Space - Installation I

As we begin our installation projects, I've become very preoccupied with this idea of space and concept. Of course, as interactive sound/visual/music/media/experiential/whatever-label-you-want-to-put-on-it artists it's hard to be not preoccupied with space. This is obviously coming from a rich tradition of artists such as Lucier and Cage who were focused on the concept of space and related ideas. But when I was coming up with initial ideas for this installation, I noticed that my ideas could more or less be sorted into two categories: object-based installation, and space-based installation. An example of object based installation was my balanced-spatialization cube, where the spinning of the cube controlled amplitude and sonic placement. An example of space-based installation was this idea of hanging sheets, or swaths of cloth in Davis--where the entire room/environment is involved in the installation. I'm definitely leaning more towards space-based installation at the moment, and have a couple of ideas that I'm currently running with an trying to elaborate on.

So as I think about how I want to transform a space into an installation or (better word in my opinion) experience, I've been kind of struggling with how to properly infuse concept so that the interaction itself is meaning. So that my use of the space has meaning, and I'm utilizing the space to best of the installation's purposes. The space should be an integral part of the installation, not only in terms of interaction but also for meaning. As I try to elaborate on these space-based installation ideas, I'm trying to keep in mind concept and meaning. Because of this, I've been doing a lot of "outside" (not-for-school) reading, exploring, word association, etc. to try and find ways of making space-object-interaction connect in a meaningful manner. I think I'm getting there slowly, but when you're in the steady pound that is school, it can be hard to remember that taking time to ruminate and reflect is still a valuable part of the development of not only my project, but my artistic identity.

A few gallery works/installations that I'm feeling inspired by:
Shaping Shapce: 17 Screens by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec
Not an interactive piece in the way that we envision interaction, but still interesting in terms of shape/material/concept.
Unfolding - Kimsooja
I saw this exhibit in Vancouver a couple of years ago, and there was one room in particular that stuck out to me. It was a large room, and there was just hanging Korean-cultural blankets. And I have a very vivid memory of weaving my way through the rows and rows of blankets--all incredibly colorful, and I have a vaguer memory of different smells in that space. There's something about the hazy memory of a hazy memory; identity lost and found in those spaces; cultural impact; mixed-cultural identities; remembering something that was but is no longer...

Just things I'm thinking about...