Zikr: A Sufi Revival

Sufism is a branch of Islam that is often cast as esoteric. But in Tunisia, Sufism is deeply bound to national heritage and popular culture. In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Tunisia is also looking to Sufism as a viable and more individualistic alternative to conservative Salafi movements.

Understanding Sufism, by its very nature, is experiential. Zikr: A Sufi Revival takes four participants on an interactive virtual reality journey into a world of ecstatic ritual, dance and music, in order to explore the nature of faith alongside followers of this mystical Islamic tradition. Singing and dancing alongside members of the Tunisian group Association de la Renaissance du Maalouf et du Chant Soufi de Sidi Bou Saïd, you can activate visual and hidden experiential features through your body and voice. Through the physical experience of the Sufi tradition and interviews with its practitioners, this VR experience aims to bring to light the nuances of this religion, revealing a practice of inclusion, acceptance, art, joy and understanding.