Category: Process

Minimalism Museum: Mona Hatoum’s Impenetrable

 

During my visit to Minimalism Museum, one artwork that I found interesting was Mona Hatoum’s “Impenetrable”. Based on the artist description, this work was meant to be an alternative version of another work by Jesus Soto called Penetrable (1967-97).  Her colourful works are inviting for people and they get to interact fully with the installation.

Based on the title itself, we can already assume Mona’s take on her work is a different one – one that’s represented by something more sinister and less “playful”. The medium used appears to be “black-finished steel and fishing wire”, and from afar it does give off the look of a cube floating in the air. The installation may appear inviting from afar, but once you come closer to it, the black wired ‘knots’ look are sharp edges. During my visit there, the visitors didn’t seem too eager to enter the “cube” or play around with the barbed- wires, which is so different from the installations we see by Jesus Soto below. 

Assignment 1: Narratives for interaction

Interactive narratives include both video games and interactive installations. The use of storytelling is shown in this interactive installation here. In this example, it shows how the observer is able to see and and listen to what each person or commuter in this train is thinking of.  As a train commuter myself, it is important to note that the only perception that I am able to fully understand is my own – not others around me or of other commuters when I am in a train. At the same time, by observing others’ on the outside doesn’t give a very accurate representation of how they are going through inside.

I think this installation allows us to be more perceptive, and to pay more attention to the details of what he/she is saying. And there’s also that element of control that participant/observer has over what he/she sees and here and with the use of the that “controller”. It resembles to that of a controller

I thought it was interesting how to creator makes use of the 3 senses – our sight (a moving train with outlines of people) , sense of hearing (headphones) and touch (train controller) in order to make the experience more immersive for the participants.