Journal 2: Observations of a Space - "Story of the Time When Gods Were Everywhere"

Hi 4226 classmates,

Here’s my submission for the “Observations of a Space” homework. I’ve chosen to observe the space “Story of the Time When Gods Were Everywhere”, which is part of the “FUTURE WORLD” exhibition at Art Science Museum.

(photo source: http://www.digitalmeetsculture.net/article/teamlab-tokyo-based-digital-artist-collaborative/)

What I Saw/Heard and Reflection of How People Interact with the Space

Basically in the space, there’s a large wall with projections that are interactive in nature. One can touch the many icons on the wall, and watch them transform into various natural elements such as fire, rain, trees, mountains and even animals. In that sense, the participants in the space can be considered as “creators”, as the selection of which icons to activate changes the world depicted on the wall. Of course, their “creations” are pre-programmed and are limited to a certain number predetermined by the artist.

Visually, this is very interesting to observe as each individual is unique, and therefore selects different combinations of icons. The way in which a natural element appears on the wall after activation also differs in terms of size, the direction the animal is facing and so on. The result is a unique experience for each individual as they interact with “The Story of the Time When Gods Were Everywhere” space.

Mood evoked by the Space

I mainly experienced 2 kinds of moods in the space. Firstly, I felt calm and relaxed as the “interactive wall” uses blue as the main background colour. This is probably because the colour “blue” is often associated with peace, tranquility and a sense of calmness. The other mood I experienced is the sense of curiosity. “What element would appear if I touch this particular icon? What about this?”, were the thoughts running through my head.

Signs of Media Networks/Transmission Signals/Digital Culture

Based on a quick research of Digital Art & Culture on Google, I’ve found that Digital Art in specific refers to contemporary art that uses the methods of mass production or digital media, whereas Digital Culture is the social relationships that occur in the realm of new media.

In that sense, element of digital culture and media networks may not be that apparent in terms of the interactive wall itself (although it is undoubtably a form of digital art as it uses digital media). However, through my observation, both participants & observers of the space engage in digital culture through the use social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram. For instance, many people were taking videos of the space, be it of themselves/their friends interacting with the elements, or just the wall itself. These videos were then shared on their social media platforms for their families and peers to watch and experience the “space” through them.

If this space could talk to you what would it say?

• Be imaginative, creative and bold
• Do not be afraid to try
• The result may not be something you expect
• Have fun, let your inner child take over

That’s all for me for the moment! Hope you guys find this reflection on “Story of the Time When Gods Were Everywhere” somewhat interesting (: