FOLLOW THE CARNATION
Catarina de Sousa, Lui Avallos / Portugal, Brazil
A virtual reality experience that uses archives pre and post Carnation Revolution – which took place on April 25, 1974 – overthrowing the longest dictatorship in Europe, to reflect on the fragility of modern democracy.
“Follow The Carnation” is an immersive experience where democracy’s fragility takes center stage. The experience begins in Mixed Reality, intertwining past and present as the user listens to a heartfelt dialogue between an elderly man and his granddaughter about the Carnation Revolution. Following these characters into what appears to be a red spiral labyrinth, the viewer traverses this maze, encountering various historical and contemporary figures who share their stories about democracy in Portugal. “Follow The Carnation” weaves a vivid tapestry of resistance and resilience, reinterpreting pre- and post-Carnation Revolution archives, reflecting historical and contemporary struggles for justice and equality.