Project Management: Week 2 assignment

Question: Write a 1 page report about the documentary film, ADM installation and the related lecture/event.  What artworks and concepts presented did you find engaging?  How did this artist (and scientist) develop their work over their career?

Before his work showcased at ADM itself, the name Michelangelo Pistoletto was unfamiliar to me. In fact when upon seeing the three circular shapes on our beloved rooftop, I was dismayed at the marred pastures which is iconic to the ADM building itself. I questioned the purpose of this symbol.

Image result for the third paradise art design media

Image of The Third Paradise at ADM’s rooftop from ocula.com

It was only during our class activity did the meaning of this artwork hit me. During the documentary film, Michelangelo Pistoletto explained that the third paradise represents a fusion between the first paradise, in which humans are fully integrated into nature. The second paradise represents an artificial realm developed by humans through science and technology. Lastly, the third paradise is a balance between these two elements. On top of this, the work is akin to the shape of an infinity sign. Making the balance and understanding between the two realms to be in a continuous process.

“The Third Paradise project consists of leading the artifice, that is science, technology, art, culture and politics, to give life back to Earth. The third Paradise means the passage to a new level of planetary civilisation, which is indispensable to ensure the survival of humankind”

  • Michelangelo Pistoletto

Personally, the meaning of the artwork was elevated even more when the work is placed on grass or soil. Because now, the work is living and growing organism.

The panel dialogue between Michelangelo Pistoletto whose an artist, and Ben Feringa whose a synthetic organic chemist, discusses the influence of art and science. It is eye opening because both agreed that despite their craft being seen as completely opposing entities in our society today, it actually has some  similarities. A thought which was foreign to me.

“The greatest scientists are artists as well,”

  • Albert Einstein.

For example, both science and art requires innovation. Meaning that one needs to ideate in order to discover, also it seems like the sky is the limit for both platforms. Also artists, like scientists, often experiment with different approaches toward achieving their goal. A term that came up during the panel discussion was serendipity, which refers to the occurrence and developments of events by chance in a happy/beneficial way.

A question from the floor brought up a conversation which concluded that both crafts needs passion and also appreciation.

This is probably why artists like Leonardo da Vinci were mathematicians or architects despite being great artists themselves.

Lastly, viewing the documentary is actually quite an intriguing experience as we are able to learn more about Michelangelo Pistoletto beginnings and reasonings for being an artist. It is inspiring to see how he developed along the years, and his pieces with mirrors, for example  The Present,  is interesting to me.

One of the reason is because of the way he experimented with several techniques in order to achieve the final look.

It seems like Michelangelo Pistoletto is not an artist who is only concerned about his craft but instead, more his beliefs  and the messages his works have.

“At the crossroads between abstraction and representation, where I think every young painter today has passed or remained, I chose the representation of humans, because I feel it best suited to realizing my need to express particular feelings and situations of the human condition, what for me is the most vital and burning issue of all time.”

  • Michelangelo Pistoletto

And this is the kind of artist I aspire to be.

Interactive Spaces – Moving/static image

Moving/Static image: Snowpiercer

In the future, climate-change has caused temperatures to dip to inhabitable levels. Killing all life except for the lucky few who boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe for 365 days. In there, a class system emerges to maintain the system, eventually causing a rebellion from the people within the lower class.

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Image result for snowpiercer

Upon entering into the first few scenes of Snowpeircer, one would be able to take in the tone of the movie just by the visuals of the set. Vast expanses of white snow covers the earth, and a cold steely train zooms past it, empty cities were covered in ice and snow. One is able to tell that it the land outside the train is unforgivable.

This film is very interesting as one would be able to see the difference of caste based from the set that is build, which can be mostly inferred from the colours and costume design of each set.

The first quarter of the movie also takes place in the end of the train where the lower caste are situated. The set there looks akin to a slum, with people packed together like sardines and most of them looking grimy and dirty. The costumes here are drabs which have very minimal colours.

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The lower caste

This is a vast difference to the upper classmen, as seen below:

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Lower caste people in the upper class area

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Lower caste group going to eat sushi, again the difference of colour (red of the sushi chef vs the dull drabs)

One could tell the difference just by the colours alone, which is a stark contrast from each other. This shows us how to the colours can be used to influence one’s perception.

The architecture of each set also sets the tone of the increase of class as they move forward to the train. It gets more developed and high tech after every section. For example, one is able to see meat/vegetable production and education happening, things which were non existent in the section they were living in previously.

Hence this movie is interesting as the architecture and design of each set aids the visual perception of the viewer. Moreover, the plot of the movie was something I really enjoyed as well!

Project Management: Week 1 assignment

Biography

Viena is an undergraduate from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in the Art, Design, and Media program. Her interest of immersive spaces leads her to explore different mediums and mechanics for new ways to reach out to her audiences. Viena believes that this platform has the capacity to convey thoughts and influences to individuals in a multi dimensional way. On the side, she also enjoys illustrating and storytelling through videography.

Work

Light|Dark is an interactive light installation consisting of 46 blue lasers suspended in a pitch dark room. The floor is coated in luminous paint which absorbs light emitted by the lasers, allowing viewers to use the lasers to draw patterns on the floor or to simply walk through the installation. The momentum and rhythmic motion caused by moving the lasers creates stunning galaxy-esque patterns on the floor. View more here

 

Despite being aware of the destructive effects of the high consumption of our sometimes unnecessary waste that is rapidly diminishing the natural environment, we are often de-sensitized to the magnitude of the issue.  The installation integrates data visualisation and interactivity in an attempt to portray these long lasting effects of our “throwaway society”. As the structure captures the beautiful world that we perceive to be living in, viewers are then caught unaware of the sudden hit of reality that is portrayed from the interaction. View more here

 

With social media being so integrated into our lives, the things that we voice on the online space sometimes does not seem to have a consequence in real life. Hence, this interactive T-shirt which is connected the users Twitter feed forces the wearer to be much more conscious of what they are posting online. The public can also interact with the shirt by liking or reacting to the tweets, heightening the wearers’ awareness of their posts. View more here

View even more of my works on my Behance account, right here!

Resume

Inspiration:

I really enjoy light and sound installations in general, and besides one of my favourite studios which is Nonotak,  I really enjoy the works Satoko Moroi, who is a communication designer hailing from Japan.

What is enjoyable about her works is how it taps into each of our inner child, where the installations are so colourful and simple.

Here are other light and sound installations that I like too: