Ma Scenography Norwegian Theater Academy Høgskolen i Østfold
Exhibition: Grossraum, Politics of Space The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology Alejandra Mendez December 2016
Master’s Project: Documentation and Reflection
Sketch of the first meeting at NTM, February 2nd 2015
About the Project. The making of a research based exhibition about Organisation Todt and the use of forced labor in Norway 1940-45 at the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology was presented and given to me as an option for the Master project. The project is to be conveyed to the general public by way of a large exhibition to open in January 2017. Senior researcher Ketil Andersen is currently working on a monography on Organization Todt in Norway and is at the same time curating the exhibition. The research project called Politics of Space and the Grossraum exhibition is going to be developed during workshops and laboratories led by Senior researcher Ketil Andersen, researcher Ingebjørg Eidhammer and Geir Christiansen as the head of the construction team. My role as a scenographer in the project is to develop the exhibition space and find new ways of displaying objects and explore the capacities of the historical material to tell stories in a physical, spatial way. When I started to work with the project, Ketil Andersen had in mind a way of presenting the narrative. He referred to story lines, texts, documents, objects, things and pictures as research material. It was important for the research to be divided in 5 spaces: Entrance space, Propaganda Room, Deportation Room, Viking Room and Exit space. This project is part of the Laboratory, a space and way of working base on the Thing Method, a collaborative research project between the Museum of Cultural History, the Museum of Oslo and the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology. Together this three institutions are exploring a methodic practice to connect the museum's main purposes and social interventions. Is a method for working with exhibitions that relates research, collection work and outreach activities with a societal role of being inclusive to actors outside the museum walls. This method allows the Research and the space to be developed together, along with conservation, Education and Construction. The exhibition space is 250 m2, on the fourth floor of the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology. It is going to be built in the area behind the permanent exhibition of the Tele Museum. The exhibition area consists of a small room (Propaganda Room), a long thin corridor (Deportation Room), and a big room (Viking Room). The Viking Room is connected to the balcony (Exit space) on top the Transportation Hall on the third floor. The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology is a very interesting and special museum, that deals with Technology and interaction, is constantly evolving and changing; many of its visitors are school groups from a very wide age range. The visitor is constantly presented with stimulating spaces and a high level of interaction. The speed is high, the voices are loud, you are allowed, in some areas, to touch objects, and given the option of staying for long periods of time, playing and learning. This very different conditions, a Research that was developed, with a clear set up of space and narrative distributions, an interesting space, with very changeable areas and shapes, and inclusive working method with the different departments, a stimulating and interactive museum, a historical and dense subject of Research and finally, a student with a different cultural background, were the conditions in which this Master Project started to be shaped.
About the Concept. Senior researcher Ketil Andersen told a story about a Norwegian family who was living next to a prisoner's camp. They could see from their windows what was happening there during the occupation. According to Ketil Andersen the family decided to close their curtains in order not to see what happened there. This short story became a key point in the development of the exhibition concept. The story refers to a simple movement, an everyday activity that has a strong connotation and tells about decision making, movement and interaction. The key words reflect the three main goals of the spatial concept. Another input came from a workshop developed in Tønsberg where students form NTA visited three bunkers form the Second World War. It was an interesting experience that became essential for the development of the exhibition space. When entering the bunker space, all of participants of the workshop seemed to bend at the door even though the door was high enough for the tallest participants. The perception of the spaces and how that effects the physical experience of the spectators was interesting for me to incorporate in my visual process. The weight of a building, the feeling of being both exposed and secured, and the materiality of the architectural expression are important elements that influenced the creation of the exhibition space. This workshop was part of the Laboratory, and under the “Thing Method” directions, the main discussion was how to transform objects that are too big to be moved, into a museum experience.
