Discovery of Self and the Other
University of Detroit Mercy Arch 5960 - Digital Image in Space Winter 2017 Professor Claudia Bernasconi Sarah Black
Contents Introduction Project 1 Identity Research Project Product Afterthoughts
Project 2A Interview Discrimination Research Project Product Afterthoughts
Project 2B Reevaluation Project Product Afterthoughts
Introduction This semester incorporated the mixture of both the physical and digital realms of art. Something that architects deal with every day are the challenges of creating three dimensional space with non-spacial things such as light. This challenge of actualizing digital video with space and its relationships and applied meaning made an important lesson for everyone, both Digital Media Studies students as well as the Architecture students. The implications of these projects are to research an inform based on a topic, and then to dive into the methods both physically and digitally to transcribe those ideas extracted from real thoughts and research. This semester focused on both an inner reflection and identification as a beginning test for more complicated subjects such as the second project, which dealt with discrimination. To define and refine the discrimination is more complex and holds more implications from every move. The biggest challenge was to use subtleties to express powerful ideas.
The Voice of Inner (T)Reason This first project took on many observations and learning of video editing, and tackling the actualization of installation ideas. Conquering these tasks helped me learn both about how to video edit and build, but it also helped understand how subtleties can speak louder than the obvious intentions that were implemented in the film and installation. Many things were going on during this first installation, and several iterations of filming were experimented with. The investigation of self intended to better understand the dark places within thought, and how self-doubt can express outward and manifest in the head and create a person that lives in fear of failure or lack of worth.
Case Studies
Kyle McDonald- Sharing Faces I find this particular installation interesting because I am captivated by its success of directly responding and relating to the viewer. Getting people involved in the actual success of an installation I believe is extraordinarily more powerful. This work imitates the movement of the viewer from the videos captured of other people. It was installed and commissioned in Korea and eventually was also on display in Japan as well. This is very interesting politically as the two countries have a tension between one another. Looking into the mirror of someone of a different nationality could really start getting people to think what are differences in the scheme of things.
Kalle Nio - Masks & The Machine The use of space in the layering of this video installation really helps create further relationships not only with the film, but really starts to question what video could be in a three dimensional space. This installation deals with the idea of distance and communication. This installation really got me to start thinking about how I could have multiple videos in space and how they could relate to one another, and how the viewer would then view the interaction as well.
Betrayal Deceit Doubt Fear Impeding Suffering
Selfdoubt
Self-doubt is the state of inner, selfimpeding thought. The capabilities of such thoughts enable people to feel incapable of performing in their daily lives. This inner voice distorts the truth in order to cripple the esteem of its host in fear. This installation is an exposure of the inner, self-impeding thoughts of a woman driven to doubt her abilities. The capabilities of these thoughts enable the people to feel lost in fear of living within their own skin. The Inner Voice of (T)Reason owns up to the inner workings of the mind, and how it sometimes can exist to destroy ourselves. A sense of betrayal of oneself aids in giving a person reason to doubt ones own capabilities. This inner voice distorts the truth in order to enable the fear of failure in the mind of its consumer. Self-doubt is prevalent and only the exposure of its activity in the mind can set the thinker free.
doubt that destroys her positive esteem.
The installation is designed to be projected on glass to express to its viewer that this is an opportunity to see into the workings of this woman’s mind without anything between the viewer and this exposure. The mirrors encapsulate the viewer and any glance away from the harsh, impeding doubt is the striking reminder of oneself and the self-doubts that perhaps also fester inside the viewer. The mirrors vary in size and position to cause distortion in the way the viewer will see himself. To capture the projections reflection behind the glass is a poster painted with black acrylic to further the doubt in the mind and consciousness of the viewer. The fact that the viewer will also have the video projected onto them is another recognition that these problems can be This video was shot with a wild life projected onto ourselves. hunting camera, and a vase to create the medium for the ever present doubt. The woman’s anxiety and restlessness shows in her face and fidgeting. Transitions fade and quickly disappear to demonstrate the change in mind states. the layer showing the woman’s face is herself accepting these inner ideas as truth. Premiere Pro was used in order to accomplish these layers. A layer of reality, which an outsider can see, the layer of the woman’s understanding of herself, her conscious, and the layer of self-
The installation did make people look down into this ‘inner self’ which is a behavior that people do when they are uncomfortable, but the mirrors were not very successful as making the viewer aware of their own reflection. The video and installation was also too easily expressing the idea and did not leave enough room for the viewer to reflect and think about the issue in their own context.
