The Norm Stage, Normscenen, was created by Zafira Vrba Woodski and interaction designer Nikolas Minas Sachnikas for the exhibition Playground at The Museum for World Culture in Gothenburg, 2015-2016.
Playground was a playful exhibition about norms, and the right to be one’s true self. The Norm Stage was assigned to represent intersectionality, and to be the center piece for the educational program and guided tours. It was created to be especially accessible for teenagers and school programs.
On the stage, the visitors could construct, or deconstruct, various identities using paper doll-inspired clothes and accessories. It was also possible to change the environment with different backdrops. The floor had a design inspired by sports halls. At a sport hall the floor is covered with lines that mark the rules and boundaries for numerous sports. We learn to see the lines that are valid for each certain sport even though all the lines are visible at the same time. On the Norm Stage visitors could mix the different backdrops, the clothes and accessories, and choose which lines to admit to.
The stage offered endless variations. The visitors could capture their creations with a camera and upload the photos, with the hashtag #normselfie, on social media.
Zafira Vrba Woodski 