Project 4 Final – The Unfolding Narrative

For our final work, we decided on a layout like this with the 3D model done in Autodesk Maya. Our installation is titled “The Unfolding Narrative“.

 

 

 

More renders of the 3D model:

The stories that would be played through the headphones initially before anyone records their thoughts in the booth:

1 – Working adult – Mild bipolar disorder
2- Old Uncle – Anhedonia (Major Depressive disorder)
3- Working Adult – Manic depression (Suicidal)
4- Working Adult – Relocation depression (change of nature in job)
5- Working Adult – Parenting through depression
6- Working Adult – Depression caused by chronic Illnesses/change of environment
7- Fresh Graduate – Financial depression

Our purpose:

  1. To encourage open conversations on our mental health
  2. Choose to use the toilet -> where private thoughts are most apparent, bringing them to a public space

Front view:

  1. A row of 9 toilet bowls placed at the ADM entrance
  2. A headset will be attached to each toilet bowl where participants can pick up and listen to the recorded stories
  3. Each toilet bowl will have a different encounter recorded

Back view:

  1. Participant can move to the back and contribute their own personal stories
  2. We want to create a safe and comfortable place -> drawing/ writing/ highly encouraged to share their stories verbally

Explaining the layout:

  1. According to statistics, 1 in 10 Singaporeans suffer from mental health issues
  2. So we made 9 toilet bowls -> equivalent to 9 listeners lending their listening ear to the one person in the booth.
  3. Straight line of toilet bowls

Stories shared:

  1. Most common problems -> depression, alcohol abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder,
  2. Other problems -> Schizophrenia and Dementia

Community involvement:

  1. We want to have an interactive/community sharing component included in our project
  2. Reason why we encompass different ways of expression -> to have a greater sense of inclusion towards the process of story sharing

 

What we considered?

  • Live streaming of personal stories -> why not? -> might create a sense of fear, a sense of formality in the process of sharing -> therefore, we chose not to do it

 

 

Project 4 – Research and Development

Our group decided to focus on mental health in Singapore.

Based on some research that I did, I found out that:

  • 1 in 10 people in Singapore suffer from a mental disorder (Singapore Mental Health Study 2010)
  • 5.8% of the adult population in Singapore has suffered from depression at some point in their lives
  • The top 3 most common disorders in Singapore are:

 

  1. Depression: loses interest in daily life, has feelings of hopelessness and thoughts of suicide
  2.  

    Alcohol Abuse: has to drink more and more alcohol to feel its effects as tolerance for the substance increases, experiences sweating and other withdrawal symptoms when not drinking

 

 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive: has persistent and irrational thoughts, impulses or images that cause anxiety or distress like an overwhelming fear of germs and dirt Compulsive: repeats actions like checking and rechecking locks several times over

  • Based on a study, The Mind Matters: A Study of Mental Health Literacy, they found out that there was also considerable personal stigma towards mental illness. Of which majority shared several common perceptions – that those with mental health issues could get better “if they wanted to”, the problem is a “sign of personal weakness” and people with such disorders are “unpredictable”.
  • The study also showed a lack of recognition for disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and schizophrenia.

Thus we decided to create an installation, titled “The Unfolding Narrative” because we want people to share their stories. And we don’t want a title that’s very loud and directly associated to mental health. We want to ingnite interest and curiosity first.

I came up with 2 drafts before modifying them to create the last sketch.

Draft 1:

Draft 2:

 

Project 3 Research

I came across this stop motion video which made use of Legos to be part of their stop motion. This inspired me to use Legos as part of my 90 sequential images as it allows me to showcase a transition and mix of the real world and a dreamlike world with Legos.

I researched on dream meanings and thus decided to create these 3 main parts of my sequential images. Each has a certain meaning to them :

  1. Me walking down a corridor – Going through a period of transition in real life (The transition of me entering university after finishing my studies at a Polytechnic)
  2. Becoming a Lego and walking past various Lego animals – When one dreams of animals, it signifies a hidden part of themselves.
  3. The Lego character holding the string and moving upwards – Represents moving forward to achieve goals

Interactive Artworks

I feel that Interactive artworks are able to communicate and include the audiences more as it allows visitors to be part of the installation. This allows the visitors to be more involved in the artwork and thus having a lasting memory of the installation.

Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain by Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth

Its made out of metal of which it resembles a theme-park thrill ride, with its soaring height and extreme loops. From afar, it looks like a roller coaster but when you get closer to view it, it is actually interactive and walk-able, allowing visitors to fully engage with it. Being 45 m tall, it allows visitors to have a great view of the surrounding landscapes. It has curved flights of stairs and led lit handrails that illuminated the artwork at night and allows visitors to visit at night.

 

21 Balançoires by Design team Daily Tous Les Jours (Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat)

It is made up of swings that light up and played tunes when the visitors swing on the swings. Each swing played a different pre-recorded sound, some being piano notes and sounds from a xylophone. Whenever more swings are played at the same time, the greater the song will be.  The installation’s location is at Montreal, Quebec in the Quartier des Spectacles.

Exhibition Visit

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transfigurations by Agatha Haines

I assume that the materials used is clay or plastic from the looks of the artwork. The artwork consists of sculptures representing 5 babies, each with a surgically implemented body modification. Each of the modification is designed to solve a potential future problem for the baby, ranging from medical or environmental issues to social mobility issues. For example, Thermal Epidermiplasty, Podiaectomy, Bibuccalplasty, Epidermal Myostomy, Extension Osteogenisis.

