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Dive into the Vision of Nightmare

Nightmare Music Video Description

After years of introspection, The Sad Boy Project unveils its long-awaited music video, Nightmare, a hauntingly intimate exploration of personal and societal struggles. The artist, Fabio Thomas Bissinger, invites us into his layered interpretation of nightmare—transforming darkness into a reclamation of power and identity through his alter ego, The Sad Boy Project. Filmed in 2021 at the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst in Basel, Switzerland, the location is deeply significant; it’s where Bissinger completed his studies and penned his thesis, On Togetherness and Self-Alienation, which serves as the conceptual backbone for this work. The music video is a natural evolution of Bissinger’s previous performance piece, catch-22, incorporating footage from a 30-minute live-streamed performance that took place during the isolating days of the COVID era. In this performance, the song Nightmare was deconstructed into its individual sound layers, each interpreted by separate artists, resulting in a fragmented yet cohesive piece of art that embraced separation as a creative force. While the audio was released shortly after the original live stream and later re-released with Dolby Atmos spatial audio, the video now emerges as a final statement—a meditation on alienation, resilience, and reconnection that transcends its origins. Far from being a mere visual accompaniment to the song, Nightmare unfolds like an autobiographical film on the big screen, inviting viewers into a deeply emotional journey. Its narrative traces a liberation from suppression, societal expectations, and self-imposed barriers, navigating through moments of suffocation and isolation to arrive at spaces of intimacy and connection. The tension between these extremes is palpable, as the video juxtaposes claustrophobic imagery of self-alienation with tender, tactile depictions of human longing. The result is an unsettling yet arresting aesthetic that compels introspection, offering no easy answers but instead an invitation to sit with discomfort and find meaning within it. The seamless interplay of sound and image amplifies the emotional depth of the work. The Sad Boy Project’s haunting melodies and unfiltered lyrics provide both a guide and a counterpoint to the visuals, intensifying the darkness of alienation while magnifying the catharsis of release when connection is finally achieved. This layered composition mirrors the complexities of its themes, creating a multifaceted portrait of the human condition that resists simplification or closure. The making of Nightmare is itself a testament to perseverance and collaboration in a fractured world. A global collective of artists contributed their unique interpretations, overcoming the creative and logistical challenges of the time to produce a piece that resonates universally. Years of revisions and unrealized attempts culminated in this final version, a work that embodies the tension between isolation and togetherness, vulnerability and strength. At its essence, Nightmare defies easy categorization, much like the artist himself. It is neither a conventional music video nor a static performance artifact; instead, it is a living, breathing exploration of alienation, resilience, and the fragile beauty of human connection. By confronting viewers with their own moments of darkness, it reminds them that even in the most suffocating spaces, the possibility of breath, light, and togetherness endures.

The Synthesis of Collaborative Vision and Inspirational Sources

Fabio Thomas Bissinger's vision for collaborative projects arises from a deep wellspring of personal experience, intellectual inspiration, and artistic influence. His journey, marked by the challenges of the global pandemic, led him to explore the profound importance of "togetherness" in creative endeavors. Key experiences like the Finsterbusch Kollektiv and the creation of the song "Nightmare" ignited his passion for understanding group dynamics and the emotional power of shared creative processes. He drew inspiration from thought leaders like René Pollesch (the transformative power of encounters), Brené Brown (vulnerability and wholeheartedness), Peter Brook (embracing the "empty space" of creativity), and Naresh Jain (empowering team members). These theoretical underpinnings intertwined with artistic influences, notably the music of the Beatles (the paradoxes of collaboration) and Christopher McCandless's philosophy of shared happiness. Through practical experiments like the Virtual Open House and Zoom brainstorming sessions, Fabio tested and refined his approach, demonstrating how shared passion and trust can overcome logistical and cultural barriers. His vision emphasizes leadership as service, fostering a balance between structure and freedom, and ultimately celebrates the enduring strength of human connection in the face of adversity.

Catch-22: A Live Audio-Visual Exploration of Paradox, Isolation, and Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Project Catch-22, a live-streamed interactive audio-visual performance staged at the Institut HyperWerk in Basel, Switzerland on May 20, 2021, stands as a profound meditation on isolation and mental health, particularly within the constrictive framework of the COVID-19 pandemic. At its core, the project reflects on the paradoxical nature of isolation: the protective measures intended to safeguard physical health often exacerbated mental health challenges. This duality, captured in its title "Catch-22," draws from Joseph Heller’s iconic concept of paradoxical systems that entrap individuals in cycles of powerlessness, mirroring the absurdities of institutional and societal responses to crises.

The project’s central work, "Nightmare" (from The Sad Boy Project), utilized a blend of cinematic, ambient, synthwave, and industrial genres to create an evocative soundscape that echoed the internal turmoil of isolation. This artistic choice resonates with Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory, where the “Real” – the raw, unmediated, and traumatic experience – is expressed through fragmented and distorted forms. The performance’s interplay of live and pre-recorded elements further emphasized the fractured nature of contemporary experience, especially during a time when physical presence was restricted. Gilles Deleuze’s concept of the “rhizome” is particularly pertinent here, as the hybrid structure of the performance embodied a decentralized and adaptive approach, flourishing despite the constraints imposed by the pandemic.