Being from another country, the research topic was unfamiliar to me, as well as Norwegian history and geography. The topics presented challenges but also interesting aspects for me. I had to investigate the Norwegian landscape and the construction pieces made during the Occupation. I developed a small side project filming the train trip from Trondheim to Fauske. It was an important experience for me in order to understand the Norwegian landscape with a great variety of landscapes and geographical characteristics. The visit to the massive construction Dora in Trondheim, this has open many discussions about the landscape in this north city, and presents a reuse of military buildings. The museum is visited by different groups of visitors who are used to the high level of interaction in the various exhibitions. In my design concept I want to aim for a spatial level of interaction with the visitors and create a bodily sensation and memory. The spectator may choose not to read the texts or observe the objects, but I want the space to make a change in sensations and perceptions. From the beginning of the project it was interesting for me to see the research not only as a historical subject, but as a filter in order to connect the story lines in the exhibition. Themes like the extremely harsh working conditions, mobilization of population in a war situation, the use of technology and bureaucracy influencing people´s everyday life compared with the current political situation in the world.
This research, is a well-known general topic, however, once deep in it, the three grand divisions that Ketil Andersen presents, starts to open a different discussion in the subject of Word War II. Technology and engineering, as political tools, bureaucracy and logistic machinery, and finally, mobilization of resources, of both materials and work forces. Opens a discussion for what he refers as Politics of Space. For the project was very important to understand this focus, as conceptual key point, the use of space and materials as bodily interactions. I want to explore how scale, dimensions and repetition of elements can be used in order to understand the economical and ideological practices of National Socialism. The use of different materials such as cardboard, MDF, fabrics, glass and concrete as design elements in the exhibition offer various spatial experiences. I want to investigate visual elements like volume, weight, light, sound and movement. "How much do you want to see" is the concept of the scenographical proposal for this project. To present the narrative, not as a given statement, but as a bodily experience. The large image, the big perspective, the master plan are visual elements to be constructed in the spectator’s imagination. I aim to present the narrative as fragments. The exhibition should persuade the audience to: “move your head, bend your body, choose a path, find a hidden idea, wait for sounds, look back to see the real image, stop and get deep into the text�. All the visual elements and impressions from the story telling presented through the research, the trades of massive engineering constructions, and the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology itself, blend together in the visual concept. The elements mentioned emphasize the spatial concept "How much do you want to see", as a bodily movement through the exhibition space. The use materials, light and interaction contribute to the bodily sensations.
About the workshops. As a work methodology, in order to better understand the research, workshops were organized and presented by the MA student. The workshops were a meeting point between research, design and construction. The notion of space was discussed and information was shared between the researchers and the designer Different types of workshops were developed. -From research to design: In the first workshop, the researchers presented to the student the narratives, images, videos, objects, things and documents. The aim was to introduce the research in order to create space. Four workshops were realized. -From design to research: In this workshops, the design concept was presented to the researchers and the construction team. In order to connect the narrative to design ideas and discuss the relevance and relation to the research the workshop emphasized the exchange of opinions and inputs. The workshops as well was a meeting point where we could discuss construction issues, security, budget and resources. Four workshops were realized. -From design to space: the exhibition space was out of use during the design process. That allowed the ideas and concepts to be roughly materialized in a series of mock up workshops. With cheap and simple materials, it was easy to make the mock ups and present them to the different departments in the museum. Two Workshops were realized. From the design to the Laboratory: as a way of documenting and presenting the process and development of ideas, a material library depicting shapes and materials were prepared. In order to present the objects and things from the research, the material library was a useful tool in the design process. One workshop was realized. From the design to the construction: using tools from the museum in the Maker Space, an area orientared in technology and making, part of the Science center, three scale models were built in scale 1:10. The scale models were presented to the construction team in order to discuss construction solutions. Two 1:1 tests of construction sections were built as well.
Exit room GROSSRAUM EXHIBITION
Propaganda room
Deportation room
Viking room
Drawing of the exhibition areas and the interventions November 2016.
