Noam Toran
Royal College of Art

Products for a Parallel World - The Management of Desire

"Our people have been transformed into constantly moving happiness machines." Herbert Hoover

A small section of the population, in an attempt to break free from socially imposed conformity, are engaging in unorthodox rituals which reinforce a rebellious individuality. Often these rituals take place at home, behind closed doors, and involve the inventive use of objects and costumes in order to facilitate the excursion into a parallel world. This talk identifies and celebrates a bespoke domestic space mixing products, psychology, and fantasy while questioning the role of mainstream design in encouraging stagnant, generic social values.