Unexpected Calmness - Installation project, 2013

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Unexpected calmness

PROJECT TYPE : Installation

DATE : 2013.9 ~ 12

STUDIO : Annie pedret

SIZE : 2.5x3x2.5h(m)

This is a project in the second semester of 2013 and aims to explore ‘the relationship between time and space’ and ‘what space can change’. First of all, I started from organizing my concept of ‘space’. Thinking of the abstract word ‘space’, the keywords came to my mind firstly were ‘experience’ and ‘atmosphere’. The existence of time let us have diverse experiences in the frame called ‘space’ and feel the atmosphere created in the time. Since time is strongly volatile, atmosphere at the moment of experiencing it, is prone to be reconstructed, distorted and forgotten in our memory. After this thought, existent time, space, and everything are relative and temporary phenomenon, when become a part of our memory. Therefore, I tried to express the fact that

“Existence can be transformed by time”, using ‘space’ as the medium.

After this thought, I wondered what kind of experiences and mood it would convey to and to whom the atmosphere should be conveyed through the project. I selected the theme of the project based on my past experience. When I was a kid, I made my own space which barely fits my body with pillars and wood panel in an attic. Although it was a narrow and dark space, it gave me a sense of security being only allowed for me and helping me stay from the others. I wanted to deliver the power of space I experienced and as a result, could decide the statement of project theme.

“My space will transform weary and suffering people in routine life to relax, meditate

and look back at themselves.”

Based on this statement the project is carried out. Since modern people absolutely lacks rest and meditation, I wanted to let the exhausted feel the comfort I felt in the attic. To summarize: 1. A surreal object to show the variability of time and space. 2. It was a goal of the semester to purify the weary mind, to relax and to create a space for self-reflection.

Experiment

Image above is an experiment of how people perceived a space according to individual experience. Dark room, dry ice ,the sound of birds and the fragrance of the forest was produced and comparing how they perceive this virtual forest, I could find out the fact that space and time function differently to each person. People grab many frames shots of time. And we call this stack of frames : memories. I intended to create a space which makes our body meet disturbed field of seeing. And through this confusing experience, our body subconsciously try to match the memories in the past in a way to realize what is going on. For me, the dark forest is an object of fear. It is because of the experience of getting lost in the dark, humid mountains when serving in the army. But others who had experienced this space had different opinions. Some felt stable, some felt fresh, and some felt depressed.

Like this, space is semantically transformed based on each individual’s memory. Through this experiment, I could confirm that sense is an important factor of evoking experiences. A physical space is semantically variable. Different individuals can take the space unpleasant or comforting based on his/her experience. This is a natural phenomenon, a result of human body having memory of its own. Body has diverse degree of adaptation to different environments, and therefore unique ‘placeness’ is expressed based on the space. Placeness is felt when the subject meets a new environment. Since the classroom is a familiar place for students, they cannot feel the placeness there. However, when they are in a new environment, the body prepares to adjust to the environment and creates a new placeness. Based on the newly created placeness, time flows differently from person to person. This disturbance is an important core concept for the project.

Natural elements

As I mentioned, this project proves the variability of time and space, and utilizes the resulting disturbance. Using this disturbance, this project aims to cleanse exhausted mind. This space is often found in religious facilities such as temples and churches. Religious facilities are usually silenced by the sound of the outside, and sounds sublime like Blasphemy reading or chant music. Also, because it is dark, it is suitable to be able to calmly reflect oneself. In the past, many religions in the Orient have done much of the "face wall" practice in dark caves, focusing on self - reflection only with minimal stimulation around them. I tried to incorporate such environment and dissolve it in project.

The most common attribute of a religious facility and a cave is is that they are both isolated from the human society. Since human society is represented by excessive stimulation and stress for religious people, I had to apply the opposite motive in order to be isolated. Most of the motives are obtained from the nature. Two mostly used motives are Light and Water. These elements both have image of ‘cleansing’. Light as used in many mythologies, it represents sacredness, and the dark space also means the weight of a calm and sublime religion. Water is a device that cleans up things, as seen in Baptist rituals. In the Orientals, water represents a person's heart, and prayers are held for a plate of water. These natural elements have played a role in calming the psychological waves in various spaces for a long time.

Diagram

Diagram above is the process of mind cleansing by spaces with natural elements. The cleansing process consists of two steps.
First step is to relieve a lot of thoughts and to empty the mind to its original state. This step is the left part of above diagram, in which relieves unnecessary thoughts and creates mental space for positive ideas. It is also called ‘Chamseon' in Buddhism, which Buddhists do to break down the usual doubts and make a bowl that will allow them to see their nature correctly.
The second step is to reflect oneself through the empty state of mind. Through the first step, one acquires a clear mind and this state of mind becomes a mirror that reflects oneself. Through the time of self-reflection, people are able to shake their minds and gain psychological strength. This step corresponds the confession of Catholicism. Catholics make commitments to repent of deviance and live right through confession. Repetitive commitment empowers their will to improve their life. This kind of mental process is not only found in religions. Therefore, I wanted to create a space in this project that is not as heavy and profound as religion but still mind relieving.

Drawing

I made some drawing before I started working. I drew 200 drawings in a desolate space, incorporating repeatedly performed religious ceremonies. In this process, I found myself psychologically stable. This drawing process contains various attempts. The process of grinding an ink stick, including religious offerings, was also part of the drawing. Grinding an ink stick was a form of ritual for psychological cultivation of the intellectuals of the past.

Through this process, 200 abstract were created, and combined them into a space. The concept of this space was “space of psychological stability unexpectedly met in reality” and there is no limits on where to set this up.

Making Process

Before the drawing became a space, it was necessary to obscure the shape of the existing rectangle. So, these drawings were ripped and torn to make the exterior look natural and the rough texture was created. Because the space to be made with this drawing is located in the center of the city, rough textures create contrast. This sense of contrast was appropriate to express the 'new spatiality' or 'sense of time and space heterogeneity' originally planned.

This drawing, painted in black Korean ink, wriggled, gave a texture to be seen on the stone, which reinforced the power of surreal expression. I thought that the weight of the stone represented by the paper and drawings, which is a very light material, was so different that it would give a more distinctive aesthetic when made into space.

Surreal drawing

It is a process of creating a surreal atmosphere by creating a massive form with a flat drawing. It blurs the boundaries between reality and unreality and delivers a new sense to visitors. This sense of heterogeneity lowers cognitive sense of reality and makes the visitors focus solely on this space.

Cave

Combined drawing is shaped like a cave. It is set up in the densely populated area of the university. Students who unexpectedly discover this space rest in the cave, touch the cave walls, and enjoy the space. I could confirm by interviewing students who visited this space that the feeling that an individual feels varies greatly by experience.

Because the cave is contrasted with the vertical and horizontal white buildings, it gives a feeling of being away from reality. Inside the dome-shaped cave, the sound is significantly blocked, so the time flow is relatively different from the outside. The motif of the cave was obtained from the Oriental 'Dharma', who had performed the face wall in the cave.