Synopsis
"Koutchi" is the Moroccan darija word for a hand-drawn cart — an object of subsistence, labour, and displacement. The visitor puts on a VR headset and grasps the real reins of the cart, fitted with HX711 pressure sensors. Captured gestures feed a real-time WebXR/Three.js environment — archival sounds, testimony fragments, AI-generated atmospheres.
Six stations reconstruct the stages of a migratory journey from Meknes: the medina, the souk, the road, the port, the European city, the return. At the end, a thermal printer issues a time-stamped receipt — the tangible trace of an immaterial experience.
Every body leaves a unique imprint. KOUTCHI does not simulate migration: it re-enacts the act of transmission itself, its conditions and its limits.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Interface | Instrumented hand-drawn cart (HX711 load cells) + VR headset (WebXR/Three.js) |
| Stations | 6 simultaneous and independent |
| Duration | ~12 minutes per visitor |
| Footprint | ~30 m² minimum (adaptable) |
| Setup | 1 day, 2 people |
| Power | Standard 220V, minimum 4 outlets |
| Connectivity | Local WiFi network (supplied or provided by venue) |
| Output | Thermal printer — time-stamped receipt on exit |
| Operation | Fully autonomous — no artist or dedicated technician required |
| Audience | From age 10 |
Audience
All audiences from age 10 · Adults · Teenagers · Cultural professionals · Researchers · Museums, festivals, cultural institutions, heritage spaces, residencies
Credits
Artist: Kamel Ghabte · Production: Studio Kamel Ghabte · SIRET 489 325 308 00026
Associated publication: KOUTCHI — 116-page monograph, Digital Memories of Morocco series, book 3, KDP
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