About the Space and interventions. My ideas, sketches, scale models, render visualization and technical drawings made a visual concept as a starting point for the realization of the exhibition. The narrative requirements and the design directions were both essential for the design process. The interventions will be describing the spaces the researchers have developed. Propaganda room. This space was designed initially during the first workshop initiated for the Master program in Scenography. All five students were involved. The researchers presented a picture of Speer's Light Cathedral, an scenographical intervention that consisted on 152 anti-aircrafts searchlights. Ketil Andersen, mention that almost all anti-crafts searchlights were used for this Rally in NĂźrnberg. This made the army generals worried about a sudden attack. Hitler answered: they will think we have more. This story of proportions, repetition and scale as illusion tools set the general idea for the Propaganda Room. The general concept of this room is presented as a spatial level of interaction, repetition and scale, the use of space as bodily sensations. The exhibition space starts with a long black tunnel (designed by Hazel and Marie), where the Trial of NĂźrnberg is presented on a small screen and the voice of Albert Speer can be heard. In the second part of the exhibition space a new idea is included, movable text of the trial, moving along one wall of the tunnel, as a way to direct movement, connect to the spectators and amplified the presence of the narrative element. (Alejandra), was presented and accepted by the researchers. This idea was merge with a double sided glass construction, making the illusion of infinite multiplications of elements(Jan). This idea remains in the second stage. The light columns and the glass divided the small room in three areas. Area A, B and C. Area A consist of a city map consisting of boxes (designed by Maret and Alejandra) with peek holes and screens facing the double sides glass, where the visitors can observe objects and documents. Screens facing the double sided glass created a complicated light condition. I wanted to change this idea in the second stage of the exhibition process, maintaining the city plan idea, but making it closer to a real city map with small shapes extrudes where narrative is presented. The idea of the new way of approaching the city map input, is first a game of proportion, between god perspective and human perspective (De Certeau). Also to create an extruded city scale model and present it in a vertical way. The most interactive part of Wall A, is a large amount of scale model personas, that can be placed in any point of the model, to mark your position in space. This construction was made by the student using the tools from the Maker Space and help from the construction department.
Area B consist of an exploration of repetition and scale (design by Alejandra) and is referred to as Wall B, also to provide the researchers with a level of versatility, to add and subtract narrative elements from the wall. Due to this the design consists of a large number of boxes of various sizes, that can be removed at any time. The light concept of this wall (Design by Jan) accentuates interesting parts of the presented images. This element supports the largest amount of narrative of the Propaganda Room and will remain in the second stage. Two videos are presented on the walls in order to create tension in the narrative and the space. Area C consist of a black empty room, where only one document can be found, and the sound of everyday voice of Hitler can be heard. A small opening to an art installation made with shovels (Marie, Hazel) can be seen. This installation was created as a temporary element and is now removed from the second stage of the exhibition. The space is now a transition space between the Propaganda Room and the Deportation Room. Just exposing one document emphasizes the narrative and states a change in the storytelling. It is also a space requested by the Educational department, as a meeting point in where large amount of visitors can be collected for a summarize of the narrative in school tours. A meeting with people from the Educational department was held, in order to discuss a suitable space. They mention how important it will be for school tours to have a space to meet and discuss. They mention that is important as well to have in this areas, a real object that exemplified the storytelling. That's why this spaces are referred to as meeting points. This being the first one and in relation to Hitler's Stone.
Deportation Room. This area of the exhibition started to be completely modeled after the first workshop at the Master's Project. Ketil Andersen and the research group in the first workshop, "From research to design", presented a video of prisoners of war from Russia on a death march after the Barbarossa Operation, resulting in millions of Soviet Soldiers dying from starvation and terrible conditions. This became a strong reference for the concept of the space. As mentioned before, the geometry of the room is a long corridor of 30 m long and from 2.5 to 6 m wide. The general concept of this space is movement, both voluntary and forced, as a bodily movement tied to decision making. The first intervention that is presented is an installation of hanging fabrics, that forms a short textile forest of 3 m long. In this forest the video of Operation Barbarossa is presented from the opposite side, this allows the space to have a glimpse of the image that starts to become more clear as spectators walk further in the space. The fabrics stop deeper in the change of the next intervention. This space aims to create a level of confusion, and is the first accelerator of a movable energy that will follow through the Deportation Room. After the installation, spectators can turn around, to see the projection that was presented, now as a full clear image. This starts the intention of the space, that in order to get deep into the narrative, visitors will have to make a decision, stop and move the body. Inside the fabric forest a glass wall divides the space in two areas. The second intervention aims to expand and explore the concept of the room, move and make decisions. It consist on three elements that works together. A glass wall, of 2.8 m height and 10.85 m length, almost in the middle of the room, that divides the area in two, but allows the visitor to see both spaces, at the same time it obstructs passing from one side to the other. This element is used as projection screens. A path, on one side of the glass wall, equally long and 1.2 m wide, that changes slowly in height. The path area is matched with a group of screens with interviews, as well other narratives pictures. On the other side of the glass wall, an installation of layers of wood is presented, 52 layers of MDF are stacked together, 5 cm from each other, until they almost reach the ceiling. In the layers of wood, some of them 1.2 m deep, whole shapes interrupt the construction and create empty shapes, where elements of the narrative are presented, such as a Gun, a soldier's uniform, stories about sinking boats and pictures. This installation creates a visual effect in which, in order to see, the spectator should move the body up and down. This installation starts an exploration point that is developed through the space, the use of fragile material as resistant construction pieces. The Construction enterprise of the Nazi Party was developed, in most of the cases, by prisoners, who lived and worked in terrible conditions, sick, starved, cold and scared. This direction aims to explore this, an organization machinery of fragile elements, that built big structures. This installation is also related to the main concept of the space, How much do you want to see. This division of space is not about dividing in good or bad, but to just divide the space, and create a condition where you see another side, that you could easily access, meaning, a decision must be made, of returning, of changing the direction of the movement, of stopping.
The narrative is, divided in the same way, not intended to be good or bad, but to see pieces of information, fragmented into three. An example of this is Kristo's story. A prisoner was captured in Bosnia by the Germans against his will while he was in the market, and taken to Norway to work as forced laborer. Kristo is presented in the three elements, a projection on the glass wall, of segments of interview where he is standing still for more than 15 seconds, before answering the questions that were presented to him. On the layer installation, quotes of the interview are written on the thickness of the wood. And finally, segments of this interview are presented on a screen in the path on the other side of the room. This fragmentation of the space aims to be an interactive spatial condition. When the glass wall ends, the room becomes again just one small space, and this area of almost 9 m², is referred to as the second meeting point and is in relation to the Telex machine. This area is also the beginning of the bureaucracy machinery that was an important motor in the Nazi enterprise. The area consist of two elements, a meeting point and the Processing Tracks installation.
The meeting point is space that allows a medium sized group of people to gather. On one side there is a Telex machine that was used during the Second World War to send messages between Berlin and Oslo. It is a small installation, using the tipping keys of the machine as lighting screen, creating a shadow with its shape. This is one object, with very clear and specific conservation requirements. Many meetings were held with the Conservators to discuss how to deal with the object and maximum levels of freedom objects could have. At the end, this object was too fragile to be exposed completely as it was originally intended. On the other side there is, a large image of the Nazi Army entering Oslo, and a collection of pictures taken recently by HĂĽkon Bergseth, photographer from NTM, of buildings used by the Nazi Party. After this area, an installation called Processing Tracks is presented. This consists of three Glass walls, of 2.8 m height and 2.7 m long. In this area the height of ceiling is lower, as a connection point to the next space. Each of them contains almost 300 prints of force labor ID cards, from Norwegian, German and Russian prisoners. The archive of Oslo (Nasjonalbiblioteket) is in possession of a massive amount of IDs from the occupation. This space is not intended to divide the spectators into these three groups, specially, since all the groups were prisoners, but is part of the Bureaucracy Machinery section of the narrative. Its intention is to present the trades of intensive documentation developed by the Nazi Party. In these cards you can find information that cannot be found in today's passports, such as height, weight, occupation and more critical information. These cards are printed on glass, so that they can be seen from both sides, but read only from one, and aim to create a level of interaction between the visitors, encountering someone's hands or shoulders while scanning the ID cards. The last elements of the Deportation Room are two, one of them is a real ID card from one of the prisoners, on one side, and on the other the Watch of Willi Henne, the head of the Nazi Party in Norway. These two contrasting elements, bureaucracy and prisoners, are the connection points with the Viking Room, where the narrative goes deep into the subjects. After Processing tracks, the space has been divided in four sections, that will lead you to two different areas of the Viking Room.
