Perfect World

"Everyday can become potentially extra-ordinary – not by eclipsing the everyday, or imagining that we can leap beyond it to some higher level of cognition of action but by fully appreciating and activating the possibilities that lie hidden, and typically repressed within it."
John O’Neil

Perfect World is a project that explores diverse perspectives around themes that are central to social life - globalisation, war, love and perfection. Participants from different backgrounds were invited to reflect aspects of our complex society through recorded conversations.

In Perfect World Part One I talked with 12 people via recorded telephone conversations, inviting responses about the role of love in the world, the pending invasion of Iraq, and the possibility of living in a perfect world. Elements of these conversations were then combined with with video imagery, including scenes shot around the Black Country, England, and from television broadcasts.

In Perfect World Part Two I worked with Angela Hind to invite people in West Bromwich to stop and respond to questions that included: Is it possible for us to transform the world into a better place? What about love and human nature? What about your place in the world? Are you happy?

You can view both these videos as QuickTime movies by clicking the links below. Please note that there are two versions of each movie to suit the speed of your internet connection. You will need to have QuickTime 7 installed.

This project was produced during March- April 2003 as part of the BitParts digital media commissions led by FACT and distributed via the internet through the SUPERCHANNEL project. Supported by the Jubilee Arts c/PLEX project and West Midlands Arts.