Why did you choose this space or object to photograph?

This series of 3 pictures are meant to depict feelings as a city dweller. On my way to ADM, I will pass by this area of NTU that features an impressive collection of trees that makes it seem as if one was walking through a great forest. Then as we enter ADM premises, we are confronted with cold, hard concrete and metal. It seems as if technological progress has ushered us metaphorically into the ‘stone age’, as opposed to a reality where humans blend technology seamlessly into the complexities of the natural world.

 

What are some of the characteristics of this alternative virtual space you had created collectively?

Even though we students hang out in groups, the day-to-day ADM experience is still a deeply personal one. We see and respond to our environment according to our personalities and perceptions. This alternative virtual space has indirectly distilled our individual experiences into a collective consciousness of sorts. Even though the images are disparate in content, seen as a whole, it somewhat delivers the quintessence of an ADM student’s daily life. The medium of instagram also makes participants less conscious and more willing to share highly personal insights, making the virtual space more successful than the real world in terms of facilitating openness amongst participants.

 

Under what circumstance will this alternative virtual space change?

There are several ways in which this space could change. A physical, literal change in the environment is the most straightforward example. Objects could wear and tear, be replaced, added or modified. A change in the participants’ worldview could also change the imagery they choose to capture to fit new perceptions. A different set of participants will surely influence the ‘collective consciousness’ depicted as well.

 

How does this project relate to what we discussed in the lecture regarding co-creation, the concept of Do-It-Youself (DIY), Do-It-With-Others (DIWO)?

This project shows how DIWO shapes the end result at a very fundamental level. DIWO promotes spontaneity and endless variation due to the chaotic nature of different combinations of participants, coupled with their state of mind at that moment in time. There is also the element of a cascading effect, where what one participant does indirectly affects another’s actions, further increasing possible permutations. The beauty of such an approach is that participants enjoy a tremendously rich, highly personalised and one-of-a-kind collective experience. A project that utilises DIWO will invariably never achieve the same result twice.