Aalto University, P.O. BOX 11000, 00076 AALTO www.aalto.fi Master of Arts thesis abstract
Author Miyu Kuno Title of thesis Capturing the Moment Department Department of Design Degree programme Master’s Degree in Textile Art and Design Year 2013 Number of pages 106 Language English Abstract The main topic of the thesis is time, the perception of time, and light. Based on my observations, thoughts and daily experiences in Helsinki as an “outsider”, I came up with the idea for the the- sis. Time and light are very common things in our daily lives but rarely do we think about the relationship between them or their natures. This is the reason I chose them as the research topic. The purpose of my creative work part is to make an artwork to feel the existence of invisible things for the viewer, such as passing of time and light. I started working on the thesis in Sep- tember 2012 and I had an exhibition of thesis artwork in the end of February 2013. This thesis also contains the outcome of the exhibition as the result of execution process. Keywords Time, The perception of time, Light, Textile Art, Silk screen printing Capturing the Moment by Miyu Kuno
Masters Thesis in Textile Art and Design Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture 2013 Foreword
0.Foreword
!is book, Capturing the Moment is a book American contemporary artist, James Turrell, written on my thesis artwork and its research because his standpoint is very close to mine, background. The main topic of my thesis is and his opinion helped me a lot in developing time, the perception of time, and light. Based my idea further. After that I summarise my on my observations, thoughts and daily research on the concept of time. !e purpose experiences in Helsinki as an “outsider”, I of this part is to argue how a human being came up with the idea for the thesis. Time is imaginative and how one thing can be and light are very common things in our interpreted in many di"erent ways. daily lives but rarely do we think about the relationship between them or their natures. Next, I move to the discussion about the This is the reason I chose them as the relationship between light and time, because research topic. The purpose of my creative we can perceive the passing of time only work part is to make an artwork to feel the with the changing of other elements and existence of invisible things for the viewer, light is one of them. I then discuss the such as passing of time and light. I started topic of light in depth; the sense of light in working on the thesis in September 2012 different cultures. I introduce two artists and I had an exhibition of thesis artwork in who succeeded in capturing the sense of the end of February 2013. This thesis also passing of time through expression of light contains the outcome of the exhibition. in different ways. The practical part follows the theoretical part, in which, I explain the This book consists of two parts: part one concept of my artwork, how I developed explores a number of di"erent points to view the idea, what are the hidden stories in the the topic of time and light. !e second part motives, how I planned the exhibition, how illustrates the work process and theories of I solved problems, and how I executed my the thesis artwork. working theories.
To express the whole context of my thesis, I start the discussion with my personal point of view and the starting point of the research. I continue by introducing some ideas from an
01 Contents
0.Foreword
1.Starting Point 1.1 Motivation 1.2 !e Concept 1.3 Object of !esis
2.James Turrell
3.Time and Human 3.1 Time Recognition and Human’s View of the World 3.2 Elastic our Time Perception 3.3 Time Perception and Body Size
4.Light and time 4.1 My Room 4.2 Sunlight as a Measure of Time
5.Light 5.1 Sense of Light and Colours 5.2 Sense of Light and Art Study1. Painting of Water Lilies Study2. Light in Scandinavia
6.Capturing the moment 6.1 Outcome 6.2 Outline of My Work 6.3 Context of My Work 6.4 Hidden Stories Behind the Graphics 6.5 Process of Idea Development 6.6 Technical Point of View 6.7 Planning an Exhibition 6.8 Feedback
7.Conclusion
8.Endnote 8.1 Bibliography 8.2 Image Credits
03 Capturing the Moment Staritng Point
1.Starting Point
1.1 Motivation seasonal changes, it is very different from My thesis work, Capturing the Moment, is the seasonal changes in Finland. Bright- an artwork based on the topic of time, the ness does not change from one extreme to perception of time and light. !is idea comes another. I noticed that these huge changes in from my thoughts and experiences in Hel- light a"ect my lifestyle and behaviour a lot. sinki, Finland. I have to change the position of my desk and bed according to the season because of the I feel like an “outsider” or “observer” here. brightness of the window side of my room. I came from Tokyo to Helsinki in August I can spend a longer time working at home 2011. Before that, I had lived in Tokyo for in the winter than in the summer because I Glaring sunlight, a view from my apartment, 2012 twenty-three year. I had not have any experi- come home earlier. Maybe this finding was on the clean and empty architectural space 1.3 Objective of thesis ences in living in other places. Both Tokyo the starting point of my interest on time in Finnish houses. I was inspired by this dra- !e objective of this thesis is to rethink the and Helsinki are capital cities of each coun- and light. This major changing that occurs matic light and shadow created by strong and things we take for granted in our daily lives try, Japan and Finland, and also located in through the year a"ects my daily activities a glaring sunlight in Finland. Consequently, and try to see the things from several di"er- the eastern ends of Asia and Europe. I feel lot and this became a kind of intense event this lead to the idea for my thesis. ent angles by the method of research. In that sometimes, as many people think, that these to me as an “outsider” or “observer”. I felt that point, my topics of interest, the time and the two countries have similar characteristics I became more aware of the passing of time 1.2 !e Concept light are suitable themes. These things are but now I know that life in these two coun- than before. !e main idea of my work is to create an art- really close to our daily lives, yet mysterious tries is completely different. I was amazed, work changing in the appearance according topics and they are di#cult to grasp exactly and sometimes confused by the differences Another thing that surprised me was the to the amount of light. The purpose of this for what they really are. I think it is mean- between the two countries. Of course, there fact that even the winter sunlight was glar- artwork is to feel the existence of invisible ingful to try to get a new perspective and are many cultural di"erences, but the thing, ing and strong because of the altitude of the things, such as passing of time and light. I mindset to something we take for granted which was the most impressive change for sun is very low. It causes a dramatic e"ect in wanted to provide an opportunity to sense because it is a good opportunity to maintain me was the changing of the seasons. I was light and shadow. !e patterns of the shade the passing of time for the viewer through a fresh mind as a creative artist and designer. surprised at how fast it got dark in the win- changes from moment to moment and I felt this artwork. I named my work, “Capturing ter and how bright it was, even at midnight, it was an interesting and beautiful phenome- the Moment”. in the summer. Even though Japan has four non; this primitive yet easily forgetful beauty
04 05 Capturing the Moment Staritng Point
Dusk from my apartment, 2012
Light and shade in my room, 2011
Glaring sun in winter, Vantaa, 2012
06 07 Capturing the Moment James Turrell
2.James Turrell
