Just another fair

The appeal of trade shows never waned despite the pandemic with its growth in internet trade and digital meetings. We want to meet, feel, hear, try and taste. Just like the markets in the old times, that usually was the highlight of the year, fairs are the highlight for many exhibitors and visitors. In my project I explore the bubble that a fair constitutes, where a concentration of market forces and purchasing power meet in a world of backdrops. What does this artificial world do to us and our values? Does it make us feel better? Can we consume us to happines? Or is it not about consumption? Is it the chance of meeting colleagues and likeminded people that drives us to visit fairs? Or maybe it's just the overwhelming feeling being a part of such a big event that attracts? There are fairs for everything from hightech industry to weddings. But regardless of whether it is a fair about dogs or a trade fair about industrial automation, my interest is the people in these environments. I try to capture the passion in being on a horsefair meeting likeminded people, or those business acquaintances in suits who may have met at the same fair for tens of years. But I do also look for those that really doesn't seem to enjoy it as much. Not everyone like to stand in a booth trying to lure visitors in. Fairs contains all kind of human expressions in a strong concentrate. As if the pursuit of consumption in such a limited space brings out and reinforces a series of human traits. With this project I hope to show how this manifests itself. PS. The title comes from a conversation I had with a exhibitor in the beginning of the project . I somewhat naively asked what his feelings where being there. - Well, it's just another fair", he answered. DS.