For this project, I had chosen a film canister (with unprocessed film) and a guitar pick for my objects to be abstracted from.
After a deep state of contemplation, I realised that I could extract the notions of sentimentality, nostalgia and memories from the objects. In a way, I had realised that these emotions were in fact, not possible to be realised without a concrete object.
The derivation of the emotions co-exist with the objects that are apparently imbued with it. The film canister is, in its essence an empty lump of metal with rolled up gelatin based paper. And then its apparent value exists on how we can relate to it. We give an object a particular meaning.
Hence, how could I abstract the concept of the in-between? How can we dissect the act of giving meaning and separate it’s coexistence with the object? In a way, is it possible to to fully realise the notion of sentimentality and nostalgia in its own right? And if so, can we preserve the moment?
Vacuum-packed, hand-dyed flowers. From a budling to full bloom.
As I had approached this project in a philosophical manner, the presentation of the flowers themselves are arranged in a way to represent the movement of life. From a young budling to the full bloom, a flower in this way would best encapsulate the notions of transience. Furthermore, flowers are well known to provide itself with a more romatnci value of emotions, more commonly derived to be objects of romance, love, sentiment and memories.
We become aware that of how we attach certain notions towards a particular object and in my case, sentimentally and memories. As the flower would eventually wither, would your emotions and memories fade too? Or are emotions something truthfully internal? And if so, does this deride the object of its emotional value? Can emotions and memories expire too?
The use of the flower in a zip loc symbolises the act of self-preservation; a kind of failed desire to sustain the sentimentality and memories through the act of preserving a decaying flower. The notion of never letting go comes to mind as we realise the flower in the zip loc eventually begins to decay but our sentiments still remain.
Memories may fade and expire over time but this act of self-preservation thrusts how we, as human beings, objectively curate our surroundings to fit our emotions. And in my case, not wanting to have my memories fade – as the decaying flower that is ‘contained’ becomes a beacon of hope to sustain those feelings.