Self . Spaces . Shut (Bear Fruit - Designing Leisure)

I won!

Still can't believe it, but I won! Never thought myself to be able to create a visual art piece (well, except maybe photography), not to mention winning a prize, coz I'm someone who can't draw at all - more of a lit & music person. And I did it on my own! Cutting the acrylic sheets, design, everything! It was fun & amazing too, being able to translate my idea into something solid. Did you know that I couldn't properly explain my concept when I first presented it to the provocateurs & participants? Few could get what I was trying to describe. Think it had to do with my verbal skills; I had it all in my head but didn't know how to express it explicitly. I even received a comment that it had turned out very well, especially when it came from the point where I couldn't draw it out at all to the physical thing.

Now I can talk more about the process and my idea after the actual presentation to the judges (previously couldn't organise my idea in a way to describe it properly). It might read a little long though...

Let's view some shots of my piece first...

Inner circumference:

Outer circumference:

It's a bit hard to see the effect from the photos so you need to experience it personally. It runs till 26 Apr 2007.

Basically, the theme is about solitude. The idea was to create personal spaces to depict solitude.

The whole process was very exciting, from my vague keywords to actually conceptualising it into something visible. Initially, I had many keywords and "envelop" was one of them. I was thinking of an "overwhelming" effect that surrounds you and in a way, solitude does that. At the prompting of 1 of the experts, I realised that I was actually looking at the use of spaces. When she said it, I was like, yes! That's really IT! Spaces!

So from there, I went along developing this idea - it was more of a one-track mind thing as my concept never really changed much over the whole process. As I moved along, many ideas of what effects I wanted to use came up. I thought of mirrors, creating illusions, soundscaping, etc. My 1st thought was actually making a booth to "enclose" the viewer, But then reality set in and I knew that with limited budget, I would not be able to make it. Also, it might not be that aesthetic. I thought of soundscaping like playing a note when people walked in to give them that "envelop" effect & prepare them for the experience. Eventually, it was scraped, mainly because of budget & technical difficulties. However, I was glad I didn't use it. It would have crowded out the effect (too much of a thing) and my display wouldn't be as thought-provoking. I think the sound would also have "disturbed" the solitude aspect which normally gives you that quietness, mentally or physically.

Following that, I knew that I wanted to use a see-through mirror and showcases. I had thought of using glass fish tanks at first for my showcases, to put miniature models in them. Then practicality set it. I couldn't really find the right size and as I thought about it, they would be too heavy (for me to carry around anyway, as I needed many) and expensive (our budget was $500). Eventually as I did some footwork, discovered acrylic sheets & I could use different textures & degree of translucency to create my piece, taking into consideration how and the amount of light that can get it, including certain faces which I did not want the viewer to look in.

Then, I had to resolve another problem. This was crucial as my project is dependent on the see-through mirror effect. I was not sure how to create it or if a material actually existed that could actually help me make it. I only recalled I saw some sort of packaging for hard disks last time that had that effect. I searched the art shop but they didn't have anything. So I thought I might have to improvise by using silver stain glass paint. However, the big breakthrough came when I was at Compass Point doing some other things. GOD knows why I decided to enter HomeFix to look for suitable material & there I found the perfect thing I needed...solar film! And it was adhesive! Just what I wanted. And they had different types like reflective or not, colours and even the amount of light that can get through. Imagine my elation. My idea is going to come into being!

Ok, more about the concept. As mentioned, my theme is solitude, and solitude is like being in your own personal space, where the experience surrounds you in the form of a space, physically or mentally, or both. To me, leisure is found in solitude, and it has something to do with being yourself and about yourself in your own time & space. So to bring this out, the layout/shape of the display actually “creates” a space and I have built spaces in showcases to depict places that one can find solitude. I have used miniature models and photographs that I’ve taken for this purpose. I have tried to keep the contents at a minimum like using solitary objects, as depending on the audience’s past experiences and perceptions of leisure or solitude, he/she can interpret each space differently. The minimalist approach also compounded on the idea of solitude. Of course, the things used were rather related to me - a bed, a cafe/pantry, a chapel, a bench in a park, a toilet bowl. Photos used were actually sceneries from my Europe trip that gave me the feeling of solitude and leisure. My father even commented (upon seeing the exhibit) that it felt like it was my room!

Initially, I had wanted to create a half-hexagonal shape, so I would have needed 6 showcases of models. However, I realised the space created for someone to view it would be too small, so I expanded to having a half-octagonal shape using 10 showcases (it's a 2-layered display). Then a problem came as to how I was going to make miniature models of 10 places, and I already had no ideas of what other places (I wanted things that were easy to make lah), so I thought of why not use photos? Hee...it was also a chance to show some of the photos that I had taken before that I felt were quite well-taken (I love to take sceneries). Then I thought, how do I create the see-through-the-box effect (will come to this later)? Then, the use of transparencies came about.

