Life gets a lot easier when you perceive it as an animated series. While humans are complex beings, they have to be simplified as cartoons. Everything that has happened, both good and bad, was specifically created to pursue the main narrative. This simplified view on life gives sense to that which has none and provides purpose to that which is useless.

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Ever since I could remember I have adopted this cartoon duplicate of life. I could endlessly recycle old memories through a cinematic lens, not just for the sake of nostalgia or trauma, but to act out what could have happened. Reality twisted into a cluster of possibilities. The overwhelming amount of storylines distorted my grip on reality. The impact of small events could extend to such extremes that it quickly becomes too much to bare. How can one be more aware of its surroundings and yet be completely disconnected from it simultaneously?

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‘Don’t Add Grapefruit’ is a series of animated films in which I process said experiences. The videos follows the daily life of a cartoon character. While displaying excerpts of his daily life, he seems unable to connect with his environment. Hyperawareness locks him into the moment, reshaping him from a protagonist to a passive side-character.

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