Door Prize
"Door Prize" offers a Foucauldian analysis of the practice of walking barefoot at the Rainbow Gathering, a self-managed event where individuals disconnect from modern society to reconnect with nature. The idea for this series started as a joke, in which I displayed my injuries as "participation trophies"—a nod to those who believe that reconnecting with nature requires walking barefoot at night through the forest without light. This joke quickly evolved into an ironic game, with others humorously showing me their injuries, asking if they were impressive enough to be included in the project.
By documenting the injured feet of participants, the project highlights how the body becomes an instrument of power, where visible signs of discomfort confer a sense of truth and belonging. In conventional society, walking barefoot is stigmatized, and those who live without shoes often face rejection and stereotyping. At the Rainbow Gathering, deliberately going barefoot becomes a way to reject dominant norms and subvert the symbol of the bare foot. Here, it becomes, in contrast, a status symbol—a performance of defiance and oneness with nature. The rejection of mainstream social norms becomes, in this different setting, a way of asserting a new kind of social status.
Ultimately, "Door Prize" is an exploration of how even in spaces that intentionally distance themselves from the norms of modern capitalist society, mechanisms of power and control continue to operate, albeit in different forms. The project reveals how the desire for authenticity and belonging can lead individuals to adopt new forms of self-discipline and performative behavior, creating new hierarchies and norms within the community. By documenting these moments of vulnerability and resilience, "Door Prize" invites viewers to reflect on the complex interplay between freedom, authenticity, and power in alternative spaces.
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