Rite de transition : a design choreographic exploration of cultural value exchange, through development of intercultural ritual artefacts

This research project is called Rite de transition. By means of DesignChoreography; an approach developed by Sietske Klooster; we explore the rituals revolving around traditional Turkish marriage. In due course; inspired by an emotional and auto-ethnographic interpretation of the explored rituals; Klooster designs a novel ritual and artefact that intend to embody shared values; hence intercultural exchange. We choose for a bodily first person approach as we estimate that the complexities of the modern world – i.e. cultural clashes and the breakdown of cultures - require a radical change in tackling these issues. We suggest to move away from pure rational analytic approach our society adhered to. We are on the verge of a new era that embraces diversity and organic interaction that cannot and does not have to be standardized; fixed or rigidly defined anymore. Our approach is based on embodiment and phenomenology; allowing us to diverge from narrowing down broad societal and cultural issues to mere rational thinking and judging. We use DesignChoreography as a vehicle; since the knowing and making body can experience meanings and values that lie underneath visual appearance. By doing so we bring about our bodily understanding for intercultural interaction and exchange.