Playback paralysis is a new media installation that was created in the artist's residency in Musrara School of New Media and Arts in Jerusalem, Israel in 2016 by artist Iddo Gruengard.

Technology is used to translate the lived experience of people in wheelchairs to the audience and immerse them in the journey through the old city of Jerusalem and the political tension. The audience sits in either one of the two static wheelchairs with earphones and in front of an HD screen. By rolling the wheels they can go forward\backwards in the journey or change from 1st to 3rd person perspective.

The journeys are of John from Ramallah, Palestine and Iddo from Tel-Aviv, Israel - both in wheelchairs. John was injured when he was hit by a gas grenade as a journalist, and Iddo was injured in a motorcycle accident on his trip to India after his military service. John to the Cathedral of the tomb and Iddo to the Wailing wall then look for each other and a 3rd partner.

The perspective of someone in a wheelchair in this conflicted area highlights new insights about borders, compassion, religion, accessibility and tension. We witness a chain of people from different nationalities, religions, gender, age and role assisting John and Iddo or reacting to them.

The 3rd screen is a document of their meeting in John’s home in Ramallah draw the borders of their sensory feeling on their body due to their injury like political maps. The political situation and conflict carved itself onto their bodies.