Viking Room. As mention before, Ketil Andersen distributed the narrative in rooms, his intention was to present in the Viking room the conditions and interactions between Norwegians, Germans and prisoners of war, as well as the projects built in Norway by the Nazi Party during the occupation. As part of the Laboratory, a workshop was developed near Tønsberg, this area was part of Hitler's Atlantic wall project, participants were able to see three batteries built during the occupation, with a massive guns that, however, were never shot. In this workshop, two main things became interesting, the first one was, the materiality of such constructions, namely concrete, a versatile and resistant material, that is used almost everywhere. After the trip, I started a search for concrete in urban areas, and it was found in the walking tunnels around Oslo and Fredrikstad, used in the same way as in one of the batteries. This is of course just a construction system that is detached from a Nazi Party reference. A similar case is Dora in Trondheim, a massive concrete construction that has an aesthetic that can also be found in other engineering works. This became an interesting connection point between the remains of the occupation projects and other constructions. The second one was, while entering the batteries, it became an instant reaction to crouch and bend in order to access the space, even though the heights are almost standard and everybody could stand without a problem. This bodily reaction was something interesting to explore, as weight and aesthetics seem to affect the way we move our body without even noticing it. These experiences started to shape the concept of the space, use of space and materials as bodily sensations. Viking room can be understood as three areas. The first one is a large room with two main elements, the first one is the rail track, of 4.5 m long, with the Organization Todt logo. This piece was from the beginning interesting, since it summarizes the narrative of the research, resources, weight, material and movement. It Is as well an element that is part of everyday's activities, train trips, train tracks dividing the city, walking tunnels with the same construction system as the batteries, to go from one side to other. It is both a strong and playful object. Because of this, the level of interaction with this element was important from the start. To use it almost as a rough furniture piece, also in relation to the actual use of the remains of the Hitler's Stone. Allowing the visitors to walk on it, to use it, the connection to this object aims to establish a body memory, connecting both previous behaviors and new ones as well. The second element is Bureaucracy Wall. This is the deepest point of narrative regarding the bureaucracy and logistic machinery subject. This wall is presenting a large amount of documents made by the Nazi Party. This becomes an interesting subject when the research gets deep into it, since all subjects are written down in a massive amount of documents, from resources papers to papers that state the horrible conditions of the prisoners camps, to even worst, most inhumane commands.
The installation consist of documents engraved on wood. This change of material, from paper to wood, was maybe the hardest to accept from the researchers point of view, since the characteristic of paper and bureaucracy are deeply related. However, for the space it was important to explore a reality in materials, and such documents could not be presented, most of them, as objects, but only as pictures of the objects, so a new direction was followed, one of tactile texture. Hands and eyes are two of the body parts that are used regularly, so it is the intention of the space to become a place to touch while reading bureaucracy. This installation has another important concept, namely of depth and closeness in the narrative. Since this is dense and most of the documents are in German, an idea of zooming and summarizing became a key point of the design. Spectators can read from far away the general story of this narrative element, and observe the big picture of a bureaucratic collage, but they also can come closer and read highlighted areas by zooming in the documents that are essential for the story telling, to understand better the logistic machinery, and finally get very close, and touch with your fingers the engravings of the documents. This installation was built by me, using tools from the Maker Space and with help of the construction team. The second area of the Viking Room is what the researchers call interaction space. This part of the narrative deals with the interaction between Norwegians, Germans and Prisoners, presented in a grey scale (how Carle Lange refers to seen the narrative from negatives elements to positive elements). In this part of the narrative, not only the interaction is the main character, but the geography as well, since it is also related to the prisoners camps, the rail way construction from Oslo to Kirkenes and the projects built in Norway. This area consist of two interventions, the first one is a Cardboard wall, an installation made by layers of cardboard stack one on top of each other. This element is 2.8 m height and 16 m long, and consist of over 6000 pieces of cardboard. This element relates to the Layer installation in Deportation, both of them grew from the same idea, the use of fragile material as resistant construction pieces, an organization machinery of fragile elements, that built, big elements. This installation separates the Large space in Viking Room from the Interaction area, and has two different expressions. On the large space room, this installation looks like a flat wall of layering cardboard. While on the Interaction space, it has a organic shape in relation to the Norwegian landscape. This construction system has an interesting visual effect, the further away you are, the better you can see what is behind it. This is part of the How much you want to see concept, and it connects visually the narrative between the different areas of the room. Inside of this installation is where most of the objects and interviews are presented, most of them need to be secure and protected as requested from the conservator of the museum. The second element is a photo exhibition, moving along the wall next to the Cardboard installation, it consist of 780 spaces of 81 x 110 cm, where pictures, text and documents can be found with the option of a magnifying glass to see in detail. This area is built as Geographical wall, since the narrative is organized by places in Norway where prisoner camps and constructions were made. This installation relates to the cardboard directing the exhibition of the objects and interviews.
