Scrapheap Collective
Scrapheap Collective is a London-based experimental art collective that explores the intersections of performance, interactive media, and the gamification of artistic experience. We use art as a vehicle to reflect on the uncertainties of our time, the complexity of contemporary life, and the ever-shifting sense of self. Through participatory installations, performative workshops, and public interventions, we craft playful yet critical encounters that invite audiences into collaborative and unexpected ways of engaging with the world.

Email
Instagram
Scrapheap Collective
Event Recap
One-Meter Chain Reaction: 
Hyde Park
 Last weekend, on May 17th, we successfully held the latest edition of One-Meter Chain Reaction at Hyde Park, London.

This time, we adopted a more playful approach to explore how the body can create interaction and connection within public space. Before we began the activity, we shared stories about the history of Hyde Park and the Serpentine Lake, along with some lighthearted animal anecdotes—featuring Canada geese, mischievous squirrels, and the mysterious “manhole cover legends.”

With the idea of connecting past and present—and linking person to person—we launched into this one-hour experimental action: standing in a line, one meter apart, we mimicked, led, and rotated roles. Everyone took turns observing and being observed, leading and following, shifting between positions and perspectives.
We attuned ourselves to the varying density of the grass beneath our feet, touched the textures of tree bark with our hands, and engaged with subtle elements in the park—like rope barriers, small raised platforms, and indented lines in the ground.







Some special moments quietly emerged—poetic and humorous in nature
At one point, we gently followed behind a person pushing a stroller, forming a spontaneous “tail.” Unaware of our presence, the person continued their usual walk, unknowingly “leading” a group of strangers. This reversal of agency turned an ordinary stroll into a subtle, improvised performance.

More moments like this unfolded throughout
We noticed someone lying on the grass, scrolling on their phone, so we silently lay down beside them, one by one, mirroring their posture. They didn’t notice—but passersby did, and many were amused by the strange tableau.
At times, we would pause mid-walk, lie down collectively, or mimic others’ body language, creating a surreal and whimsical kind of “mimicry theatre.” We also followed groups of children playing with a ball, echoing their movements—passing, kicking, dodging—becoming a silent and humorous “interactive shadow.”

These spontaneous “chain reactions” went far beyond our original rules, evolving into genuine, embodied encounters with strangers, the environment, and the present moment.

During our final group reflection, we also discussed how different spaces shape different experiences. Compared to our first version of the activity at Granary Square (in front of CSM’s fountains), this Hyde Park edition emphasised a fluid interplay between people and nature, chance and observation.










We look forward to bringing One-Meter Chain Reaction to other public spaces around London, continuing to experiment with how each unique setting might spark new kinds of reactions. Thank you again for walking with us. More sessions coming soon.
(next time Barbican!!!)






Scrapheap Collective


Event Recap
One-Meter Chain Reaction: 
First Public Trial at Granary Square
 On March 22, we held the very first public session of our urban performance project, One-Meter Chain Reaction, in Granary Square, London.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined, participated, and reflected with us.

Setting the Scene: Granary Square
Before the walk began, we invited participants to take a moment and learn about the site’s history—once a hub of industrial trade and canal transportation, now transformed into a vibrant public space of leisure and flux. This framing became a subtle layer in the walk: a historical weight beneath the surface of playful and improvised action.

Two Styles, Two Energies
The event was led by Scrapheap Collective members Fāyfāy and DongDong, who offered two distinct modes of moving through the square:

Fāyfāy’s Group: Meditative and Healing
A gentle procession. Fāyfāy guided the group in slow, mindful movement. Together, they stretched, paused, and drifted through the square in a soft dialogue with architecture and passersby. The experience felt like a walking meditation—quiet, observational, deeply attuned.





DongDong’s Group: Playful and Improvisational
DongDong’s team embraced spontaneity. One moment they were walking in sync, the next they were running, mimicking strangers, or sparking interaction with curious onlookers. It felt like play, like performance, like momentary rebellion against the ordinary.





Perspective in Motion: Inside the Chain
During our reflection circle, participants shared something unexpected:
Where you are in the chain changes how you feel.



In the middle, people described a calming sense of focus. Their only job was to follow the person ahead, letting go of distraction and sinking into observation. “Why did they move that way? What are they reacting to?” At the front, the feeling was one of risk and authorship. The leader had to observe the environment—details, obstacles, oddities—and respond with bodily gestures that others would echo. It felt like adventure, responsibility, and translation. At the back, participants could see the whole line move—a choreography of bodies reacting in chain. It offered a sense of perspective, detachment, and at times even intimacy with the group as a collective organism. These role-based shifts reminded us: this project is more than a walk. It’s a responsive structure, a fragile system of attention and reaction. We’re excited to keep experimenting—with new sites, new moods, and new choreographic logics. Whether playful or poetic, every One-Meter Chain Reaction builds a different relationship between bodies and public space.

Thank you again for walking with us. More sessions coming soon.






Scrapheap Collective




Scrapheap Collective    

performance
video
installation
research
workshops
opencalls

                                                  
                                  Privacy Policy                                        ©2025scrapheapcollective

 Find Us

Email
Instagram