What We Sea In You?

(Group: Rochele and Ling Ern)

 

This is how our installation looks like from afar.

Close up view of our installation. When we checked out installation, surprisingly, there are people who used the installation as we only left 2 or 3 cards as a sample on the foam. This is a good sign! 🙂

Met people using our installation when I went to check our progress!

 

Class Presentation Time:

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections:

Initially after choosing the brown table, we wanted the users to attach the cards on the glass panel. However, this method also has the same cons as the strings and panels idea I mentioned in my progress post. Hence, we decided to go along with the foam idea.

I felt that I learnt quite a fair bit from this project and that an installation really needs good planning. There were many factors to consider, for instance: the feasibility, the accessibility, the scale, is it user friendly, how to make it more appealing, what attracts/ makes people compelled to use it, will it cause inconvenience to library goers, will they appreciate the installation or does it help them in any way, the amount of space needed, point of view from the librarians etc. This is my first installation and it was definitely a good experience for me. I do look forward to do more installations in the future. I also want thank Michael for his constructive comments and encouragement!

 

Here’s to the end of year 1! 😀

 

What We Sea In You? Installation Process

(Group: Rochele and Ling Ern)

 

After our first consultation with Michael, we realised that there were quite a few technical difficulties with our decided proposal “I Chope Like That!”

Firstly, it was difficult to ensure that the mechanism of the Chope Card box will work properly. The original idea was to place the chop cards within the box with a pop open lid mechanism using a stopwatch. When the user activates the stop watch, he or she will be able to retrieve the cards from within the box. However, it was not easy to develop the mechanism. Also, there is a maximum cap on the number of laps a stop watch can take, meaning this will be a limitation on the number of users per box. In this case, for it to work, ideally, each seat should have a box in front of them. However, this will be rather cost heavy and hence not an ideal installation. Due to time management and lack of sufficient knowledge to solve the technical difficulties, we came up with another idea.

 

Final Proposal:

“What we sea in you?” 

Inspired from the cloud installation from my research installation list for this library project, we decided to do something that promotes an exchange of art. Besides, from our survey in the library earlier on for this project, we realised that quite a number of people find that the library is too quiet for comfort and that it becomes somehow uninviting since the people around are all strangers but they do feel awkward if they make the first move to communicate. This leads to the fact that the interaction between the library goers are really quite low. Through this installation, we hope to create a livelier environment whereby library goers are about to immerse themselves in the installation which simulates nature, in this case, the sea, as well as have an indirect interaction with the people around them.  This interaction in enabled via an exchange of art movement (one to one exchange) as mentioned earlier where library goers can take a piece of someone else’s art card off the board with every piece of art card they create and place on the board.

Initially, we wanted to create a vertical hanging area on the panels (somewhat like a laundry line) at this area:

We were thinking of coiling some thicker twine around the panels and provide some mini pegs for them to hang their  cards on the strings. We also felt like attaching some fairy lights on the strings (since there is a socket nearby) to enhance the visibility of our installation.

However after much thought, we realised that putting up this way is a little cliche. People may feel an aversion towards this method as their artwork will be openly displayed in public. For those who are not confident of their artwork, they probably will not contribute or participate since it involves “baring” their work so openly. Hence we changed our location and chose the brown table instead.

Getting inspired by this

we decided to make a similar platform for the library goers to slot their cards into the silts made. This led on to the production process of our installation.

 

MAKING IN PROGRESS:

(I did more of the physical production while Rochele did more on the digital production)

1) Marking out the shape of the form we wanted. In this case, we feel that the shape M gives us a more even and spreaded area for the silts.

2) Me cutting the foam!

3) Notice the awkwardly vertical chunk of foam at the side with the grey duct tape? We were facing technical difficulties through our cutting process as the upper metal bar was not fully secured and it was slightly tilted downwards, resulting in our foam cutting into odd shapes. Hence, we used another piece of foam to push the bar upwards to make life easier for us.

4) It was not easy to maneuver around the thin wire cutter with this big block of foam and we kind of lost count how many times the wire broke and failed us. Perhaps the foam was too thick?

5) I then carried on to cut the foam stamps into interesting shapes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6) We collated a small pile of usable foam stamps I cut.

7) We tried making the slits from the foam cutter and realised that it was not very easy to do so. Perhaps, a penknife will be more suitable for the job instead.

8) I created a mock up with silts to see if it works.

 

9) With our foams cut, we then proceeded to do up the cards. We cut out the still image and pasted them on each of the coloured blank cards. (x 100 cards)

10) Subsequently, I wanted to make a foam box with a cavity in the middle to contain the markers for the installation.  I intentionally cut the waves like edges to simulate the waves at the beach. However, the cavity was not properly done and we both figured that getting a box for the stamps and markers will be neater this way.