Preliminary Read:

My initial impression of the work was the amount of curiosity that it sparked in me. Social issues were the things that motivated the artist due to the fact that all the modifications were done with the intent to solve future problems. By having lifelike sculptures, it invokes a greater sense of realism thus causing people to start thinking about the possibilities of the future

Secondary Read:

It relates to my initial impression as the message has been conveyed clearly through the use of the sculptures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Euthanasia Coaster by Julijonas Urbonas (2010)

I assume the work is made out of metal at first glance. This artwork is hypothetical euthanasia machine in the form of a roller coaster, which is engineered to humanly with elegance and euphoria to take the life of a human being.

Preliminary Read:

My initial impression was awe due to the fact that the roller coaster looked tall but I also questioned why the artist would create such a model that technically feasible but possibly something that not everyone will use. I thought that it was motivated by technology as it looks like an advanced looking roller coaster.

Secondary Read:

The text allowed me to understand that this work draws on research in aerospace medicine, mechanical engineering, materials technology and gravity to discuss about the end of life and the ethics of euthanasia. I would suggest placing images related to euthanasia to show people at first glace that its a euthanasia roller coaster.

Project 2: My Kayaking Journey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sound Art Interesting Finds

SSS / Shore Scene Soundtrack by Cevdet Erek.

URL:  https://vimeo.com/2867660

SSS, the Shore Scene Soundtrack is about mimicking the sea, or imitating a very common piece of nature, by using 2 hands and a piece of carpet. The installation includes a recording mic and carpet, of which it is an interactive, ongoing project where viewers are invited to recreate the sound of the ocean by rubbing their hands on a piece of carpet.

I find this sound art installation to be simple but yet at the same time effective. Although the installation only consists of a carpet, it is able to produce the sounds similar to the sound of the sea. At the same time, it is interactive thus it gives the viewers a greater level of appreciation as they are able to be part of the creation process thus I feel that the viewers will connect to this work much better.

 

Game of Skill 2.0 by Christine Sun Kim

URL:  https://vimeo.com/142659892

Christine Sun Kim was deaf since birth but often explores her unique subjective experiences with sound in her work.

Game of Skill 2.0 is an interactive piece where viewers were invited to touch a staff-like device attached to a Velcro strip hung above their heads. As they walked, dragging the device along the strip, a radio played sound at levels and speeds depending on the direction and speed of the participant.

This sound art installation really interests and intrigues me as, since the artist is deaf since birth, this would have meant that she has never heard actual sound but she still uses sound as part of her art installation. The audio from the radio would change depending on the participant thus each experience would vary. The participants would understand the meaning and idea of the artwork more easily as they are able to experience the installation first hand.

Seminar Questions

What is Sound?

Each sound as is created propagates amongst the hard Newtonian billiard of matter, adding to the eternal din from which the cosmic maker, at the end of his creation can discern every act, word and deed. Things that make or have sound of some sort and that every activity in the world has an aural component.

 

How has it been used in culture and society?

It has been used in “Sound Art” exhibits as an art form for example, music, kinetic sculpture, instruments activated by wind or played by the public, conceptual art, sound effects, recorded readings of prose or poetry, visual artworks which also make sound, music automatons, film, video, technological demonstrations, acoustic re-enactments, interactive computer programs which produce sound. The invention of the sonograph that observed multiplying sounds and the discovery of three sounds when a recorded sound was played back. In various music cultures, a variety of sounds and figurations assumed the role of creating the presence of silence.

 

What makes an art?

Art in sound art is not in the sense of crafts but fine art and art forms like “steel art” which was composed of steel sculpture combined with steel guitar music along with anything else with steel in it. In art, the medium is not often the message. Art is also a form of aesthetic experience.

 

How does advancement in audio technology affect our sense?

It made our senses more sensitive. For example, surface noise in the sound cinema acted as a backdrop for continued attention and suspended disbelief. Of which the delicate buzz during a film recorded silence whose purpose it is subliminally to confirm the presence of a reproduction underway, thereby establishing the minimum existence of some type of presence. It also intertwines within and among our perception of sound, memory and communication.

Project 2: Text and Image Final Artwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The food item that I have received from the exchange was Ritz Cheese Crackers. Before I started on this project, I first thought about the words that could be associated to the Ritz Cheese Crackers. The words that I managed to link to this product was Cheesy, Crispy, Tasty, Fun, Happy, Round. I decided to make the advertisement fun and funny, but at the same time I chose to focus on advertising the product as Tasty so as to make the advertisement more effective in drawing people’s attention. I also decided to choose a cartoon like style for my advertisement so as to gain people’s attention towards the product. The moonlight behind the zombies/skeletons and the brighter colors of the Ritz Cracker running away help draw the audiences focus toward the image. I created this image of 3 zombies rising from their graves to chase the Ritz Cracker to signify that the cracker is so tasty that people will graves just to have the Ritz cracker. The caption that I had placed was “So good that you can’t get enough”. The text helps reinforce the the intended meaning of the image.

The process that I took was:

  1. Brainstorming the key words associated to the Ritz Cheese Cracker
  2. Think about how i want to structure the shot
  3. Start on creating the shot and to always ensure that my intended message can be derived from the image on the advertisement

The challenges that I faced was thinking about which way I should choose to showcase the product on the advertisement as previously, I had other ideas like the use of the cracker as the wheels of the bicycle. However, I did enjoy the process of creating the advertisement and the time taken to think about the concept.