Created by Unqualified Design Studio

Who shall cast the first stone?

Strictly, the performative elements of Without Sin lay resoundingly in the hands of the participants, such being the nature of an immersive experience. There are introductory elements and closure to the piece, narrated well and aided tremendously in soothing wary ‘sinners’ into the make-shift confessional booth.

But the installation seeks more than just an offset for participants – looking to evolve their understandings and concept of ‘sin’ of penance without judgement and to strip back a digital reliance and merely talk to one another within the sanctity and security of the connections we’ve weakened or long since lost.

The sinners in question are you: with either someone you’ve brought along – or a stranger who has booked the same slot. The cathartic potential lies in the hands of the sinners, and their honesty. In a dominion where scripture bows to the power of the digital, in this post-religious realm, Without Sin offers both a haven for a sense of cathartic structure but also a warning in the reliance on self-preservations, social images, and a wide range of broad topics – vices the modern sinner may find more appropriate than Lust, Envy, or Avarice. 

Without Sin is constructed in a remarkably soothing and welcoming manner given its relative simplicity, and despite being placed slap-bang in the Summerhall Courtyard feels detached from reality. The outside world, the revelry and drinks cannot penetrate the soundproof box – as participants have only their thoughts and a stranger’s voice for any sense of comfort. That, and a few well-meaning, often touching notes pinned to the board above.

But there is something; a sliding confessional hole – this is the only throughway for participants, but don’t expect it to be used for anything other than furthering the conversation. Located within this space is a deck of cards, each with instructions and later questions. They range from conversational to more intimate and potentially confrontational. There’s an opportunity to shift the dimensions of perspective here – it’s just how much you are willing to impart to a potential stranger, and about yourself.

A contemporary confessional experience for the modern sinner, Without Sin, is an ideal slice of immersion which may just break through digital reliance. A small piece of your Fringe, the guiding light of conversation cultivates a firm and cathartic connection between you and a stranger. At twenty minutes, it’s a tiny sliver of time in the Fringe schedule to sacrifice to save a sinner, save yourself, and experience something many of us have long abandoned.