A checklist for belonging
How to share without pressure — and the idea that one output of this project could be a tool other people use.
How do you invite people to share without putting them on the spot?
One idea: start by sharing something about the installation, something external. Then let it drift towards something more personal. Reflecting on the warmth of a fire, for instance, might lead to a memory of a hearth. A bâton de parole (talking stick) could make turn-taking visible, perhaps one that glows or gently vibrates.
We also noticed that between active sharing (speaking aloud) and passive sharing (private journalling) there is a whole spectrum. People should be able to choose where they sit on it.
An output that helps others
That same day we decided that a checklist for belonging would be a worthwhile output in itself: a way of showing which parts of the design space we occupy, and something other artists and researchers could use.
Zéphir compiled a first draft from our literature on belonging, mindfulness in groups, and ritual media (Malaver Turbay, 2022). It covers purpose and framing, ritual structure, relational dynamics, the cognitive and emotional layer, embodied and sensory design, interactivity, space, and how to listen afterwards.
It lives on this site as the belonging checklist.