References from reading list
Latour, B. (1986). ‘Visualisation and Cognition: Drawing Things Together’, Knowledge and Society Studies in the Sociology of Culture at Present, Vol. 6.
In Knowledge and Society Studies in the Sociology of Culture at Present, Latour explains that the Dutch ‘distance point’ method of painting is even more striking. According to Svetlana Alpers (1983, p.9), The Dutch convert 3D objects into small 2D surfaces using painting surfaces that depict the world.
As Latour (1986, p9) states, “The main interest of Alpers’ book for our purpose is the way she shows a ‘visual culture’ changing over time.” Based on this content, I attempted to reconceptualize the trajectory of human movement in three dimensions in subsequent iterations, using the visualization of points and lines to translate this trajectory into a two-dimensional surface. The position of the limb joints is also used to drive the movement of the lines over time, showing the residual effect of the limbs as they move.
Ludovico, A. (2012). ‘Post-Digital Print: A Future Scenario’ and ‘Print vs. Electrons’, Post-Digital Print: The Mutation of Publishing since 1894, Eindhoven: Onomatopee.
According to Ludovico (2012, p.153), “the real power of digital publishing lies not so much in its integration of multiple media, but its superior networking capabilities.” Digital publishing can transform into multiple media forms by linking with various media. This idea opens up more possibilities for the mediums I can experiment with within the next iteration of the process. Digital publishing may be more graphic in recording the human body’s dynamic trajectory than what is presented in print publications. Experimenting with After Effects to record and visualize the course of the human body as it interacts with space and offering it in a digital publication.
However, the digital publishing format does not fully render the dynamic residue of the human body in its whole temporal trajectory. The flipbook that followed was another attempt at digital publishing based on dynamic trajectories in the form of printed publications representing the temporal trajectories presented by physical movements and spatial interactions in the project. As you quickly flip through the book, you can see the dynamic trajectory of an entire period in a flash.
Bruno, L. (1986). ‘Visualisation and Cognition: Drawing Things Together’, Knowledge and Society Studies in the Sociology of Culture at Present, Vol. 6. pp.1-40.
According to Latour (1986, p.10), the new method of accumulating time and space increases the mobility or invariance of traces, making it possible for mobility and invariance to exist simultaneously.
In the project experiments, an attempt was made to incorporate both mobility and invariance in the experimental setup. The fluidity is ensured by the change in the physical form of the materials subjected to the passage of time. At the same time, the invariance is because the quantum state of the materials involved in the experiment has not changed. In other words, the ice, candles and incense I used only produced displacement changes in mobility with time; their nature and content were fixed. Moreover, the shifts produced in the experiment confirm the trajectory produced by time, and the fluidity of the changes presented better visualizes the passage of time.
Rubinstein, D., Sluis, K. (2013). ‘The Digital Image in Photographic Culture: Algorithmic Photography and the Crisis of Representation’, The Photographic Image in Digital Culture. London: Routledge. pp.22-40.
In the Photographic Image in Digital Culture, Rubinstein explains that photography is used to represent memory and that time can be explored directly through the incomparability of record and memory. According to Rubinstein (2013, p.24), ‘photography is an image of time in crisis, produced by the overlapping temporalities that constitute multiple and simultaneous timelines”. Humans cannot exist in the hierarchical space of Cartesian geometry and can only see moments in fragmented time. Photography, however, can act as an archive of memory, recording and presenting the behavioral changes that occur throughout the passage of time from a four-dimensional perspective. The experimental process is a photographic record of the changes that occur in the passage of time in a variety of objects around us. This experience uses different materials as separate units of time measurement. The photography records the changes over time and the trajectories left by the passage of time in the same space and by speeding up the documentary film to show the wasted time.
External references
Gao, M. (2010). Genius or Psychotic. Beijing United Publishing co., LTD. pp.10-14. Available at: http://x5v.net/f/vGhEC3cBYP3XuJXsXESA
According to the conversation recorded by Gao, M. (2010, p.11), an interesting perspective and point of view are mentioned. People are four-dimensional creatures, existing not only in space but also in the timeline of four-dimensional space-time, and must follow the laws of the passage of time. Therefore, we can only see the dynamics of the current second. If viewed across time, the dynamic trajectory of the human body over a while is strung out like a very long worm; the length of this dynamic trajectory is the length of time rather than the length of the distance moved.
The presentation of this interesting idea has influenced the direction of my iteration. It seems to be leading me to base the trajectory of a person’s movement overtime on a timeline with an eye to the whole movement. Since the human eye cannot see the entire trajectory, if we cross the time limit, we can imagine the whole trajectory, like continuous stitching together of a dynamic residual image into a time trajectory. This concept has also become one of the main focuses of the next step exploration through iterations.
Einstein, A. (1916). The Foundation of the Generalised Theory of Relativity.
