STUDIO LOG

2. Work 2. Merry Go Round of Life (Completed), 2022, video 

Origin: I am aware of the rarity of one's time at the university. Although I aim to continue my practice as a professional artist, I may not have the luxury of friendly support, mentorship, and resources away from the campus. Knowing so, I try to utilise my time here by expanding my practice and testing different mediums. As highlighted in my previous research, the current practice involves the discussion of changes through time. Driven by the core idea of the project and also my personal obsession with routines, structure, and logic, the compulsions and repetitions naturally become a practice interest. I was interested in the repeating images/scenes from the series Every Waking Hour, such as the chess board, glasses and pills. I wondered if they could become works of their own.  

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2.1 Critical Reflections  

1) Theories and fundamentals:  

I have previously rejected the idea of making video works. Besides the personal sentiment against video work, the rationales are listed as followed: 

• Misinterpretation about the concept of time: Videos follow a linear timeline. Time is neither linear nor circular, it is not a fourth demension, but merely a delusion (Rovelli, 2019) (Hawking, 1988) As much as I do enjoy movies and motion pictures, I cannot convince myself to give in to the linear timeline for this particular project. That is to say, if the project is focused on the discussion of anything else, such obsession with the theories of time would be indeed ridiculous. Yet for this project, the works have to be validated by theories.

• Meaning of the work and visual language: Without diving further to theoretical physics, the interpretation of spacetime is rooted in my belief system. It is when I have learned the uninterpretable and the formidable that I finally came to accept the impermanence. The project In-between is a research into the metamorphosis of the mind, perception through a highly unstable state. In my own experience, it is state without gravity, direction, a state where the past and future all collapse with the present, where uncertainties breed possibilities through choices. 
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3) Vision:  However difficult it is to truly translate those emotions and transitions, I have decided to try to suitable way to deliver the ideas. The aim of this work is to visualise the repetitive motions in life, with refrained emotions and without bias. 

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5) Choice of medium and justification: 

• The praxinoscope (Early animation devices vs. digital motion cinema): It was the day my odd collections finally paid off. I have had the praxinoscope for long. Although the choice was originally by instinct and personal preference, it is justifiable under the context of the project: The praxinoscope (the successor of the zoetrope) is a device that contains a strip of pictures around the inner surface of a spinning cylinder of mirrors. Usually, the strips contain up to 12 continuous images, just about enough to generate a simple movement while spinning. Compared to digital motion cinema, the praxinoscope is a much more suitable device according to the following:

a). It is designed to play one animation in a loop, suitable for the emphasis of repetition;

b). The spin is either clockwise or anticlockwise, while spun in a different direction, the motion is either forward or backward, corresponding with the hesitation and indetermination throughout the phase of limbo;

c). the animations are optical illusions;

d). nostalgia associated with the childhood toy. 

• Devices tested: Out of curiosity, I have also tested other optical devices including the thaumatrope, cylindrical mirror anamorphose, zoetrope, and praxinoscopes in different sizes. The medium-sized praxinoscope was chosen based on the image quality, speed, and exterior. (See below Testing and Selection)

6) Technical concerns and solutions: 

• Restricted to 12 frames;

• The size of individual frames and the distance between frames must be compatible with the mirrors;  

• Images must be flipped horizontally (along the Y-Axis), particularly the ones with writings;

• Movement must be continuous yet display visible changes so as to be seen within 12 frames;

• Diameters: diameters are negatively correlated to perceived speed (less time required to move 360 degrees): a diameter too short will result in faster moving images;

• Filming and editing: The praxinoscope and camera must remain in the exact same position/angle without deviation during filming; reverse editing to let the praxinoscope spin by itself. 

Deliverables:

• 7 physical praxinoscopes containing different stripes (please kindly see below); 

• Videos that plays forward and backward: 1. Said, Unsaid, 2. Addiction, Detox, 3. Fold, Unfold, 4. Open, Close, 5. Known/Unknow, 6. Attack, Retreat ​​

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7) Exhibition ​(Brick Walls and Glass Ceiling, Wilson Road)

• ​Curation:  The original attempt was to display the praxinoscopes and allow the audience to interact with them. However, I was asked by the curators to substitute physical objects with videos. ​

a) Pros and Cons of the praxinoscopes

Pros: Allows interaction; continue to photo the fingerprints of praxinoscopes later with a black light as another work derived from the series; allow interaction with different speed and different motion direction;

Cons: Speed is too fast due to the size; inconsistent quality of the objects; 

b) Pros and Cons of the videos:  

Pros: A clean and simple installation; better image quality with adjusted speed; 

Cons: The one continuous video defeats the very core purpose to allow stills, and motions (at different speeds, and directions) at the same time; eliminates the possibility of interactions and therefore the idea of "choice determines perception and the course of the event". 

• Decisions and reflections: In the end, I delivered the videos (mixed the forward and backward by editing) instead of the praxinoscopes. I do agree with the curators' points on the insufficiency and difficulty in displaying the actual objects. However, as I have argued before, I find in this case, the shortcomings of the objects are insignificant compared to the compromise of the ideology and concept. 

• Alternative solutions: Displaying all the videos at the same time (as shown on this page) is an acceptable way of showing them. Alternatively, I have been exploring the possibility of creating a 3D zoetrope after the exhibition. However, the project was deemed unfeasible given the time frame due to the overall complexity and limited availability of 3D printing resources. 

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2.2 Process and Documentation