The Oceanic and The Current Convening #3 were recently held at the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art, concentrating on research projects and observations within issues surrounding the Polynesian Islands and the Pacific. As The Current Convening was presented in a panel discussion format, I will place emphasis on The Oceanic and what I experienced when I was there.

Strategy #1: Space

The greatest strategy that created an excellent ambience for viewing the large collection of research and artefacts in The Oceanic was the space in which it was held in. The walls were clean white peppered with various colour accents as a result of the different projections and screens, the ceiling was high and it created a sense of serenity, almost allowing me to take my time at each portion of the exhibit and not rush through it. Perhaps I could employ this for my own extended image installation and not clutter the space with too many objects / imagery that would create a tensed atmosphere.

Strategy #2: Lighting

The next strategy building on the first would be the clever play of lighting. When given a large space, The Oceanic was successful in creating focal points using a smart play of lighting. Light was also able to set the mood, enabling me to feel differently at the various segments of the exhibition.

As seen in the image above, light played a key role in directing viewers on where to look and thus created impact in the exhibition space. As someone who loves playing with lighting in my photography, I look forward to lighting my own personal installation space creatively so as to communicate the full depth of my concept.

Strategy #3: Sound

Upon walking into the exhibition area, I immediately heard faint pockets of different sounds echoing all over the space. This added on to the overall ambience yet each individual sound didn’t seem to overpower each other. There was instead  a sense of balance and harmony. For exhibits that contained more explantations than others, individual televisions and headphones were provided which also sparked ideas on how I could use this way to create a direct and somewhat personal connection with an audience in my space. On a whole, sound was used effectively in communication and should be something I think about when I create my own work.