In the past, as a graphic designer, I always justified a good design by using rationality, such as Golden Ratio, color theory or other design principles. The reason was, on one hand my design works related to my client’s job; on the other hand, I took graphic design as a reasonable and calculable task. Thus, I seldom showed my own feeling in my design works.
One day, I needed to take a site visit at landfill in New Territories. My expectation of the landfill is okay. My perception of it seemed interesting because I hadn’t been at landfill before. However, when I got closer to the landfill, some smell from that landfill started triggering my nose’s function. This smell was unexpected and also triggering my hands closed to cut my nose off. When I had got there, I realized that what I see and imagine is different from what I smell. Moreover, this experience have been affecting and influencing myself.
After this visit, there is lot of nonsense questions in my mind. I start feeling confused about this world, but the worst thing is I start feeling confused about myself.
I realize that the real moon is always bigger than what I am looking at. My shirt always changes its color when the light is off. My friend’s voice is so soft when she is far away from me. However, when she speaks on the phone to me, she seems so close to me (but actually she is even far away from me). My mother’s hands were so smooth when I grip her hands in my childhood, but now her hands seem strange to me.
I feel strange to myself. I challenge my sight. I doubt my rationality.
Should I believe what I am seeing? Or should I justify everything based on my sight? Appearance seems oppose to reality.
Am I the one who I am looking at? Am I the one who I understand?
Maybe this is the best time to “know thyself”. I have to understand and define myself before I study the world. In the past, as a graphic designer, I so reply on my sight. One of the reasons is I need to use visual language to draw audiences’ attention. Now, after taking the ceramic course, having my final project, it is the best time for me to use or understand my other senses. My sensibility may help myself to create my art works.
For this final project, I create my works by closing my eyes covered by a mask and working in a dark room. During the process, all my senses seem focusing on my hands. I am really making friend with the material. We start communicating with each other. Also, all my memories of techniques, skills and actions keep refreshing in my mind. The most interesting thing is my sight still tried to dominate my senses at the beginning of the process, even though my eyes were covered. The experience of being discipline is also great. It seems I understand myself more, in terms of sensibility.
The reason of making these boxes is to keep and store my memories and experiences. Since memory and experience are not visible, there is a little thing behind each box. Those little things are kind of hints to remind myself or recall my momentary memories and experiences. Also those little are waiting to be shared and sensed by others.
You are welcome to touch my works and sense my memory.
