Joy of Spleen was an immersive live installation and ritual-like performance. The piece took place at the Stockholm Fringe Festival, in the old heating factory in Kummelholmen, Stockholm, and in the old tunnels of Suomenlinna sea fortress, Helsinki, during the Viaporin Kekri festival. Joy of Spleen consisted of different routes and corridors along which the participant could experience performances, artworks, video, immersive installations, light and sound. These elements led the participant towards the center of the labyrinth, where only emptiness remains.

At the Stockholm Fringe Festival, Joy of Spleen was nominated for the Grand Prix out of a hundred works from 32 countries. Recover Laboratory’s wild and ambitious signature approach earned the group a Festival Spirit Award.

Crew:
Script: Sofi Häkkinen, Riku Nieminen
Directions: Sofi Häkkinen, Miradonna Sirkka
Production: Inna Huttunen
Performers: Hedda Liukkala, Iida-Liina Linnea, Aleksi Kinnunen, Samuli Kivelä, Miradonna Sirkka, Mika Jokela, Anna Kankila, Riku Nieminen
Technical implementation and set design: Sofi Häkkinen, Peso Anna, Mika Jokela, Mia Rantavaara, Inna Huttunen
Visiting video artist: Hinni Huttunen
Video: Anna Björklund, Sofi Häkkinen
Light design: Mika Jokela, Sofi Häkkinen, Peso Anna, Inna Huttunen
Sound design: Samuli Kivelä, Aleksi Kinnunen, Mika Jokela, Jaakko Törmänen
Costume design: Hanna Herva