 

 

PROCEED ON  TO LOOK AT THE FINAL INSTALLATION: https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/liml0074/4dii-library-installation-final-what-we-sea-in-you/

 Installation Research: mostly situated in libraries

 1)  Open Land Art & Fact Team: Interactive Installation at DePaul | 2017

(https://environmentalcritique.wordpress.com/2017/03/10/open-land-art-fact-team-interactive-installation-at-depaul/)

This is meant to be an interactive experience where participants are invited to read, inspect, and comment on the items in the shelves. The table has instructions with stickers and comment cards that participants can affix to the back of photographs in the bin and leave with the objects. Artifacts in [sealed] bags are assorted natural objects such as leaves or twigs and assorted refuse such as plastic packaging, [that] have been found in forest or prairie preserves. There are also white sheet printed documents with demographic and ecological information on the locations.

By interacting with this installation/social experiment, faculty and students will contribute to “meaningful public conversation about the relationship between humans and the spaces we occupy”.

 

2) Interactive Art Installation Encourages Writing In Library Books | 2012

 

                                     

 

German artist Christian Moeller creates a giant cloud made of 12,000 blank notebooks waiting to be filled. Clouds is a 22 ft. high x 28 ft. wide silver bookshelf that houses 11,840 notebooks, all of which are blank. Students and faculty at the college can borrow the books for their personal use, just like any regular library book. However, unlike a regular library book, the user is encouraged to fill them with whatever they want. Users can draw, write, scrapbook, or in some other way contribute to the content of the book while they have it checked-out. They can then return the book to be restocked, allowing others to take it home and continue adding to it. In this way, Clouds can create an archive of the community over generations.

 

3) Interactive installation at Central Library | 2014

(http://soisdetraca.com/interactive/interactive-installation-at-central-library/)

People came to express their own thoughts, responding to the question “What do you want to say?” and will be reflected on the screen above. This is much similar to the futuristic SG exhibition we had in Singapore some years ago.

 

 

4) Bookbed by Ruth Beale | 2014

(http://ruthbeale.net/exhibition/book-bed/)

An installation of three giant books, Bookbed proposes the book and library as symbols the collective imagination. Complete with mattress and duvet cover pages, the bed features an index of story titles written by young people at Peckham Library.

A book-shelf holds an Autodidact Library, and a writing table hosts the tools for simple book-making as well as space to write responses to a weekly writing challenge.

The whole exhibition was free to book for reading and writing groups, classes and workshops. Programmed events explored learning, imagination and the book-as-symbol alongside current thinking in culture, education and public space.

Set design & build: Lorna Ritchie & David Fryer

 

 

5) Untitled (Selections from Truisms, Inflammatory Essays, The Living Series, The Survival Series, Under a Rock, Laments and Child Text) by Jenny Holzer | 1989

(https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/22064)

In Holzer’s 1989 retrospective installation at the Guggenheim Museum, blinking messages from her various series, programmed to an insistent but silent beat, raced the length of an L.E.D. display board installed along the winding inner wall of Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiral ramp. The museum’s rotunda was transformed into a dazzling electronic arcade. In bringing her art from the street to the museum, Holzer focused on an audience that differed markedly from the unsuspecting passerby. The Guggenheim visitors who stood beneath the revolving ribbons of red, green, and yellow texts were more likely to be aware that this installation brought up such issues as the viability of public art, the commodification and consumption of art, and the conflation of the personal and the political—in short, some of the pressing issues of American art in the 1980s.

 

Personally, I feel that the cloud installation appeals more to me as there is a physical exchange of art and ideas involved. Perhaps I will look more into this aspect for my library installation project.

 

Group: Ling Ern,  Rochelle

Research Process:

  • Architectural Layout: 

 

  • What (furniture/fixture) exist in the space:

sofas / counters / student tables / book shelves / bean bags / computer tables / printers

 

  • What surrounds the place:

books / smell of books / quietness / library goers / occasional tourists / pretty view

 

  • Who goes there:

Mostly ADM students or NTU students (during exam period) – spotted quite a few SPMS/NMS/MARITIME students / Researchers / Lecturers / People working in the library

 

  • How do they behave:

According to areas:

@ Computer/ PC clusters: Listening to recorded lectures / doing their notes / research

@ Study Benches: Discussions of group projects / self study / listening to music

@ Printing Kiosk: Sending docs to print /  queueing up

@ Book Shelves: Looking for books / sitting amongst the rows with a pile of books beside.

@ Sofa: Sitting with laptops on their laps and doing their own stuff

@ Bean bags behind the cluster of book shelves: Lie there and nap / use their mobiles

 

  • What is the level of interaction between the people and place:

LOW: Doing their own stuff / not moving much / using facilities with minimum interaction and  sleep (misuse facilities)

MED: Printing / looking for books

HIGH: Borrowing books / sitting between shelves to read

 

  • What is the level of interaction between the people and people:

LOW: Self study / alone / sleep

MED: Contact with library stuff / have a friend beside them to study (silent companion)

HIGH: Engage in project discussion

 

  • What are people’s perception of the library as a place (interview):

I came up with a few simple questions to interview library go-ers.

  1. What is your general perception of the library?
  2. What do you think the library lacks?
  3. What can be added to make it better?

