Play With Me (2002)

Enter a child’s play house and sit down. A small girl appears. Engage with her at your own risk.

  • Finalist, 2004 Anne Landa Award,
    Art Gallery of NSW

  • 2022
    Serious Fun. Architecture and Games.
    Architekturzentrum Wien,
    Vienna, Austria

    2004
    Anne Landa Award,
    Art Gallery of NSW
    Sydney, Australia

    2002
    Play With Me
    ,
    Centre for Contemporary Photography
    Melbourne, Australia

  • Written and Directed by
    Van Sowerwine

    Animated by
    Isobel Knowles

    Sound Design
    Cornel Wilczek & Phillip Pietruschka

    Installation Construction
    Nat Bates

    Supported by
    Next Wave Festival

In the future, children don’t make friends, they give birth to them. So, what happens when a child’s fantasy of a living, breathing doll becomes a reality? 

Meet Charlotte, an 8 year old girl. With a squeeze of her teddy bear, she gives birth to a playmate.

Expecting blends the real, the virtual and the not too distant future to examine the very contemporary notions of isolation and detachment. In an environment that appears nurturing, yet is ultimately controlling and lonely, a child’s body combines with a teddy bear to become a baby-making appliance. Your interaction with Charlotte does not serve to liberate her. Despite your best intentions, you can only perpetuate her disengagement with the social world.

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Gillian