Thijs van Kuijk






De Sage van Het Solse Gat

Mythical stories in a culture perpetuate social ideas. Often these kinds of ideas are about how one can best behave in relation to others. In this project, this symbolic visual language connects itself through a digital triptych with the Dutch social phenomenon of 'doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg'. The visitor is invited to rethink these ideas through told stories. In addition, the visitor is asked what happens to these stories now that the religious ritual of storytelling is disappearing. Are they good or bad nowadays?

“The Sage of Het Solse Gat” is an interactive installation consisting of 3D, film, audio and camera tracking. Different voices tell the visitor different established mythical stories about Het Solse Gat, a natural sanctuary in the Netherlands.

The visitor stands on the triangular stage above which a camera is placed. This camera follows a color on the headphones via a Python script. The real-time communication ensures that movement allows the visitor to move through a varied soundscape. Python communicates the user's position to Unity where the soundscape is located. Unity, in turn, can determine where the visitor is in the digital version of the room and play the correct sound.

While hearing the stories, the visitor sees animations. These are made in Blender based on medieval triptychs by masters such as Hans Memling or Jeroen Bosch. These animations are interspersed with short films, showing a pious still life.


*Project invited as candidate by Arts Thread for Global Design Graduate Show 2023