James Turrell (1943- ) is an American art- the artificial lights produce an orange glow to recognize things in the dark getting used Notes 1 - James Turrell, 2011. Inteview Magazine interviewed ist who was born in Los Angeles. He creates on the white walls of the room to make com- to darkness. Turrell’s screen emits really low by Michael Govan [Accessed January 2013] a lot of artworks concerned with light and plementary colours as blue colour of the sky. light and only after the dark adaptation has 2 - Anonymous, 2013. James Turrell: Wikipedia [Accessed space. He studied psychology of perception !us permitting the viewer to appreciate the happened, the viewer sees the screen. January 2013] 4 3 - A permanent work made by James Turrell for MoMA at Pomona College in Los Angeles in the intensity of colour of the sky. For Turrell’s work, it is an essential process PS1; a contemporary art museum in New York. 1960s. He has created a lot of works “us- that the viewer spends this certain amount 4 - MoMA PS1 website [Accessed January 2013] ing light as a material to in!uence or a"ect the “There’s this four-square seating that’s inside, of time in the room prior to the appearance 5 - Amy Chavez, 2008. Land of the Great Pumpkin [Ac- 1 medium of perception” . He thinks perception seating toward each other, having a space that of the screen and it can be considered as a cessed January 2013] is a mysterious gift for the human because created some silence, allowing something to de- ceremonious moment. His work is not just a we usually possess it unconsciously. Many of velop slowly over time, particularly at sunset. beautiful light but he requires the viewer to his installation works are to make people re- Also, this Meeting has to do with the meeting of perceive positively. His fundamental claims realize the existence of light. Sometimes he space that you’re in with the meeting of the space and aims are overlap with my original in- uses some mechanical structure to complete of the sky.” (James Turrell, PBS interview) terests and findings. Also, his comments in his installation work, but his work is not the interview provided me with a lot of hints classi$ed as technology art nor media art be- “Backside of the Moon” is another example on when forming my research. cause the objective of his work is to appeal to Turrell’s installation works. ($g.2) !is work people’s perception and he gets the maximum is exhibited as a permanent work at Naoshi- e"ect with using still mechanical but not less ma Islands in Japan. To experience this in- 2 sophisticated technology. stallation artwork, the viewer needs to walk into a completely dark room and sit down on 5 Many of his works require the viewer to a bench according to the lead of usher. After spend a certain amount of time to appreciate a 10-minute wait, the viewer notices that a 3 it. For example, “Meeting” is a rectangu- screen of light gradually appears in front of lar opening in the ceiling of a large room. him/her. !is artwork uses the mechanism of (fig.1) People can observe the sky through so-called dark adaptation. Dark adaptation the opening at dusk. !e shape of the room is a phenomenon when our eyes become able and opening are carefully calculated so that
08 09 Capturing the Moment Time and Human
3.Time and Human
“We live within this reality we create, and we’re that could keep accurate time continually quite unaware of how we create the reality.” for years on end until a successful pendu- (James Turrell, Interview Magazine) lum clock was invented by a Dutch scientist Christian Huygens in the middle of 17th 6 Perspective is our projection of consciousness. century. Before that people lived in another I am interested in how people understand reality. I would like to say that they lived in the concept of time and how it has developed more imagination-based reality compared to because it animates the people’s view of the our view of time in the modern society. I am $g.1 Meeting, James Turrell world and what reality is for them. In this fascinated by the emotional and chaotic parts chapter, I introduce several different points in the origin of the human’s recognition of of view on time, the history of time and the time. $ndings on the perception of time based on the scientific research in several different “In man’s case, awareness of the distinction be- areas. !e main point of this chapter is to ar- tween past, present and future must have been gue that time itself does not have any speci$c the result of conscious reflection on the human nature but the human being keeps trying situation. The mental and emotional tension to $nd a proper interpretation for it in their resulting from man’s discovery that every living own “realities”. I do not have any personal creature is born and dies, including himself, must opinion about the credibility of each theory have led him intuitively to seek some escape from but I admire the human’s rich creativity and the relentless !ux of time.” (GJ Whitrow, What imagination. is Time?)
3.1 Time Recognition and Human’s View of One of the important differences between the World man and all other creatures is the under- $g.2 Backside of the moon, James Turrell Nowadays we live in a world, in which time standing of the concept of time. Animals live is measured by scientific time clock. How- in continual present but humans always exist ever, humans did not have any accurate clock
10 11 Capturing the Moment Time and Human in between past and future. !e understand- time and our modern concept of time is rath- nity (Aion)”. In contrast, the image of time ing of concept of time determines di"erences er linear than cyclical. In the teachings of in Renaissance was the destroyer, equipped between animals and humans. However, Christ, Cruci$xion was regarded as an event with sandglass, scythe or sickle. I really like it doesn’t mean that we always have a clear that never subjected to repeat in chronicle. this kind of viewpoint, it is imaginative and interpretation of time. We have a long his- In that sense, time must be inevitably linear inspiring. I cannot help wondering which im- tory where several di"erent concepts of time and not cyclic in the way of thinking unlike age modern people have about time. Either competed with each other and the concepts many other ancient cultures and cosmologi- negative things such as irritate and dull or supported by the majority became the stand- cal ideas. After that, the two major views of positive and symbol of fruitful modern life. ard at the time. It is possible to say that the Nowadays seasonal natural phenomena time; linear and cyclical were con%icting each essence of time is an illusion because how would not be a threat in most cases in the other throughout the whole medieval period. Back to the original topic, as I mentioned in you understand the concept of time forms the highly developed society. However, we still the beginning, until the successful pendulum foundation of your perspective of the world. remember and know that the nature some- “Scientists and scholars, in- clock was invented in the times bares her fangs to the human and we fluenced by astronomy and middle of the 17th century, The oldest concept of time might be the cannot resist it. !us, natural disasters actu- astrology, tended to emphasize humans did not have a way 7 cyclical view of time. GJ Withrow (1972) ally help the human to develop the sense the cyclic concept. The linear to know or measure accurate claims that there is evidence that ritual burial of time. Again, according to Whitrow, the concept was fostered by the time. Therefore, Whitrow was already an established custom in 35,000 Egyptians who lived near the Nile devised a mercantile class and the rise of makes a guess that the peo- BC and it may be an indication of the origins calendar, which consists of twelve months, money economy. For as long as ple’s time reckoning was es- of the cyclic conception of time. The dead each thirty days, with $ve additional days at power was concentrated in the sentially discontinuous. Even found from that period were usually buried in the end of the year. !ey based their calen- ownership of land, time was the operation of sundials, a crouched posture; exactly the same posture dar to the three cycles of the Nile at Cairo. felt to be plentiful and was as- sand-reckoners and water of foetus in the womb of the mother, and it However, Whitrow continues, despite the sociated with the unchanging cycle of the soil. But clocks were more or less irregular. Newton means that the dead were placed in the womb Egyptian example, in most cases calendars with the circulation of money the emphasis was persisted in the cyclical view of time and he of Mother Earth for future rebirth. Whitrow are intended to be associated with religion on mobility. $e tempo of life was increased, and was convinced that the world was coming to mentions this explanation of our remote an- because of the importance of the need to $x time was now regarded as something valuable an end. Whitrow, introducing one example, cestor’s burial custom is an open question, celebration dates. Actually, in accordance that was felt to be slipping away continually.” to show how people in the ancient time un- 8 but still is an interesting hypothesis. with this law, linear view of time has born. (GJ Whitrow, What is Time?) derstood and calculated time: Homer makes one of the Priam’s sons say to Achilles in his To understand the cyclical view of time, the When the topic comes to relationship be- Whitrow says that clear differences can be book “Twenty-#rst Book of the Iliad”, “$is is intuitive understanding of feeling the impor- tween religion and the time recognition, seen in the expression of the concept of time the twelfth Dawn since I came to Ilion.” tance of cyclical phenomena in nature seems I cannot go forward without mention- in classical art and typical Renaissance imag- to be a key factor. !is understanding of the ing Christianity because according to GJ es of time. In classical art, it is interpreted as sense of rhythm was essential for the human Whitrow, it is the origin of linear view of “!eeting opportunity (Kairos)” or “creative eter- to survive in the ancient era.
12 13 Capturing the Moment Time and Human
3.2 Elastic Time were shown, the greater their overestimation. ing of time, how will our body measure the 3.3 Time Perception and Body Size As we discuss huge scale things about time, I timing and will it work correctly or will it be In the end of this chapter, I would like to would now like to return to a more personal Claudia Hammond found out that it has stretched? !ere is an experiment to answer introduce one interesting hypothesis based topic. Do you have any experiences that feel been established that people who su"er from these questions. This experiment was con- on the research from the field of Zoology. as if the time slows down or speeds up? I depression feel that the time passes much ducted by a French underground explorer, an This argument was introduced to Japanese 11 have a lot of these kinds of experiences, I feel slower compared to the sentiment of the adventurer and scientist, Michel Siffre in community in general by a book written by a as if time is warped. In this part, I would like normal people. As similar kind of feeling of 1962. He spent two months in a cave in the Japanese biologist Tatsuo Motokawa (1993). to mention how our perception of time is an depression, one researcher carried out an ex- French Alps in totally isolated environment. He introduced an unfamiliar concept in gen- elastic and ambiguous measurement system. periment on the relationship between rejec- He lived in a subterranean glacier under- eral named allometry by means of publishing 10 tion and sense of time. Jean M.Twenge con- ground with no clocks or daylight to mark a book which written in easy expression. A There are some elements that directly affect ducted this kind of an experiment in 2003. time. When I read about this experiment summary of his ideas below. our perception of time and emotion is one of He divided people into two groups and told for first time, I thought that his perception them. Maybe this is easy to imagine, basi- one group they were rejected by the other of time might slow down compared to real Have you ever felt that the smaller creatures cally, we tend to feel that the passing of time group. Then researchers asked both groups clock because there was no entertainment behave quicker than the bigger one? Since is slower when we feel bored and quicker to estimate 40 seconds without any measure- and he had to endure loneliness and boredom the ancient times, many people have been when we are enjoying something or concen- ment. The average of the normal group was that lasted 1,500 hours. In fact, contrary to trying to $gure out the relationship between trate on something. However, according to 42.5 seconds, while the average of rejected my expectations, he was astonished when his the body size and time. For example, some Claudia Hammond (2012), the most power- group was 63.6 seconds. Negative feelings team members reached the glacier to fetch people measured the rate of each mammal’s ful emotion to skew our perception of time is like rejection makes their perception of time him after exactly two months. At that time, heartbeat and calculate the proportion to fear. When we are genuinely frightened, one stretch to one and a half times longer. Ac- he thought he still had 25 days to go. De- their weight. As a result, they found a formu- minute can feel like $fteen. So, usually when cording to this result, it might be possible to spite him being absolutely lonely and bored, la for mammals; time is proportional to the we experience a life-threatening incident, our say that depression equals to disorder of time his time perception was about two times weight raised to the one-fourth. !is means 12 brain creates much more memories than usu- perception. Our time perception is such an expanded. What we can learn from this ex- the weight becomes sixteen times heavier al. All the events every second are brand new ambiguous sensor and it has elasticity. periment is that we adjust our internal sense and the time perception becomes two times information for our brain and it makes us of time by the changing of surroundings. slower. feel as if it takes a longer time than it really Usually, we are able to know the passing of does. According to the research of Elizabeth time from the information of environmen- I do not consider this formula to be entirely 9 F. Loftus and her colleagues in1987, when tal changes such as the scenery and sounds. accurate in terms of it covering all mam- people saw a video of a bank robbery last- On the other hand, it is also true that the mals in the world, however, this is quite an ing exactly 30 seconds, two days later they surroundings can also become a trigger to interesting way of thinking. Tatsuo continues tended to guess that the duration of the video confuse our sense of time. So, what will hap- his discussion; the interval of the heartbeat was $ve times longer than it really was. !e pen to our sense of time if we have no clue is the same as the time intervals of repetitive more disturbing the version of the video they to judge time? Without any signals of pass- phenomena happening inside of our body.