This installation started being shaped, after the researchers went to Germany, to collect Willi Henne's watch, from his daughter and interview her, and were given a small photo album. This became an interesting element and scale. The initial idea was to have the pictures as negative sizes, as presented when developing pictures in a dark room. However, a middle point was reach between design and narrative, cause the researchers were unsure about such a small size of images. This proposal was developed with a construction system that allowed the researches to have a maximum level of flexibility and time, when developing the narratives, as well as allowed the construction team to build with freedom as well. This construction was partly made by me, with help from the construction team. The third element is a space that has change its perception from impossible to achievable to being the first element constructed. This space is realized as Concrete Box, 7 m long, 3 m wide suspended 1.4 m from the floor level from the structure of the roof of the museum, and is interfering with the area of the exit space. This element was built with an aluminum structure and 2.5 thick concrete plates, the inside of the space was made with sound proving panels and a textile covering on the top. This space is intended to be accessed by bending over, but for security needs, a standard opening can be found on a the side. This space was conceptually developed through the visit of the batteries near Tønsberg, and its intention is to change the movement of the body in the same way massive constructions does, as well as playing the perception of being inside and outside, and exposed and secure. This space was one of the last ones to involve actual narrative elements, since it was considered a reflection space. The research team presented two advertisement short movies, one made by the Nazi Party during the war, talking about the achievements in Norway, and another short movie made by NSB shortly after the war, advertising the new rail way to the north of Norway. This narrative became instantly interesting and complicated as well, since it can be perceived as a direct criticism to Norwegian Companies. Because of it, an alternative was made. The filming project of the Train Trip from Trondheim to Fauske was thought as way of recollecting both the Norwegian Landscape and the places that are connected through Nordlandbannen, this is presented on a small screen on side of the Concrete Box. Also a different kind of advertisement was edited using NRK footage, this is projected on one of the short faces of the inside of the Box, with a timer that counts back and plays the video along with the music piece, that was developed for the Nazi Party by the musician Palladio. To move out of the concrete box, the body must be bent again in order to get to the exit area, as end of the Viking Room, and encounter in the Transportation hall of NTM, a train in the lower level.
Exit Space This area corresponds to the balcony on top of the Transportation hall, many elements are presented in this area of the museum that can be easily connected to the research. After an intensive and almost exhausting narrative and Scenography, the exit space is a place to reflect, as the last of the meeting points, that is in visual connection with the third floor. This final intervention consist in small meeting areas, where leftovers of the narrative are calmly presented. This space consists of squares boxes of 1,20 m and 0,4 m height, on top of them, spectators can find videos, interactive screens as well as documents, images and text. Such intervention can be moved around to give space to larger amount of people for specific activities, or can as well be place together to work as workshop or educational area.
Exit room is an important space. Since it is visually connected to the rest of the museum, it is the point where the critique the research is looking to present, meets with the elements exposed in the museum. It is a place to reflect about mass production, technology, resources. Also is a place that looks to become a meeting point, a place to sit and be, spaces that are not so easily found in the rest of the museum.
