Physical Editing (2022)
Date: Apr 01 2022
Media: projection, daily-used materials...
Credits: Tianyi Lu, Daisy Hao Li, Wenhui Chen, Ruoqi Zheng
Thanks: EL ÚLTIMO GRITO, Nick Williamson
Description: Experimental cinematic installations
OVERVIEW
CREATING, CREATION is an experimental work series that explores the potential narrative connections between two specific terms: Cactus and Robots. The relationships between machine and organism are revealed from two perspectives. It is also a subset of larger project INTERLUDES: PHYSICAL EDITING led by El Último Grito ︎ and Nick Williamson ︎ in Goldsmiths.
Physical Editing explores the intersections of media, space and objects to develop new languages for design. It will be editing films as spatial installations in space (as a form similar to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave). In space designers will favour and explore the idea of conflict. Designers have no real control over how audience is going to move and explore ’film’ so the aim of these ‘films’ is not only building a narrative but also communicating and suggesting new ideas.
PIECE I: CREATING
Three-channels video installation (projector: colour, sound), Acrylic with mono sound
Installation dimensions variable
The installation is inspired by two group productions: experimental poetry and comic C-Lab. It creates multiple infinitely extended spaces through the combination of media and objects that together create a manufactured scene of mechanical beauty. The mutual shaping process between artificial objects and nature is demonstrated, presenting a timeless, congruous poem of nature.
Cinematography & Video editing: Daisy Hao Li
Sound track remix: 0000010000 & 1111110111 (ft. Ryoji Ikeda)
PIECE II: CREATION
Single-channel video installation (projector: colour, sound), aluminium, sand, wood, steel
150 x 150 x 62 cm
The installation is inspired by two group productions: experimental poetry and comic Vision Saṃsāra. It distorts present time and space through the use of multiple media to create a infinite loop which is divorced from the realistic context. This is a journey to the strange ecological landscape, in which a group of multidimensional visions under the machine’s endless observation is presented - a silent dance about the meaning of new nature through the gaze of the mechanical eye.
DESIGN AND RESEARCH PROCESS
Design process generates inspirations for the Experimental Narrative Tools Research Process.
Narrative Tool 1 - Film (Object Oriented Cinema Remaking)
We choose one of the renowned Sub Dogma films ︎ (Object oriented films) from Sub Dogma and remake it. De-constructed all the elements inside of the film trailer and present in our own way.
The remake of the film is strictly limited to the location in London, and the highest degree of restoration is achieved through simple utensils in a week, so as to improve the insight and grasp of the narrative characteristics of objects and buildings.
In this process, I have realised that objects are very flexible when they are as presenting tools. The core of the film is never the objects themselves. In opposite, the core is the objects’ appearance and influence: the atmosphere that they delivered to audiences in every shot and the combined rhythm of the footage.
Narrative Tool 2 - Comic
In this stage, we choose to present the narrative by using clear storyline in which every subject and every behaviour was showed clearly.
Narrative Tool 3 - Literature
We created a co-poem by following each other’s thoughts flow in turns unconditionally. Eventually, we developed a lyrical “epic” in which based on those two simple words.
Narrative Tool 4 - Installations
We took outcomes from former three narrative tools and started experiments regarding spacial cinema to deliver new design outcomes based on physical materials with experiencing possibilities.
THOUGHTS
“Physical Editing looks at the production space of cinema as a vehicle for exploring intersections of objects, film, media and space. In my words, it is not a multimedia project, it is a metamedia project — instead of using media to provide simple narratives or solutions, it explores the essence and possibilities of multimedia as carrier of narratives and meanings.
Our team members have taken 2 months on designing solutions for presenting “meta-physical narrative installations”. The process have expanded my understanding of physical objects: A new type of complexity in the process for audiences exploring symbolisation was shown naturally — a visual riddle waiting for players to “solve” in their inner world. When the thinking process is completed by viewers (no matter separately or together), the deep meanings will expand to matters’ surface in physical dimensions.
In conclusion, it shows me that a single installation can present infinite possibilities for audiences to understand the narratives based on certain contexts and visual guides. Similar methods are feasible to apply in my other works to present the concept better.”
EXHIBITIONS/AWARDS
2022 - Hatcham Gallery, London
2022 - Lesoco, Lewisham College, London
2022 - Cinema, Goldsmiths UoL, London