Van Schoonhoven series 2021 -2025

The film ”Your Own Good” investigates how ideas of care and cleanliness function as mechanisms of social control within capitalist systems. The work draws on Russian philosopher George Gurdjieff’s ideas of transformation, showing how alignment and obedience are cultivated under the guise of care, creating a darkly absurd reflection on modern corporate life. 

Set in a speculative world, it follows a cleaning company and nonprofit organization created by a wealthy philanthropist intent on eliminating individuals deemed "dirty" or "unproductive." Under the guise of offering cleaning services for homes and offices, the fictional company, For Your Own Good, enforces societal norms by "correcting" behaviors perceived as undesirable. Through a blend of scripted and improvised interactions, the piece critiques how corporate systems cloak demands for conformity and productivity in the language of care and well-being?