The objective of this installation is to increase the level of interaction between people and people as well as with the space around.
It’s interesting to see people engage with your work and how they interpret things compared to what you originally had in mind. For instance, I created the “sea card”, merely as a background image for people to write stuffs on it. However, I discovered that people made use of that image as literally “background”, where they create art on it. There are people who make use of the tiny rectangular box at the bottom to answer our question too.
Apart from that, a strategic location for site-specific installation is really important, for example, placing our work at the side of the table near the aisle could have different effects compared to placing it at the middle or far right. This is because the side near the aisle increases the chance of getting noticed when people walk to the study area.
The main struggle that we faced in this project was during the conceptual stage when we couldn’t get our heads around what this project needs and our proposed ideas were just OFF – not feasible. We kinda tried too hard in finding solutions to improve the library experience that we didn’t put much thoughts on the creative elements. Through this project, I have a better understanding of how an installation work in the public space. There are a lot of things to be taken into consideration; details which we never would have thought of such as the scale of your work and its location, the way you place the items to make them look like a family, materials used etc. Put yourself in the shoes of the user or ask for feedbacks help you discover specific issues and get a clearer view. It ain’t an easy task but it is such a cool experience when it accomplished what you set out to achieve.
All in all, the past few months were good. We get to explore different types of work and think a little deeper. Thank you Prof. Michael for all the guidance!
For now, I can safely say that installation is fun (tiring at the same time) and I will continue to explore! But this time I would like to play with media work.
Improvement to be made:
User experience is crucial – some of the slits are not deep enough for people to place their cards easily.
We decided to work with foam that we found in 3D studio. We sketched the shape that we want – “M” because it provides more space to make the slit.
Working with such a huge foam was never easy. Due to the lack of skills, we literally broke the wire four times. Thanks to the people in the 3D studio for all the help (we were so so sorry!!)
aaaaaand WE MADE IT! Looks pretty alright tho.
Also, we used the leftover foam to make our stamps!
Moving on to papers, which we cut and paste onto 100 pieces of vanguard sheets.
Draft #1: Due to the colourful vanguard sheets, we decided to print our installation title on white papers for users to write messages or create their own artwork.
Draft #2: After sitting on it for awhile, we find it boring to have a white background. Therefore, we proceed to use own photos as background image.
Photos taken in Lorne, Victoria (2016) ^
When you left with too much acrylic paint and you thought to yourself..why not using it on this large foam? This 4D project starting to feel like a combination of 2D, 3D, FD work.
Oh wellz.
5am color test
Off to set this up in the library!
Creating the sign for the installation –
However, it was lacking something. So I tweaked it and added a step-by-step guide at the side.
This photograph attracts me the most due to its cinematic vibe, emphasising on lights and dark cool tones. When I first looked at the print, it expresses a sense of loneliness such that a person can be so invisible even in a large group of people or even while everyone is having fun. This print gives the viewer a hint of the setting which I guess it is a party or concert.
The artist is inspired by the contemporary modes of leisure consumption in China such as bars, clubs and concert halls. Thus, this staged photograph of a dance floor is created using installations and detailed sets. The work description shifts my initial understanding of this print. I was enlightened that a dance floor (subject matter) has so many layers of meaning as depicted in one photo. The artist is trying to convey that it is a place where people can feel connected as well as being isolated. Through this piece of work, the artist explores an individual role in the China society where social change is happening in an unprecedented scale.
The artist’s choice of using still photograph instead of film provides viewer the freedom to imagine the meaning behind, avoided the clear-cut storyline and bringing in a certain level of depth. As this piece of artwork focuses on the issue in another country which there might be people who are not aware of it, the artist’s statement has made his intention clear, hence it helps to stimulate dialog – an opportunity for viewer’s participation.
Name of Artist: Tan Luo Yi
Title of Artwork: My Account of Being Nowhere (Try Again, Again.)
Medium: Fishing Nets, White glue, Found materials
My first impression of this installation is abandonment. The run-down of the area reminds me of those unoccupied houses located away from the city. As we visited the place during the day, the atmosphere was not creepy. However, it might be a totally different experience if we were to visit at different time of the day.
The artist is inspired by her own experience with homelessness and being the “urban nomad”. The artist’s choice of media helps to portray the physical discomfort of a vagrant where there is no settled home and having to stay in a tiny space. The artist conveys the idea of home in her mind with this installation by binding fishing nets using glue – symbolizes everything is temporary and broken.
The work description relates to my initial impression of the work. Most importantly, it brings a new perspective on the homelessness epidemic which we are not familiar with or which we pay little attention to. The work helps to bring awareness to the plight of homeless people and allows us to reflect on the circumstances behind it.
Working with such a huge foam was never easy. Due to the lack of skills, we literally broke the wire four times. Thanks to the people in the 3D studio for all the help (we were so so sorry!!)