 

PERSON #1 (ADM-er):

  • Favorite Place in ADM to study and sleep
  • Not lacking in anything
  • ADM library considered one of the nicer libraries, so nothing much to add

 

PERSON #2 (NBS):

  • Nice place to sleep and study
  • I want water cooler in the library with hot water!
  • No chope-ing of seats except going to the toilet

 

PERSON #3 (ADM-er):

  • The library is a scary place (unknown reasons)
  • Arrangement of books are confusing, labels are way too similar
  • Can play some light music

 

PERSON #4 (ADM-er):

  • It is well stocked with art books in a wide range of topics, rather impressive
  • Any other genre of books – I would like to know if I can get other topics or I have to visit another library in order to get them (a little inconvenient)
  • In my previous school, sometimes classes or activities are conducted in the library. Perhaps, we can do the same here?

 

PERSON #5 (EEE):

  • The library is way too quiet
  • Wish that there is a corner where there is soothing music
  • A rest area with soundproof wall with snacks for group discussions/ conversations over coffee
  • Library **especially ADM library** should display different kind of artworks >> more visually appealing
  • Suggest library to have a network system that connects other libraries in school (not sure what is the real reason)
  • Automatic device that brings the book(s) student needs instead of searching themselves
  • Please open 24 hours!

 

PERSON #6 (CSE):

  • Great ambience allows students to focus
  • Aircon a tad too cold
  • Need waterpoint in the library

 

Possible Proposals:

 Proposed Proposal: #1 (My Idea)  

Proposed Location: Study Tables After Shelves Area 

Title of Installation: I Chope Like That!

Project Synopsis: We realised that a lot of people often leave their stuff on the table to reserve the seat at the study table. By observation, there are times where the person has not come back/ reappear for more than 45 minutes to an hour, causing others to be deprived of the seat to study. To maximise the usage of the study area, “I Chope Like That!” helps one another to be more aware and mindful of their behaviour.  

Description of installation: A deck of cards will be produced and placed at each study table, enclosed with a stopwatch at the front. The user has to press and activate the stopwatch before being able to open the box to retrieve the cards.  Each card contain words like “ I am off to the toilet! Will be back in 5 minutes!” / “Please wait, I will be back in 10 minutes” / “I am printing my stuff, be back in 5 minutes” / “20 minutes break time!” etc. The maximum chope-ing time for a person will be capped at 20 minutes. Once the 20 minutes is up, the stopwatch will beep and the librarian on duty has the rights to remove any belongings on the table. When the person A returns to the seat and realised that their stuff is gone, he or she will have to go to the counter to retrieve their stuff.

 

Proposed Proposal: #2 “Lost Age” (Rochelle’s Idea)

Project Synopsis: Technology has greatly improved people’s reading experience these days, and it is proven that there has been a diminishing use of the library. Libraries these days are considered merely a “warehouse” for the prints with unused content. There wasn’t any people browsing the books whenever we drop by the library. The books are arranged almost too neatly as if they are never pull off the shelves. One possible reason may be when there are too many books and people don’t know where to begin with. “The Paradox of Choice”, where excessive choice can produce choice paralysis. When there is a large display, people are less likely to make a choice as they feel overwhelmed. Hence, a small number of books on display allows viewers to do a quick browsing and thus enhance the perceived value of the books. Also, there is a sense of discovery when people come across books they never knew they wanted to read.

Description of Installation: Set up shelves on the wall/ can be on table and place a number of unborrowed books (prolly 300??); may wrap up the books OR arrange them according to colors/alphabetize them

Other possible ideas:

  • Using projector
  • “Silent Disco” – sharing headsets
  • Paste stickers on the floor > recommend people to specific sections e.g. When in doubt check out ….
  • People’s Library > Allow people to bring in their books for sharing

 

Proposed Proposal: #3  (My idea after consultation) 

Project Synopsis: Goes back to the problem of hogging. I think that I may want to minimise the number of people hogging the beanbags due to them napping/ sleeping on them.

Description of Installation:   Misters will be attached near the beanbags. If there is inactivity detected (no movements) for more than half an hour, it will be activated and  mist will be sprayed onto the person’s face.

My original idea was to attach small electrical impulse onto the bean bags. However, it felt like a cruel experiment instead and would seem like discouraging library goers, hence changing it to mist.

 

Proposed Proposal: #4 (Both)

 Project Synopsis:  The labels in the library which are followed by digits and minimal lettering does not seem to be user friendly. It may seem confusing to those who are looking to browse through a particular section such as western art history and will have a hard time finding it since labels does not state where is the “western art history” located at.

Description of Installation: Labels will be printed out and pasted on the respective relevant shelves to ease navigation.

After consultation, we have decided to proceed with #1. However, there may be potential technical problems and we are in the midst of refining it.

Examples: Lever system > vending machine (must it be box?? Or just deck of cards) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNk4k44tyZ0

 

 

SPACES we noticed when we surveyed the library:

  1. Projector Idea

2) Possible installation area: (empty space)

3) Study desk area:

4) Possible installation space / empty area:

5) Area near the bean bags at the back:

6) Cushioned area near the study desk: