A Space That Breathes

While exploring fabric more throughout our research and material exploration, we realized how life-like the free flowing qualities of these materials can be. While researching fabric installations we really enjoyed the billowing effect some displays created, and how much movement and life was within this material especially with the use of wind, the billowing fabrics could appear to be breathing in a breeze. We really loved not only the aesthetic of this but also as a context or key idea throughout our work.

We realized after our site visit to the Auckland Art Gallery, through watching people interact with the space, every one is very polite, and courteous in a gallery space, whether this is due to the space or the art having a hierarchy effect over humans themselves. As we observed people we witnessed how little connection there is between the people within the space, and how much people connect with the space itself as opposed to the living.

I know when I walk around an art gallery I feel myself holding my breathing, making sure I'm not in anyways way, too close to others, or too close to the art, the pressure to keep moving is something myself and my peers always experience in gallery spaces, in order to keep the order you must slowly move through at a similar pace to others around you, very little room in time to stop for a long period of time and contemplate. This was evident in the Auckland Art Gallery with very small amounts of seating spaces, and all in public open spaces, where you are perhaps still in the way.

We decided this plays in well with the living concept, the imaginary force which pushes your movement, the flow of people reminded us of circulation and breathing. We then decided we wanted to create a space that breathes, we wanted to manipulate peoples emotions towards the space and some how personify the cold stagnant space so that it feels alive and breathing. Through the use of movement, light, warmth etc, we will be aiming to create intimacy within the space, by creating these moments we encourage people to experience the space how they like, whether the bodily elements makes it uncomfortable or comfortable the space will be unique from what it is now and the way that people feel towards it.