Einstein introduced the concept of four-dimensional space-time in his theory of relativity, which influenced how I see how the trajectory of human movement exists on the timeline from a more macroscopic perspective. According to Einstein’s concept of four-dimensional space-time, our universe is made up of time and space. Space and time are related by the addition of an axis of time to the architecture of space on top of the three axes of length, temperature and quantity of ordinary three-dimensional space. (1916)
People are four-dimensional creature and also exist on an axis of time in four-dimensional space-time, so they can only follow the passage of time and cannot see the entire trajectory of time over time at a macro level. How to present each moment in time simultaneously became one of the focal points of my iterative exploration. Through experimentation and exploration, I found that when the flip book is flipped quickly, the entire dynamics of the human body can be seen in the shortest possible time. This means that when flipping through the book quickly, it transcends the limits of time and presents the trajectory of time in four-dimensional space-time.
Barthes, R. (1981). ‘Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, Trans’. R. Howard. London:Vintage.
Photography is considered one of the most effective ways of recording time, as it freezes some fragments of the past in place of one’s memory. According to Barthes (1982, p.5), ” the photograph mechanically repeats what could never be repeated existentially.” One can never repeat the experience of past time, yet it can be repeatedly viewed through photography. Therefore, there is a continuity between the time when the video was recorded and when it was viewed. This connection reinforces the similarity between photography’s ability to preserve footage and the human ability to remember footage. The connectedness of behaviour across time dimensions has inspired me. In my project, I used photography as a medium for temporal measurement, documenting the neglected changes in the experimental material over time. At the same time, the static posters are presented in AR, where the passage of time is played repeatedly—calling on people to cherish time and pay attention to the passage of time and the changes in things around them.
Cubitt, S. (2011) ‘Time to Live’, ISEA International Symposium Proceedings, San Francisco, CA:Leonardo. Available at: www.leoalmanac.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ISEA_proceedings-sean-cubitt.pdf. pp.8-15.
In the article Time To Live, Cubitt explains that the time of the internet and the biological time of living beings is different from the authoritative time represented by clocks. They exist in their specific units of time measurement. The different types of time each carry its unique time frame, its own Time To Live (TTL) and its own internal duration. (2011, p.12)
This idea became a lens through which I examined the passage of time, with experiments focusing on the TTL of different materials such as ice cubes, candles and incense as non-authoritative units of time measurement. The passing time rate was measured by recording the subtle changes produced by the different materials over a long period of time.
External practices/projects
Bennett, L. Butler, A. etc. (2019). Artificial Things | Dance film. Stopgap Dance Company. Available at: https://www.stopgapdance.com/production/artificial-things-dance-film/
Artificial Things is a re-imagination of a contemporary dance performance of the same title by Stopgap Dance Company. This dance work integrates dancers and artists with and without disabilities in a unique aesthetic of physical movement that expresses the interplay between human interdependence, strength and vulnerability. The interaction of physical movement with the sense of light and space in the work is also translated into the visual language of cinema, creating an atmosphere of solitude and melancholy, giving the impression that time stands still.
I was inspired by the trajectory of the dancers’ physical interaction in this project. The trajectory of the body’s dynamic interaction with space is perhaps more likely to convey emotion and content than the physical movements produced during the climbing process. In subsequent iterations of this project, I experimented with the trajectory of the dancer’s interaction with space. The project also visualises the movement of the human body, through the visualisation of points, lines, surfaces and movement residues.
Gingko Smart Accordion Lamp. Available at: https://www.gingkodesignstore.com
This organ smart table lamp is a creative home product developed by the Gingko brand. Its main function is the freedom to change shape in order to match different interior styles, reflecting the brand’s design philosophy of creating stylish yet functional, modern yet great sustainable designs.
This iteration of my process was also influenced by the form of this creative home product. When the lamp is turned on, its shape takes on the same trajectory as the movement of the opening. The shape of the lamp also records the complete trajectory of the act of turning on the lamp. In terms of form, the shape of this product matches the continuous dynamic residue of the human movement trajectory. Therefore, product form also became the inspiration for the human dynamic trajectory that I wanted to carry out through iteration.
Alÿs, F. (1997). Paradox of Praxis. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvkTLAdKP24
In this intriguing project, Alÿs spends nine hours pushing a huge block of ice through the streets of Mexico in the hot sun until it evaporates into a puddle of water on the ground. Through this performance artwork, Alÿs intends to express the fundamental problem that hard work does not always lead to results. In this project, time becomes a major factor. As the ice moves in a position, there is also a movement of melting over time. The process of moving from ice to water until complete evaporation also reflects the passage and waste of time. This work becomes a lens for me to examine the passage of time, and different materials can be used as different units of time measurement. Through photographic documentation, the changes in physical form produced by the different material mediums are used as evidence of the passage of time.
Almond, D. (2008). Tide. Royal Academy of Arts ‘Earth: Art of a Changing World’ exhibition.
This installation by artist Almond uses a clock to measure time-based on an authoritative unit of measurement. Almond ‘s work is extremely visually striking, and the oppression of the passage of time as the digit of the clock changes to the next digit at the same time is enormous. Because this work amplifies the existence of time, this work allows the audience to face the passage of time directly through the oppression of the passage of time. During my experiments, I focus on changes in things around me that are not easily noticed. Try to use various materials such as ice cubes, candles, and incense as non-authoritative time measurement units, and measure time by recording the subtle changes produced by different materials over a long period of time. The recording method of time-lapse photography not only speeds up the presentation of the passage of time but also visually forces people to pay attention to the passage of time and the subtle changes in the things around them.