Dare to Trust The intention of this installation was influenced by both a captivation of cultural diversity and its role in society, but also how people are over looked in the workplace because of their diversity. The latter was enlightened by the interview with Asia. She told her story of discrimination in the workplace, which is overlooked often. Details were key in the final result of this project, and while the implementation of the installation changed drastically from Project 2A, Project 2B is the same in content and idea. A serious rethinking happened in order to think about the implications of small moves. More thinking could have benefited the project.
Case Studies
Kim Sooja Conditions of Humanity
Installation at Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf 2004 conflicts that are currently ongoing in the United States, but also globally. People do not expose themselves to variety if they don’t need to. This causes prejudices and conflicts with being open to different customs and cultures. Within the United States we are subdivided as well, and when new people want to come in, it is Kim Sooja brings up a good point in her really a loss to not learn and grow from installations that are key to some of the what new perspectives have to offer. “When we are planted in our own root, one can grow naturally from one’s own source without trying to search another resources branches of temporary issues come out of this root in the end.” Kim Sooja tackles issues of the lack of contact with cultures other than our own.
Mwagi Hutter Turquoise Realm 2014
“Her cradling, protective bearing becomes a demonstration of strength, while he manifests the suppleness of complete reliance. In the end, they find themselves in the center projection, lying nestled into each other by virtue of superimposition.� What is particularly interesting is its simplicity, yet strong message of being exposed. This exposure speaks of vulnerability, but could also be taken as a stripping of self. In another setting I think the idea of this kind of treatment of the subjects could speak worlds about other things as well. Just subtle changes could change this, and as this second project develops, looking at what make this successful will make a going reference point.
Mood Board
Cultural Competence My Way the Right Way Empathy Join the Herd Knowledge Awareness Hierarchy Not My People
Work Better Together I Already Know Your Type: Fear
Be More Like ME: This is OUR COUNTRY
Seriously?
Trust Them
Trust is a subconscious allowance of believed reliability. Most people trust those that are like them whether in terms of color, culture, or other qualities they have in common. Trust is also an emotion that relates to whether one’s qualities are accepted and gives comfort to others involved. The research tells us that people have gut reactions to facial features and to the way one is dressed. Individuals judge other people’s capabilities within seconds. This judgment depends on one’s experiences and exposure to different situations. Dare to Trust explores cultural conditions. It brings one to think of oneself and others as belonging to close categories, contained into separate boxes depending on the likeness to other people. We find it easy to trust the people who hold the same ideals as us, people who talk like us, people who even eat like us. Being
questioned by diversity becomes a threat, as we are more likely to trust others based on what we have in common. As for the people, culturally different from us, we sometimes judge them solely on their race, gender, sexual preference, age, economic class, and much more. A major issue is a lack of empathy and understanding of individual stories, and the lack of even doubting that we can’t know what someone else is like by just looking at them. The video displays images of people with diverse cultural backgrounds, as they ask a simple question, such as those that we incur in every day. In the workplace, the test of competence stems immediately as a customer is asked, “How may I help you?” The video shows images of the diversity one may encounter in America’s melting pot. The voices reinforce the idea of a capable person, who is there to help. Interwoven white yarn creates the backdrop for the video and suggests ideas of comfort and bonding. While these images of the people question the audience, a light shines from the back, and the viewer casts his own shadow on another woven cotton yarn, thus interacting with the projected images. Do you dare to trust?
Details such as where tape will go can greatly change the way that one approaches the installation. Many people had different iterations of this project and while that may be good in some circumstances, the message was not always clearly told from the video and installation. The techniques sometimes different ideas than what were investigated. Hardly anyone would stand in front of the light and discussed were many ideas about how this could have been designed differently.
Thank you Over these years I have noticed an accumulation of wishes and aspirations from myself and my colleagues that never came into fruition. Had I not taken these classes, taught by Claudia Bernasconi, I don’t know if I would have made an installation despite my yearning to do so.