I also wanted a total see-through effect, not just into the box, but also beyond. This served a purpose, like a peep-hole. Let me give a description of the total effect I wanted to create.

At 1st glance from the inner circumference, you will see the mirror effect. This builds on the point that leisure and solitude is about you.
However, the “mirror” is actually translucent, where you can vaguely see through the mirrored surface and view the models or photographs. You can try to project yourself (with some imagination) into the scenario too. This is using the idea of reflection within oneself.
You can also vaguely see anyone who’s on the other side, like an insider looking at the outsider. This peeping effect works too from the outer circumference but there is a difference (for viewer to find out).
Hence, the display actually allows viewing from both sides, but you will discover there are different effects, experiences & even interpretations. Day-time & night-time viewings are also slightly different.
If you really reflect on it later, you might eventually realise that while viewing the exhibit, you have actually become part of the exhibit whether through seeing yourself in it or being seen in it. An "as one", blending-in effect.

So yes, this is my design. I had everything well planned, how to create the effect I wanted, the consideration of light, etc. After creating my props, then came one of my most 'down' part of the whole project - the set-up of the exhibition venue. We didn't know what the set-up would be like until only 2 days before, when we were actually able to see it. You could have seen my dejection when I saw the platform with the lights from underneath. The direction of the lighting totally destroyed the effect I wanted coz the mirrors would have been too reflective (can't see through)! Also, at night, the surroundings were too dark to be able to see my transparencies through the boxes (the venue was surrounded by glass windows). I was like, oh God, how am I going to create the effect I wanted? Then I started to try figuring out how to resolve these problems. How do I reduce the extensive mirror effect that I didn't want? The transparencies? I spent 2 sleepless nights on this. and I finally managed to do it. Thank GOD!

The reflectiveness part was easier. I used black felt to cover the light from the inner circumference to reduce the reflectiveness. Then came the problem of the transparencies. The light from the bottom didn't help much. I needed lighting from the outer circumference, but how? standing lamps? table lamps? I was thinking of the space constraint and the blending in with my exhibit, not to mention the possible safety hazard (if I used standing lamps). I actually borrowed someone's table lamp to try out if it worked and waited till nightfall to test it out. The light musn't be above the height of the showcase or else it wouldn't work. The question also was what kind of light? Thank GOD that I discovered that Ikea had a lamp that looked similar to my showcase which would blend in perfectly. And I rushed down to Ikea the night before the exhibition to purchase the lights.

I tell you, the next day was still a worrying day. Even though I had the lights, I still needed an extra long extension plug & other stuff. My mum told me that the maximum length on market seemed to be 5 metres. So on the day of the exhibition itself, I went in search of the 5m extension plug. I went to Courts first but they only had 3m. After that, I went to NTUC. I asked one of the staff there if they had 5m extension plugs. She said no, they only had 3m & 6m. Even better! 6m! I said I'll take that and can you believe it, it was the last piece hanging there! And also, it was fortunate too as 5m would have been too short (found out after I tried it out at the venue).

On my way walking from Bugis station to the venue, I was still worried. I really prayed to GOD that the lights would really help make my display work. After all, I have not actually used these specific lights to test out the effect. And eventually, all things fell into place & the desired effect was created. Phew!
Here's the write-up used for the display (which pretty much tries to sum up the concept & effect I was trying to create):

"Leisure is about finding and being yourself in your personal space. Places of solitude are represented by objects & scenes that give a solitary feel. The “mirror” reflects that it is about you, also projecting you into the scene. You see too as an insider looking at outsiders (or vice versa), blending in as it blends into you." 
I actually wrote another write-up, a more poetic one, but it was not used eventually...a little abstract lah.

"IN the mirror, you SEE yourself.
Find your space, your mind, your solitude.
Is this your personal space? Vaguely, outsiders pass by, maybe peeping in. But in your space, you peep out, at a distance from the comfort of your world, as one. "

So, what does Self • Spaces • Shut represent? "Self" is about yourself, solitude; "Spaces" is personal spaces; and "Shut" means away from the outside world.

Ok, now comes the comments of the judges. On presenting the prize to me, one of the judges said that they found my work profound, a very well thought-out piece. They could really see the effect of an oasis of personal space and solitude.
I think it was also partly the "mystery" of how I actually built the effect using the materials & what materials that let me win too. Not that all asked, but when I told them, they were like "really?"
Also, not forgetting GOD's help. I believe He helped a lot in giving me inspiration and the whole process of getting the materials. He knew that it was important to me, exploring the arty side of myself. That was why I chose to include a chapel and built it myself, placing it right in the centre of my display.

I guess I was happy not because I won (I didn't know there was a prize at the beginning), but I managed to do it & the satisfaction that I eventually got the effect I wanted. I wouldn't have won if not for the extra lighting coz the effect wouldn't have been created. I'm also happy that people actually liked it and enjoyed the experience.
This was such an enriching experience that I would do it all over again.