14 15 Capturing the Moment Time and Human
Each time our hearts beat, fresh blood is sent their own heartbeat as a clock to measure the out to our bodies through vessels. The time time, both elephants and mice live and die it takes for the blood to return to the heart in totally same amount of time. To sum up after having gone through the whole body his hypothesis, the small creature has a faster is longer if you have a large body and thus perception of time compared to big ones. In smaller ones have a faster blood circulation. that sense, perhaps their perception of life is If we think this way, we can understand that not so di"erent even in mouse and elephant. each creature has her own time. Mice have the time of the mouse and elephants have the In this chapter, I explored several different time of the elephant. If this is true, my body kinds of “realities” mentioned by James Tur- size is quite small, smaller than the average. rell in his interview. First, I introduced the So, if you are a tall person, perhaps my time origin of the history of time through the rela- perception is slightly faster than yours. tionship between time and the human’s faith and values at that time. Then, I discussed Based on the previous contents, Tatsuo gives the ambiguity of human’s perception of time appealing consideration about the perception based on the research examples from the of time. He claims that someone calculated $eld of psychology. In the end, I broadened time according to this formula of time and the discussion from the relationship between weight. If all the phenomena related to time time and human to mammals with using the Picture from thesis exhibition, "Capturing the Moment" 2013 are proportional to weight raised to the one- hypothesis from the $eld of zoology. Like I fourth, we can calculate the numbers with- mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, I out the weight to make a division with two believe time itself does not have any speci$c Notes numbers form anything related to time. For nature. However, we can de$ne it by observ- 6 - GJ Whitrow, 1972. What is Time? p21 example, when we divide the numbers of life ing the relationship between time and some 7 - A British mathematician, cosmologist and science historian. span by the time intervals of our heartbeat: other things. In following chapter, I would 8 - A famous poet who lived in ancient Greek. the hearts of all the mammals beat about like to discuss the relationship between time 9 - Claudia Hammond, 2012. Time Warped p29 10 - Claudia Hammond, 2012. Time Warped p31 two billion times in their life. If we divide and light by introducing my own experiences 11 - Claudia Hammond, 2012. Time Warped p90 the numbers of life span by the numbers of and some examples from scienti$c research. 12 - Claudia Hammond, 2012. Time Warped p93 breathing, most of the mammals breathe $ve hundred millions times in their life. If we measure the life span of mouse and elephant by physical time, elephants can live much longer than mouse. However, if we think
16 17 Capturing the Moment Light and Time
4.Light and Time
“Many people are unaware about light or never case in the centre of the building and the think about it. However, it doesn’t mean we staircase is always dark because there are no don’t a"ected by light.” (James Turrell, Interview windows. However, the front door is made Magazine) of transparent glass plate and sometimes sunlight creeps into the inner part of the 4.1 My room staircase. Compared to the light and shade, I share a one-bedroom apartment with my which appear in the room, the one appearing friend. Since my friend chose to live in the on the entrance is closer to the Japanese light bedroom, the room I live in is the living and shade because the colour of darkness is room; more precisely, I live in the corner of darker and deeper. I love to observe the gra- the huge living room. Our apartment is on dient tones appearing on the empty wall of the fourth %oor and our house is close to the the corridor. forest. I like my room, because there is no partition. Entrance space and kitchen are In either case, it is important that I can ob- connected through my living space. My room serve the light and shade because of the com- also has two huge windows. My bed and bination of sunlight from low altitude and desk are arranged next to the window. I can empty space. !is empty space reminds me of see the sunset and di"erent gradations of the the keywords such as clean, simple, minimal coloured sky from the window every day. !e and silent and those keywords are strongly sunlight sometimes makes interesting shapes connected to my subjective image of Finland. of light and shadow inside of the room. It appears on the empty wall painted white and Another thing, the huge change that happens soon it goes away. in my room according to the affect of sun- light, is seasonal changing of the position of Also, the entrance of my apartment is an my desk and bed($g.3a,b). !e window in my Window in my room, 2012 interesting place to observe the play of light room is facing southwest. So, in the morn- and shade. Our apartment has a spiral stair- ing, left side of the window is brighter than
18 19 Capturing the Moment Light and Time right side because the left side of the window is closer to the true east when I standing towards the window. In the evening, I can see the sunset directly from the right side of the window. Usually I work at my desk from around seven o’clock until midnight and sleep in the bed until eight o’clock in the morning. In the summer, to avoid the direct sunlight hitting my eyes at sunset, I move my desk to the left side of the widow so I am not facing the right side of the window. In the winter, to get the sunlight in the morning to wake up more easily, I move my bed to the left side of the window. To bring the desk to right side in the winter is also good for me, because when I draw something with my right hand, $g.3-a My room in Summer, 2012 I do not get the shadow of my hand on the paper when working during the day.
$g.3-b My room in Winter, 2012
20 21 Capturing the Moment Light and Time
Entrance of my apartment, 2012
Picturaåe from my room, 2012
Basement of my apartment and shadow, 2012
22 23 Capturing the Moment Light and Time
4.2 Brightness as a measure of time bird hunters prepared decoy birds in the au- it is also possible to say that we know that !ere is a word: photoperiodism. Photoperi- tumn, which showed the behaviour of the phenomenon as experience at some point in odism is a biological phenomenon caused by breeding season by controlling their biologi- the past. For example, I already knew the fact the in%uence of the length of day and night. cal clock with arti$cial light. Japanese were that some %owers are blooming only in day- This word was initially introduced by W. raising Nightingale with artificial light to time and petals close for the night through 15 W. Garner and H. A. Allard in 1920 in the enjoy their humming in the winter. past experiences. Like this, both time and 13 United States. !ey noticed that the length lights are primitive and basic elements exist- of the daylight (In fact, it was the length of As I previously mentioned according to the ing in our lives and they are deeply related to darkness) controlling the time of flowering explanation of Whitrow, this phenomenon each other. In the following chapter, I will by means of observing sown seeds of soybean called photoperiodism is more likely to be focus on the topic of light. in several di"erent timings. Regardless of the happening according to the length of dark- di"erence of growth period, %owers bloomed ness than daylight. It means our biological at the same time and they call this phenom- clock sensor becomes most sensitive just after Notes 14 enon Photoperiodic Response. the brightness turns into darkness. This is 13 - GJ Whitrow, 1972. What is Time? p53 proven by the experiment where ferrets reach 14 - Anonymous, 2013. Photoperiodism: Wikipedia [Ac- cessed January 2013] GJ Whitrow defines this phenomenon: the state of the breeding season in both cases 15 - GJ Whitrow, 1972. What is Time? p56 photoperiodism can be seen in a lot of spe- they are subjected to eighteen hours light 16 - GJ Whitrow, 1972. What is Time? p54 cies not only in plants but also in animals. daily continuous or six hours daily total of Germination of seeds, arousal of animals two hours are given as an interruption of from hibernation, migration of birds and the initial 12 hours of dark period. These the seasons for animal breeding, all of them findings are clearly indicative that living happen due to photoperiodism. This chang- organisms possess internal biological clocks ing caused by the interval of day and night and they are adjusted and maintained by the 16 is more remarkable in the middle and high rhythm of day and night. latitude places because the seasonal changing occurs regularly in this area of the surface of So in this chapter, I discussed the relation- Earth. A century has not passed after this ship between time and sunlight from micro word, photoperiodism was invented, but the and macro points of view. My observations fact that lots of plants and animal activities and findings from my room are quite per- are synchronised to the seasonal changes is sonal, photoperiodism again is objective evi- known from long, long time ago. Our ances- dence of relationship between light and time. tors took advantage of using their natures as My observation looks more personal and sub- wisdom. For example, in medieval Holland, jective oriented time perception. However,
24 25 Capturing the Moment Light
5.Light
“Light in Japan is soft, because of the cloud or feeling but at the same time it is dramatic pollution. In either case, it is a gentle light.“ and poetic. Especially in Tokyo, landscape (James Turrell, A Consciousness that Touches the of the city is made from tall buildings and 17 Light) apartment buildings. They often block the view and it is rare that we see the glaring !is is how James Turrell sees Japanese light. and strong sunlight in Tokyo. Furthermore, Now, after staying in Helsinki for a year and though this is my personal opinion, spatial a half year, I understand his feeling. I do not hollow in Finland makes good combination know what makes the impression of light in with glaring sunlight and it produces beauty, Japan soft but I agree with his comment. Nu- which contains Scandinavian aesthetic. !is ance of light and shade in Japan consists of is how I see the light in Helsinki and Tokyo. ephemeral gradients between light and dark. I also feel that Finnish people are good at I am not sure that if the humidity affects dealing with vivid and strong colour like appearance but anyway it is calm. (fig.12) Japanese are good at working with delicate Compared to that, impression of sunlight in and subtle tones. Finland is more clear and transparent. Japan is a country located in the mid-latitude area on the earth and the changing of four sea- sons is well balanced. !e altitude of the sun is changing from low to high according to the seasonal changing but basically the sun passes overhead in daytime and sunlight hits our eyes from low latitude only for a while at sunset. So I feel like the winter sunlight in Finland is like the Japanese sunset cut at a certain proportion and stretched to the length of daytime. It brings me a strange Dusk in Tokyo, Japan, 2013
26 27 Capturing the Moment Light
5.1 Sense of Light and Colours There is a well-known essay for Japanese On the other hand, Junichiro claims that have dark blue pigments, you can make sev- and folding screens often have a background titled “In Praise of Shadows”. The book is Japanese prefer “the colours compounded of eral di"erent tones of blue paints with same made of a sheet of gold foil. These golden written by a Japanese essayist and novelist, darkness” and I agree with his opinion in two pigments. So, in that sense, I think the ex- colours are not for showing off but for the Junichiro Tanizaki. In his book, he discusses di"erent ways. !ere are lots of dark colours pression of Junichiro, “the colours compounded reflection effect of light. In ancient Japan, the differences between the sense of light and their gradient tones when we see the Jap- of darkness” is physically correct. inside of the house was occupied by darkness. in Japan and Western culture. The book is anese traditional colour scheme. !ese subtle Of course, they used some kind of lamps and an essay and he mainly just describes his colours were classi$ed according to the sea- Another interpretation of Junichiro’s claim a $replace to get a certain amount of bright- subjective thoughts according to the theme, son in detail and Japanese ancestors enjoyed is the way the Japanese use vivid or gorgeous ness but it was still dark enough. Under such so there is no objective data to back up his the transition of seasons by using the suitable colours. !ese kinds of colours are often used conditions, when the gold colour reflected argument. However, his point of view is colours in the right time according to the in paintings for a special or festive occasion. the light, it stood out mysteriously. Because very unique and interesting. In particular, I rules of seasonal classification. It seems the For example, when I think about the vivid of this darkness, we felt the value of light and like the part where Junichiro expresses the Japanese are keener on the light and shade of red colour in Japan, the colour of the paper regarded it as a symbol of the holy and mys- colour preferred in Europe with using the the colours themselves than on the e"ect of lanterns for the summer festival comes to terious existence. phrase the colours “as if the rays of the sun the light. When you have a look at any kind mind $rst of all. !e sight of the red light of are overlapped”18. I think this expression is of traditional Japanese painting, there is no lanterns %oating in the darkness of the night To give a brief summary of my views; with quite appropriate for the sense of colour in expression of shadows. Instead all the ele- brings us the real feeling of summer in Ja- the brightness, Japanese seem to be keener on Finland. It reminds me the typical colouring ments are represented by thin outlines and pan. ($g.6) !ere is another example, which the light and shade of the colours themselves of Marimekko fabrics such as vivid blue and di"erent tones of colours $ll the space created shows the combination of special colour to more than on the e"ect of the light. To enjoy red colours. ($g.4) For me, those colours have by the outlines carefully. ($g.5) In traditional a special occasion. When we have a look at the subtle gradients of colour, Japanese even clear and transparent impression, and they Japanese painting, paints are made by mixing Japanese classical art or Buddhist art, we can put the vivid colours into the darkness. seem most beautiful under the natural sun- colour pigments and gelatinous glue together. see that they prefer to use the colour of gold. Notes light. It is exactly the colours “as if the rays of !e darkness of the tones is adjustable to how For example, an image of Buddha often has a 17 - !is phrase is translated by me from Japanese the sun are overlapped”. much pigment we add to the glue, i.e. if you golden body. Also paintings on sliding doors 18 - !is phrase is translated by me from Japanese
28 29 Capturing the Moment Light
$g.4 Picture from Marimekko fashion show, 2012 $g.5 Japanese painting by Shoen Uemura $g.6 Picture from Japanese Summer festival
30 31 Capturing the Moment Light
5.2 Sense of Light and Art ies between 1883 and 1926, since he settled To discus this matter in depth, I picked out in GIverny until the year of his death. It is two painters who had succeeded in capturing said that one of the reasons he kept painting the impression of light and expressing the water lilies was $nancial and it maybe true, feeling of the passing of time in the $eld of but he kept challenging new methods and art. The first one is Claude Monet, and the expressions to capture the changing aesthetic 20 second is Vilhelm Hammershøi. The objec- of nature and their impression. tive of this chapter is to get a deeper under- standing, by researching the background The things most interesting to see in his and works in detail, of how the two artists paintings of water lilies are the expressions succeeded in capturing the impression of the of re%ection of the water. Actually, the water passing of time through the expression of lilies themselves, which also give the title to light in their works. his paintings “Water Lilies”, are not themati- cally most important. It is a hint given by Case Study 1: Water Lilies the painter to the viewer to recognize that Claude Monet (1840-1926) is known as one there is a surface of water and the reflected Picture from Monet's garden of the most famous impressionist painters landscapes are drawn on canvas. As if to in- in the 19th century. Impressionism is an art dicate that, having a look at his early works The border of the water and the water lilies be seen from those facts that Monet made movement that originated with a group of of paintings of water lilies, the real part of a are vague and blurred. Composition is bolder great efforts to capture the ephemera and Parisian artist at the time. Typical of impres- tree and opposite side of the shore, are often than that from early years as if painted from ever changing nature through the re%ecting sionist painting is to prioritize the expression painted on the canvas, as well. (fig.7) Oth- a view overlooking the pond. sky, trees and the colour of sunlight, which of the impression of object to the faithful erwise Monet paints the landscape from a appears on the surface of the pond in his gar- painting to the real proportion and colours distant visual point, after having decided the It is known that Monet suffered from cata- den. and so on. This movement, impressionism, composition so that to paint the water lilies ract in his later life and he lost most of his became a huge movement and it a"ected oth- by using the method of perspective, because eyesight. However, his interests and what he er $elds of art, such as music and literature as it is easier to understand when a %at surface 19 wanted to express with the paintings of water well. is painted on the canvas. Conversely, to have lilies seem to be obviously consistent. It is a look his later water lilies, it is obvious that Notes said that Monet lined up easels in a row so 19 - Anonymous, 2013. Impressionism: Wikipedia [Ac- On Monet’s well-known paintings of water he is more concentrated on the expression of that he could catch the changes in the light. cessed January 2013] lilies in his garden at Giverny: originally he the water and its re%ection. ($g.8) !ere are 20 - Polly Cone, Adele Westbrook ed., 1981. Monet’s It also said that he sometimes threw tan- painted the same theme repeatedly, as he no other motives but water lilies and the sur- Year at the Giverny trums because a change in the weather forced 21 - Polly Cone, Adele Westbrook ed., 1981. Monet’s painted the haystacks and River Seine, but he face of the pond. Also the brush stroke be- 21 him to abandon a canvas for a time. As can Year at the Giverny drew more than 250 paintings of water lil- comes rougher compared to the earlier ones.
