Assignment 2 – Goodbye draft

Since this project was focused on sounds, I wanted to include sounds that I heard when I was still doing ballet as kid. That means the sounds internally in the room when I was dancing and the surroundings trees swaying to the wind and birds chirping outside. They were both very different sounds as previously, Fort Canning Arts Centre was not air-conditioned so there were fans installed and the french doors were open for the wind to enter. I chose these sounds because they were reminiscent of my childhood and it brought a sort of nostalgia when I went back there for my first project. 

I added sounds of the leaves rustling, cicadas, ballet music and a ballet teacher saying the steps and ballet music which I had found online. I wanted to convey the sounds I heard when I was young when I was having ballet lessons so as to bring you back into the past. 

To complement my sounds, I decided to add a film to go along. I was thinking of what to film while doing paper mache for my 3D project. And since I was playing around with crepe paper which itself was fragile and burns easily, I decided to use that as my medium. Moreover, the fragility of the paper reminded me of how the past makes one vulnerable and has a deep impact on our lives. So I made a paper leotard and tutu using crepe paper. I chose a black background to go with it as I felt that the flame would be more contrasting if I used a white background and the soot from the flame would not transfer onto the background. 

As you can see I did experience some difficulties in burning the paper mache as it did not burn up the way I wanted it too. It did not continue burning so I had to make a new one and dipped it in wax.

I wanted the message to contrast whereby even though I am reliving the past, the past is still gone forever. Thus, the burning imagery which I felt apt as it symbolised burning away the past.