements for my graduation project where I intend to create a tool to reconnect us to play. The tool aims for a playful experience that simultaneously invites to reconsider the role of play in everyday life. Finally, it is an attempt to keep us young and in a state of constant curiosity and openness by learning how to improvise and accept failures as part of the game of life. And then to consider if playfulness can help us survive better in the world we live in.
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