InterPlayse
Queeny Shen
Social media has become an inseparable part of daily life, especially since the pandemic, when it became the primary means of expression, connection, and entertainment. Our engagement with the current digital landscape resembles philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of carnival—a space where social hierarchies and rules are temporarily suspended, allowing for uninhibited play and free expression.
InterPlayse is an event that attempts to translate this phenomenon into a tangible, immersive experience by amplifying the exaggerated, performative, and absurd behaviors found online. InterPlayse materializes the chaotic, liberating, and sometimes disorienting nature of social media into our physical reality.
Upon arrival, visitors receive a kit containing a booklet, a mask, and a sticker pack. The stickers serve as a tool for interaction, while the mask offers anonymity and can be customized to reflect one’s persona. The experience consists of one universal task and four optional activities inspired by the carnival. Participants earn stickers by engaging with others, with top collectors receiving free merchandise. The activities include creating and trading customized memes, responding to real-time prompts on a large screen, drawing and writing freely on walls and floors, and using an open stage to perform or share thoughts.
InterPlayse transforms the dynamics of social media into a real-world experience, blending interaction, anonymity, and play. By mirroring the carnival-like freedom of online spaces, it encourages participants to engage, express, and reflect on how digital culture shapes identity and communication.