32 33 Capturing the Moment Light
$g.7 Early Water Lilies
$g.8 Late Water Lilies
34 35 Capturing the Moment Light
Case Study 2: Empty Room example, Hammershøi does not paint any ex- in our minds when we see the paintings of Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916) is a Dan- cessive things except a painting on the wall, Hammershøi. The two painters had their ish painter who was active in the late 19th no shoes on the %oor or other interior deco- similarities but most distinctive di"erence is century. His work is known as a representa- rations that can be seen in Elinga’s painting. that Hammershøj did not try to capture the tion of Scandinavian Symbolism. Many of his Hammershøi also trims the composition as momentary impressions of changing nature works are affected by Dutch interior paint- much as possible and there is only the op- in his paintings the way Monet did, but to ings from the 17th century by painters like posite wall and the %oor. As there is nothing create a feeling of quiet passing of time. 22 Vermeer and Pieter de Hooch. However, beside wall on his painting, expression of the impression on Hammershøi’s paintings spatial distance is quite vague for the viewer. Notes makes a clear distinction when compared to Details are also vague and blurred. !e legs 22 - Naoki Saito, Felix Krämer ed., 2008. Vilhelm Ham- the Dutch interior painters. Against Dutch of the chair are merged with the dress of mershøi: !e Poetry of Silence paintings represents a familiar feeling of eve- the woman and decorative patterns on the 23 - Naoki Saito, Felix Krämer ed., 2008. Vilhelm Ham- mershøi: !e Poetry of Silence ryday life, many props are deleted or missing wall are disappearing. There is no expres- in the Hammershøi’s paintings and it brings sion of wrinkles of curtains and the projected wired feeling. He often paints the inside of shadow of the frames of the window is dis- his own room but there is no lived-in feeling. torted. The view from the window is misty Instead, there is a certain kind of stillness and also the painting on the wall does not and a quiet passing of time present in his have details. Hammershøi’s painting is very painting. abstract at a glance but some small details such as the sunlight on the %oor and slightly When you look at Hammershøi’s “Woman opened door narrowly bring us the feeling of Reading in Sunlight, Strandgade 30”, there is a the passing of time. !ese elements somehow woman sitting in a chair near a window read- make contrast and this painting has a myste- ing a book. (fig.9) This picture was painted rious but quiet and poetic impression. in his room with a window on the courtyard and the woman in the picture is his mother. Hammershøi often paints the same place of It is said that he is making a reference to the room in different painting repeatedly. Peter Jansens Elinga’s (1623-1682) “Woman Also, the same props appear in different Reading” ($g.10), and the similarity between paintings many times. As a result, despite these two paintings is obvious but Hammer- each of his painting has an impression which shøi deleted a lot of elements and props from misses a lively feeling of daily life because of his painting and succeeded in making a clear the minimized elements and vague details, 23 distinction between the two paintings. For a quiet feeling of passing of time recalled Hammershøi's paintngs with punch bowl
36 37 Capturing the Moment Light
$g.9 Woman Reading in Sunlight, Strandgarde 30, $g.10 Women Reading, Peter Jansens Elinga Vilhelm Hammershøi
$g.11 Hammershøi's paintngs of the same room in di"erent time
38 39 Capturing the Moment Outcome
6.Capturing the Moment
6.1 Outcome See another booklet.
40 41
Capturing the Moment by Miyu Kuno
18.2 - 1.3.2013 Aralis Gallery, Aalto University Arabia Campus Photo from experiment Light and shade in my room Light and shade in my room Light and shade in basement Winter sunlight in Finland, 2012
Printed fabric (left) and projected shadow (right) Möbius strip Scenery from the exhibition
Capturing the Moment by Miyu Kuno
Photography by Foo Aiwei / Miyu Kuno
Published in March 2013 Designed and produced in Finland
[email protected] www.miyukuno.com
©2013 miyu kuno all rights reserved.