The project’s use of interactive technologies, including Zoom and live chat, was not merely a technical adaptation but a philosophical and political statement. It redefined traditional notions of performance space, creating a virtual yet collective experience that bridged physical separations. This act of connection, even in isolation, can be read as a form of resistance, aligning with Hannah Arendt’s emphasis on collective action and the need for public spaces as arenas for freedom and discourse. In this way, Project Catch-22 transformed a moment of disconnection into an opportunity for shared experience and dialogue, suggesting new possibilities for community in a digital era.

The interdisciplinary collaboration underpinning the project – involving artists, technicians, performers, and institutional support – reflects a broader societal need to dismantle silos when addressing complex challenges. The inclusion of academic mentors, process advisors, and technical teams alongside performers and musicians highlights the potential for institutions to foster innovation and social change during periods of crisis. By leveraging its institutional resources, HyperWerk created a platform for critical discourse, emotional processing, and artistic experimentation, emphasizing the role of education in navigating adversity.

Thematically, Project Catch-22 critiques the societal stigma surrounding mental health and the limitations of institutional frameworks in addressing it. The performance’s focus on vulnerability, particularly in its centerpiece "Nightmare," transcends clinical or academic approaches, offering a raw and emotive exploration of mental health struggles. This aligns with Michel Foucault’s concept of biopower, as the pandemic itself became a manifestation of systems exerting control over individuals, shaping their behavior and experiences under the guise of protection.

The challenges faced by the project – including resource limitations, technical issues, and the constraints of the pandemic – further underscore its philosophical significance. These operational hurdles reflect the broader human condition of navigating uncertainty and adapting to adversity. The solutions implemented, such as remote guidance, real-time adjustments, and redundant technical setups, exemplify resilience and creativity, qualities essential not only to art but to survival in a fractured world.

Ultimately, Project Catch-22 serves as both an artistic exploration and a political commentary. It critiques the systems that perpetuate isolation and mental health struggles while demonstrating the power of collective effort, technological innovation, and artistic expression to push back against these forces. Through its interdisciplinary approach and engagement with isolation, vulnerability, and connection, the project becomes a microcosm of larger societal struggles – a testament to the enduring power of art to foster meaning, inspire collective action, and challenge entrenched systems even in the face of profound uncertainty.

Project Catch-22: Data Log

* Format: Live-streamed interactive audio-visual performance
* Series: "ON ISOLATION"
* Central Work: "Nightmare" (The Sad Boy Project)
* Duration: 2:47 minutes
* Genres: Cinematic, Darkwave, Dreampop, Industrial
* Theme: Mental health exploration, isolation, and breaking free

Primary Team

* Fabio Thomas Bissinger: Producer, Composer, Performer, Creative Director, Lead Artist (Composed "Nightmare," directed creative vision, performed, led team coordination)

* Christoph Schneider: Technical Producer, Performer (Managed technical infrastructure, coordinated hardware/software, performed live)

Institutional Support

* Nils Amadeus Lange: Artistic Director (External mentor and performance advisor, oversaw vision remotely)
* Academic Mentors: Matthias Böttger (Process monitoring and documentation oversight), Max Spielmann (Technical guidance and support)
* Process Advisors: Catherine Walthard, Tina Reden, Ivana Jović

Technical Implementation

* Hardware Support: Martin Schaffner, Martin Sommer
* Equipment: Cameras (Obsbot Tail, Insta360 Pro2, GoPros), Tools (Green screen, lighting, smoke machine, projectors)
* Software: OBS Studio, Max/MSP, Arduino, Scratch

Performance Team

* Performers: Markéta Půlkrábková (Physical Theatre), Hannah Drill (Theatrical), Philip Neuberger (Performer & Collaborator), Sophie Garnier (Student Performer)
* Music Production: Ryan Thoma (Lead Vocals for "Nightmare"), Richard Braxton Welch (Producer for "Nightmare")

Creative Support

* Lou Elias Bihler

Metadata

* Date: May 20, 2021
* Location: Institut HyperWerk, Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst FHNW, Basel, Switzerland
* Documentation Status: Complete
* Archive Reference: CATCH-22-2021-FB-NG

Acknowledgment

* Primary Contributors: Matthias Böttger, Max Spielmann, Catherine Walthard, Tina Reden, Ivana Jović, Martin Schaffner, Martin Sommer, Markéta Půlkrábková, Hannah Drill, Philip Neuberger, Sophie Garnier, Ryan Thoma, Richard Braxton Welch, Lou Elias Bihler, Nils Amadeus Lange, Fabio Thomas Bissinger, Christoph Schneider, Dominant Sly
* Post-Performance Discussions Participants: Tamara Müller, Maurizio Chies, Michael Altmann, Selina Peter, Aleksandar Radic, Hagen Neyer, Cedrick Messner