About the construction This part of the project is both exciting and demanding. A lot of information must be prepared, and decisions must be made fast and precisely. A large amount of technical drawings have been made, as well as purchases from third parties. Taking the ideas and drawings to actual construction elements requires a big work team, from the design, the research and the construction. The head of the construction Team, Geir Christiansen has worked closely with me, offering solutions to construction problems, ideas, critics and vital information for the project. He is the person from the construction team who has been involved the most in the design process. Geir is a prop maker who did his studies in London. He brings a good energy, honest opinions and sense humor, that is always needed and appreciated. It was intended to work closely with the construction team, to developed a good communication system and understand the limitations and conditions the museum and the exhibition builders have. The Construction team consist most of the time of Geir, Lars and Hallgeir. They are willing to experiment with materials, shapes, they are not afraid to test or change or try. And this is important in any design process. There is also the visual team, Henning, Sverre and Tobias. I have very little experience with projections, audiovisuals and sound, because of that I have relied on their knowledge and support. The EDDA workshop organized by the school at the Norsk Teatre, with the Artist and designer Robert Wilson, was very important for me. I have almost no experience with lighting, and having the chance to see the development of a stage concept where light is one of main keys of the scenographical intervention was essential when working with the exhibition space, using colors, filters and intensity. In order to take the ideas and drawings to reality, precision and detail become the main characters. In the construction process we have delegated task to third parties. Tunge Ting, a company in Voss that builds with concrete, was hired to make the Concrete Box. This was premade at Voss and transported to the museum. It took 2 months to be produced, and only 3 days to assemble and suspend the structure from the ceiling. Tiveta, a company that produces and installs glass, made 30 m² of clear glass and 23 m² of printed glass with over 900 images requiring one month of producction and 4 days of installation. Gronn Emballasje is a company in Askim, that produces cardboard boxes, they were very interested in working with us. Over 2000 drawings in Autocad were send to this company for cutting almost 8000 pieces of Cardboard and MDF.
This delegation of tasks, technical language, precision and communication is the key point to make the construction move forward, especially when the construction is dealing with many companies and various languages. It has being a big task, stressful but fun as well. I have been very lucky with the group of collaborators I have. They are open, daring and gentle. I couldn’t have asked for a better place and team to work with.
About fears and hopes I am not a minimalist. I wish I was. It involves lots of thinking and boiling down to the more essential expression of an idea, and transforming it in a sober and minimum expression. I, on the other hand, get moves by emotions and impressions, that are represented by large repetition, small sizes and long numbers. And so, this is the way I think I work. The challenge of this project has been with myself. The research and construction team, the whole museum have been supporting and helpful. I have been very lucky with the group of collaborators I have, who are open minded, daring and gentle. The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology has been an excellent place for me to work. I have received the same support from the school from the beginning, giving me this amazing opportunity and showing me support and acceptance. I, on the other hand, have encountered many issues with the way I work and conceptualize a space project. I allow myself to feel strongly, to imagine and to create as shapes and images as my brain and hands can handle. One thing I believe I made wrongly was allowing myself to represent too many conditions in the space, too many materials. I would have liked to curate myself better, to boiled down my ideas, and bring them the most minimal and simple expression. I have seen after starting this exhibition other proposals about this topic in different contexts, and they keep the same minimalistic expression, but I decided to let myself be impressed by the storytelling and narrative of the research, along with my own way of overdoing things. I have worked a lot during this process, because of my own design. To produce 8000 drawings was my decision, I am aware of the weight of my ideas, and the time they consume, the resources, the complications, and this is my responsibility and my mistake only. To have 5 different types of materials is my responsibility, and of course, my mistake. Because of my skills, I don’t see difficulties in large proposals but emotion. These two things in many cases can become more dangerous than useful.
My biggest fear with the intervention I have proposed is that the aesthetic approach gets perceived as arrogant and flashy. In my attempt to create a space that is bodily strong, I have allowed myself to be seduced by resources, scale and interventions, resulting in a space that is not sensible but aggressive. If I could have the opportunity of doing it all again, I would like to take all the main ideas and make them essential and minimal, to create a space that speaks trough silence, and not trough shapes.
Exhibition: Grossraum, Politics of Space Alejandra Mendez December 2016