Capturing the Moment Outcome
Drawings for Capturing the Moment
42 43 Capturing the Moment Context of My Work
6.2 Outline of Capturing the Moment something that lasts for a very short time and 6.3 Context of My Work My work, “Capturing the Moment” is an in- meaning is almost the same as the meaning The graphical part of the work deals with stallation artwork. The main idea of this of the word transient.24 I put the texts and quite a philosophical and notional theme but work is to create an artwork, which changes illustrations together to pay homage to tra- I wanted avoid showing it seriously or too appearances according to the amount of ditional tapestry ($g.13) and what they rep- directly because I thought it was better that light. In other words, this artwork works as a resent the viewer is to indicate the meaning the artwork had some room for imagination. converter; it converts the light from invisible of the illustration. !e third piece is a small To leave lightness to the artwork, I arranged elements to visible existence. By placing this surface-like pattern with the motif from a motives coming from existing stories as hom- artwork to a space, the viewer can focus on Möbius strip. (fig.14) This means that the age and tried to leave the message unclear. the passing of time visually. two opposite views of time refer to the same !e selection of stories for quotation was in- thing and there is no border between them. tuitive and it is not necessary for everyone to To say a little bit more about the structural recognise the original source of the artwork. theory: my artwork is made of two layers of !e objective of the quotations is to give the fabric, the first layer being a normal plain viewer room to play with the idea of the art- fabric. Graphical artwork is printed on the work by trying to guess what the intention of surface of the second layer. !e graphics can the artist was. only be seen as shadows of the printed pig- ments projected on the surface of the plain I think that leaving part of the artwork un- fabric when a strong light shines from behind clear is important because the creative pro- the artwork. The top fabric is quite light cess is not based on theory only. I also believe and thin so it %utters easily. When the fab- that having ambiguous parts in one’s own $g.13 Tapestry designed by William Morris ric moves, the projected shadows also move work helps to let the subconscious out from slightly. the depths of the mind. For creative people, it is important to know how to control and “Capturing the Moment” consists of three convert both one’s subconscious and con- pieces of artwork. One with the illustration scious thoughts to movement and drive them of tigers expressing the idea of the cyclical towards the goal. view of time and another with the illustra- tion of birds represents the linear view. Short $g.14 Möbius strip by Escher texts, “Moment is ephemeral because it’s not repeating” “Moment is ephemeral but it’s repeat- ing” are written on each with some other related motives. Ephemeral is an adjective for
44 45 Capturing the Moment Hidden Stories
6.4 Hidden Stories thinking that all the living beings are repeat- “Story is always hidden. $e story might not be ing the cycle of birth, life death and rebirth. 25 directly connected to the design. However, that !is kind of thinking is typical of Indian kind of things will be left longer than the things philosophy and Eastern thought. !is is the elaborated. We do not know the reason why but reason the tigers are drawn in circles and the we love them.” (Naoto Fulasawa, $e Outline of illustration of tigers come from a quotation 24 Design) of a famous children’s story, “Little Black Sambo”. This story is world-famous, first When I am planning to draw something, I published in 1899 in the United Kingdom often get the inspiration for the motives from and still recognised as one of the classics of “And the Tigers were very, very angry, but still they would not let my past experiences and personal memories. picture books for children, at least in Japan. go of each other's tails. It is my favourite technique and I think it !e author of the story is a Scottish woman, helps to enhance my style. For the thesis Helen Bannerman, and originally she wrote And they were so angry, that they ran round the tree, trying to eat work, I also wanted to use the same method. the story for her children while staying in each other up, and they ran faster and faster, till they were whirl- !is time, I chose the motives from children’s India with her husband who worked as a sur- ing round so fast that you couldn't see their legs at all. stories I had read in my childhood. geon for the British army. The highlight of
this book is the four tigers that took Sambo’s And they still ran faster and faster and faster, till they all just As a child I really loved reading and still I nice garments and started arguing and $ght- melted away, and there was nothing left but a great big pool of love reading children’s literature because it ing with each other, by going round and melted butter (or "ghi," as it is called in India) round the foot of is imaginative but contains a realistic mes- round and they become a mass of butter in the tree.” sage at the same time. Children’s stores are a the end. !e story has remained as one of the great source of inspiration for me. !e topic impressive memories from my childhood and (Helen Bannerman, Little Black Sambo) I chose, the concept of time, was quite no- I remembered this scene when I was thinking tional and abstract. However I did not want about the cyclical view of time and the image to show its seriousness in my work. !e idea of transmigration. to use some motives from children’s stories seemed a good idea because I could hide the core of the message in a dreamy and poetic feeling.
I got the inspiration for the idea of cycli- cal view of time from the thinking about transmigration. Transmigration is the way of
46 47 Capturing the Moment Hidden Stories
So to make a nice pair to this work for the birds contemns him instead of being afraid of image of linear view of time, I also had some him. Furthermore, the real hawk forces him sources of inspiration. Against the composi- to change his name to something else, which tion of drawings for cyclical view of time does not have the word “hawk”. The real as symmetrical and stable, drawings for the hawk threatens the nighthawk, if it does not linear view of time had to be more asym- change his name, the real hawk will kill the metric in composition. A tree drawn on the nighthawk. !e nighthawk feels miserable. left side does not have any leaves but another one in the right side has leaves and %owers. He also feels very guilty, because he has to “The nighthawk kept on flying towards the sky without stopping. As the ribbons with text are twisted around kill a lot of winged insects to survive. So, he The mountain fire below him looked like a cigarette butt. both trees, the illustration can be interpreted decides to become an inhabitant in the open as expressing one scene from the same space sky. First, he %ies towards the sun but he fails The nighthawk went on flying he went on flying towards the sky, like landscape. However it also possible to because he is not of the life of the daytime his breath frozen in the freezing cold and his chest turning white. expresses the passing of time by drawing world. The sun suggests that he should ask some events in the same space on different the stars for advice. He tries to ask many dif- He had to flap his wings more and more frequently as the air had time axis at the same time if you concentrate ferent constellations but they do not listen to become thin. Still the size of the stars did not change even a little. on the flowing of the motives from left to him. !e nighthawk keeps %ying. Eventually right. The image of the birds comes from a he is exhausted and starts to fall towards the His breathing looked like a bellows. Chilliness and frost pierced story written by a famous Japanese children’s ground. When the nighthawk becomes con- into his body like a sword. His wings turned totally numb. literature writer and poet, Kenji Miyazawa. scious, he notices that his body is %aming as He has several major works such as “Night on the stars in the sky. He looked up to the sky once again with his tearful eyes. Yes, and the Galactic Railroad” and “Gauche the Cellist” that was his end.” but the one I used as the motif of my work is In the end of this story, the soul of the night- “$e Nighthawk Star” published posthumously hawk shifts to a higher dimension when he (Kenji Miyazawa, The Nighthawk Star) 26 in 1934. becomes a star and this event seems an irre- versible event. !e description of the last mo- !e story begins with the description of the ments in the life of the nighthawk is speedy ugliness of the nighthawk. All the fellow yet lively and dramatic, and also I do not feel birds hate the nighthawk and scorn him as “a the rhythm of repetition in the story any- disgrace to all birds”. He has the word “hawk” more. Instead, I imagine an energetic action in his name but, in fact, the nighthawk does of life as the escape from the cyclical system not catch small animals but lives by catch- of this world controlled by the laws of nature. ing winged insects. Even the weakest of the
48 49 Capturing the Moment Hidden Stories
!e third piece of my work does not have any stories as the source but the motive is a Mö- bius strip. The Möbius strip was discovered by a German astronomer and mathematician, August Ferdinand Möbius in the 19th centu- 27 ry. A Möbius strip can easily be made when you make normal band with a strip of paper and then you twist it once. !e Möbius strip has only one side surface and it is impos- sible to distinguish the two sides. It also has only one boundary component. So, I use this Möbius strip as motive for the third piece of artwork and try to represent the two opposite views of time; cyclical and linear, referring to the same thing and there is no border be- tween them.
