CLICK HERE to watch the video recording of WIN BACK DAMASCUS.

Through virtual design and digital technology, a city, photos from days gone by can be brought back to life, virtually resurrected. Artificial intelligence helps me remember: the machine reassembles the fragments of my memory. But does this bring me any closer to my memories? Even the people in the photos speak to me! What truth do they tell?

An Arab-German ensemble of programmers, visual designers, actors, and authors deconstructs a photo archive of Damascus and reassembles it. The project moves at the interface of performance, installation and radio play. The latest technologies of augmented reality (AR glasses) and machine learning are used. The experience of analog and digital worlds flow into each other.

In English, French, German and Arabic, with German subtitles.

Location: Nikolaikirchhof and Church of St. Nikolai, Göttingen (Admission and box office: Hinterhof Roter Buchladen)

The first part of the evening will be experienced in public space with AR glasses, the second part indoors without glasses. Total duration: approx. 80 minutes. Admission and onboarding/setup of AR glasses always 30 minutes before the start!

Tickets

We sell our tickets via a free price choice, or via a solidarity contribution: The customers can freely choose between the three price profiles (6€/10€ or 15€). In cooperation with the Nikolaikirche, 1€ per ticket sold goes to the "Fonds für Studierende in finanziellen Notlagen" of the University Church.

KULTURTICKET: Students of the University of Göttingen receive free admission to our own events upon presentation of their Kulturticket. This offer applies to remaining seats at the box office.

Further information about Barriers

The project takes place around the Nikolaikirche and in the church itself. There are stairs in the church, handicapped accessible seats can be provided, but unfortunately mean a limited view of the performance inside. There is no handicapped accessible toilet in the church, the nearest public toilet is in Kurzen Strasse.

ATTENTION: Onboarding - the introduction for the AR glasses - will start about 30 minutes before the performance begins. Spectacle wearers:inside who also own contact lenses better use them.

Team

Concept - Amer Okdeh, Nina de la Chevallerie, Reimar de la Chevallerie
Direction - Amer Okdeh, Nina de la Chevallerie
Equipment/ Visual Objects - Amer Okdeh
Technological Development/ AR/ Programming - Martin Wisniowski
Machine Learning/ AI/ Programming - Rhea Dally
Technical Artist/ Programming - Asterix
Music, Camera - Reimar de la Chevallerie

Acting - Lina Murad (live)
Narrator:inside - Franziska Aeschlimann, Lina Murad, Amer Okdeh (Avatar)
Author:inside - Waseem Alsharqi, Nina de la Chevallerie, Lina Murad, KI
Translations - Rhea Dally, Lina Murad, Luise Rist, deepl.com Pro Version
Engineering - Jörg Winkler

Production Management - Nina de la Chevallerie
Production Collaboration - Ninoska Mejia

Graphic Design - Roman Sawatzki
Public Relations - Birte Müchler
Evening Helpers: Yusuf Ecmal, Mirja Ersing, Abdo Icyer, Rahma Kolo, Elisabeth Krause, Nellie Lackschewitz, Yency Alejandra Ordoñez Guapi, Lukas Strüber

Many thanks for the picture material to:
Felix Walder
Günther Orth
Silvia Staub
Randolph Galla
Armin Köhli
Petra Becker
Lorenz Winkler Horacek
Eva Horacek

Special thanks to:
Clara Abai, Bassem Dabbagh, Munir Dabbagh, Dominique, Marco Duran, Sana El Mor, Nguyet Kieu, Gehad Al Hussen, Oscar Sucre, Amut Wickert,
the Deutsches Theater for the loan of stage material.

Only open source software was used to program the apps.

The project idea was nominated under the title WIN BACK AS-SAM for the award KULTURLICHTER (Prize of the Federal States) of the Federal Government and the Federal States: https://kulturlichter-preis.de/.