Private Spaces
2010, here in Tianjin/China
mirror, wood, vibration absorbing material, upholstery, fabric
green space: 50 cm x 70 cm x 200 cm
orange space: 65 cm x 75 cm x 140 cm
black space: 200 cm x 200 cm x 110 cm
What happens inside me when no stimuli enters from outside? What thoughts arise when I don’t hear and don’t see anything? In the noiseless, tender dark, will I also think of the things that need to be done? Or is it possible to experience a feeling of “nothingness”? The work “private spaces” is an attempt to make one feel nothingness. The private space consists of three soundproof boxes lined inside with fluffy fabric. Only one person fits inside, lying, standing or sitting.
“private spaces” is inspired by the gigantic population density in China – by the experience of being surrounded by so many people that it seems almost impossible to spend a single moment alone. In European cities, our perception is flooded by stimuli too: possibilities, people, cars, advertisements, information. Inevitably, this state leads to blunting. “private spaces” offer a retreat, without any stimuli. After a turbo meditation, I re-enter the world. At the moment I step out, when opening the door, a light beam lets me enjoy the color of the interior space and the shape of the fluffy fabric, allowing me to explore the duality between sensory deprivation and sensory stimulation.
