The inspiration for terug naar huis came from a video in which economist Milton Friedman illustrates the benefits of neoliberalism with a pencil. He tells us that all its parts (the wood, the graphite, the rubber, the paint, etc.) come from all around the world and that an invisible hand has brought those parts together in that pencil in the most extraordinary way.

Benjamin Verdonck’s plan is to deconstruct the pencil and take all the parts back to their respective places of origin. That plan – which he is working on with theatre-maker Yves Degryse (Berlin) -  is gradually being given shape in a long-term educational project in a primary school (Speelscholeke) in Antwerp, which will involve taking all the parts of the pencil on a long journey back to their source. Or at least, that’s the plan.  

As the first visualization of this project for all the children involved and their parents Benjamin Verdonck and Yves Degryse have made the attached film, starring Gille Kempynck.

To be continued.