Extended critical analyses
Almond, D. (2008). Tide. Royal Academy of Arts ‘Earth: Art of a Changing World’ exhibition.
Artist Almond presented his time-related installation at the Royal Academy of Arts ‘Earth: Art of a Changing World’ exhibition in 2008. The installation consists of 567 digital wall clocks, controlled by two GM5 modular master clocks, which allow all the clocks to be fully synchronised and turned over together. The work uses clocks for time measurement, which is based on authoritative units of measurement. The pressure of the passage of time on the viewer is immense as the numbers of the clocks simultaneously change to the next number as they enter the gallery. This is because the work magnifies the existence of time, presenting the viewer with a concrete and exaggerated view of the changes in an invisible thing, time. It also slows down the passage of time with a minute-by-minute change, leaving you waiting for a minute in anticipation of the next jump of the clock. This work uses visual impact to bring the pressure of the passage of time to the viewer’s face.
In my initial experiment, I tried to place Almond’s context for the way time is measured in my experiment to record the melting of an ice cube. As the camera recorded the changes in the ice, I discovered that the melting of ice is a long-term process. At the same time, ice melting is subject to many variable conditions, even if an authoritative clock cannot measure the experiment.
Christian Marclay uses sundials, hourglasses, floor clocks, pocket watches, flashing microwave LEDs and other authoritative and non-authoritative measuring times in The Clock. Rather than measuring time, they are units of measuring time. Different units of measurement can keep track of time by their unique survival time TTL, just as a dripping tap can measure time according to the rhythm of the dripping water. Similarly, materials such as ice also have their unique way of measuring time. Before clocks were commonly used, people used non-authoritative units of measurement such as a stick of incense or an hourglass to calculate time. The changes in these non-authoritative units were slow and unnoticeable, so I focused on the changes in the things around me that people did not easily notice. I experimented with different materials such as ice, candles and scented lamps as a non-authoritative unit of time, recording the subtle changes that occur over time.
The time-lapse method of recording not only speeds up the presentation of the passage of time but also visually forces attention to the passage of time and the subtle changes in things around us. Therefore, in the last iteration of the experiment, I used AR (Augmented Reality) to present the passage of time. When the poster is scanned using AR, the changes that occur throughout the experiment are shown in the form of a dynamic video. The combination of the static posters and the dynamic AR approach allows the viewer to feel a more immersive sense of time passing unnoticed around them. This work intends to make people aware of the passage of time and the changes around them, cherish time more and pay more attention to the changes in people and events around them.
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Rubinstein, D., Sluis, K. (2013). ‘The Digital Image in Photographic Culture: Algorithmic Photography and the Crisis of Representation’,The Photographic Image in Digital Culture. London: Routledge. pp.22-40.
In The Photographic Image in Digital Culture, Rubinstein explains that photography can be used to represent memory. In contrast, photography can directly explore time through the incomparability of record and memory. According to Rubinstein, photography presents images in which multiple timelines co-exist but constantly replace each other. Since humans cannot exist in the hierarchical space of Cartesian geometry, they can only see moments in fragmented time. Photography can therefore act as an archive of memory, recording and presenting the behavioural changes that occur throughout the passage of time from a four-dimensional perspective. The process of photography is a process of experience plus memory, and the recording ends with the presentation of a whole continuum of images. When we look back at the recording process, we are also looking at the passage of time from the dimension of time in four dimensions.
The temporal dimension of the four dimensions serves as a new perspective that allows for a macro overview of the passage of time and the resulting temporal trajectory. According to Heraclitus,’ you cannot step into the same river twice ‘. The passage of time is a continuous state and irreversible, so many moments cannot be archived. As Barthes states, photography reproduces time in a way that we can never repeat. Therefore, there is a certain connection between the time when the video was recorded and the time when it was viewed. When the past is recorded and played back over and over again in rapid succession, the oppressiveness of the rapid passage of time is immense.
I began to change my perspective from studying the trajectory of time to focusing on the changes that occur over time in things around me that are easily overlooked. For example, fruit at home always starts to oxidise and decay without being noticed. When bananas become a unit of measurement, they produce a colour change over time. This process of object decay also questions our relationship with time and whether we become powerless in the face of its fleeting nature. Therefore, this project measures the passage of time by recording the subtle changes in different materials under the influence of time. During the project’s experiments, the changes produced by ice, candles and incense as they melt and burn are a lengthy process. When this long process is sped up, this means that the speed of time passing is also sped up. When revisiting the neglected people or things around us, it becomes clear that time is rushing by in the blink of an eye. Therefore, the project is documented using time-lapse photography, which not only speeds up the presentation of the passage of time but also visually forces attention to the passage of time and the subtle changes in things around us.
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