!ere are two reasons why I did not use the literary motive to all three pieces. The first reason is to make contrast with other two. For that reason, I made a simple repeated pattern in small scale. When the work is seen from a distance, it seems almost noth- ing at a glance. !e viewer cannot recognize the motive as long as he/she sees them in a short distance. !e second reason is to make a question arise to the viewer. I thought if I Picture from thesis exhibition, "Capturing the Moment" 2013 make all the work in the same style, there is a possibility that the viewer thinks I just made Notes di"erent kind of drawings as a variation. To 24 - New Oxford American Dictionary 25 - !is phrase is translated by me from Japanese emphasise the existence of hidden messages 26 - Super Daijirin Japanese dictionary in the work, the third artwork has quite an 27 - Anonymous, 2013. Kenji Miyazawa: Wikipedia [Ac- important role. cessed January 2013]
50 51 Capturing the Moment Process of Idea Development
6.5 Process of Idea Development and the concept had come out. !e idea, which will become the core of my thesis, was clear from the very beginning. After the concept was decided, I started to !e objective of my work is to create an art- think about the ideas for the creative part, work in which the viewer can feel the passing which was still unclear in my mind. Initially of time. I did not persist to come up with an I had many di"erent ideas but most of them idea for productive textile design for practical were unrealistic for one reason or another, use because I wanted to focus on the com- such as technical problems. However, the munication between me and the viewer, not physical experimental works and the research the user. !en, I thought that an installation for the written part helped me to go forward is more suitable for my purposes because the and I could get a lot of inspiration from there. artwork comes into existence when the view- Both of the parts, research and creative work er gets my message. Another reason is that affect each other and my idea for creative surrounding environment (in this case, the part improved gradually. I got the inspiration amount of the light) can a"ect the artwork. to use shadow in my work from the physical My idea originally came from the observation work experiment. Also, the research about of the surroundings and its familiarity for the history of time provided me with inspira- everyone. I thought an installation is a good tion for selection of motives and composition way to express to others how I see the world. of my graphical work process. These are the reasons I decided to make an installation.
I had this concept “Capturing the Moment” in my mind at a relatively early stage. Before I came up with this concept, some interest- ing topics and keywords were scattered and %oating inside of my brain. So I wrote them down on a piece of paper and tried to $nd the invisible connection between them. It was not very easy, because I noticed that I often Picture from experiment with sample, 2012 saw interestingness in ideas quite abstract and contradicting in elements. It took a lot of time but $nally I managed to gather them
52 53 Capturing the Moment Technical Point of View
silver pigments and printing paste because Transparent acrylic bar looked nice but it the silver pigments paste was too thick to started bending by its own dead weight when print and it needed to be thinned down. the bar became 1.26 meters long. Aluminium bar was strong enough to hang the fabric Design straight and also the colour was brighter Initially, I had an idea to print the back- when compared to other metal bars. !e alu- ground with pigments but a problem arose. minium bar also had an empty space inside, I !e fabric for the second layer was too loosely mean it was like a tube and it was for the ex- woven and the pigments went through the hibition, but I noticed that the space between fabric easily. It resulted in that the printed the top and the second layer was not big area looked quite uneven when I printed a enough when I tested it in the gallery space. large area. So I had to change the positive !en I decided to use six bars in total and to and the negative of the printing area. use acrylic bars for top fabric and aluminium Picture from experiment, Cotton organdie printed with silver pigments, 2013 bars for the second. When I hung the acrylic 6.6 Technical Point of View of the edges lose the light feeling of the fab- There was also the limitation of the size I bars in 90 degrees rotated direction from the Fabric ric. I used glue to prevent fraying of the edges could print. I had to decide the size of the previous, it did not start bending by its own !e most important decision to be made was of the fabric and cut he fabric as straight as artwork according to the maximum size of dead weight. the choice of the fabric for each layer. For possible. the frame for screen-printing. I took the final artwork, I selected the silk for the top maximum square size from the largest screen To keep the fabric of the second layer %at and fabric and cotton organdie for the second Pigments at school. It was one meter times one meter stable, I needed to attach another bar to the fabric. Woven density for the top fabric must For printing, I chose silver pigments. First, but the size of the $nal artwork is about 1.2 lower part of the fabric. Not to a"ect the ap- be dense enough to project the shadow on the I experimented with white pigments but the meter times 1.2 meter because I wanted to pearance, I select the transparent acrylic tube surface but it also had to have a light feeling. white pigments seemed dark in the backlight have 10 cm margin on every side of the fab- with 1 cm diameter. I chose quite a light and thin silk fabric from conditions. Against that, silver pigments ric. the sample. On the contrary, the fabric for reflect the light and do not make contrasts the second layer must be transparent to a cer- nor distract both under the condition of front Structure tain extent to have enough contrast with the light and back light. It helped to bring the To hang the fabric straight, I needed a bar. area $lled with printed pigments. fragile and mysterious feeling to the appear- It was important that the bar did not affect ance of the work. Also, the silver pigments the impression of whole artwork. My first I did not sew or fold the edges of the fabrics have larger particles than white pigments and thought to hang the two fabrics was to use a when I cut the fabric into actual size of the more easily $ll the space between the threads. rectangular bar on both sides of the fabric. artwork, because I did not want the shadows I had to test several di"erent proportions of So, I prepared rectangular bars in different materials for testing; aluminium and acrylic. Picture from experiment , 2013
54 55 Capturing the Moment Technical Point of View
Picture from creative process, Printed $lm for silk screen exposure , 2013
Picture from experiment , 2012 Picture from creative process , 2013
56 57 Capturing the Moment Planning the Exhibition
6.7 Planning the Exhibition space at university. I considered galleries Lighting Lume on the 2nd %oor and Araris on the 3rd Lighting was the most important part when %oor. In the end I reserved Araris on the 3rd I was planning the exhibition. Because the %oor. !e reason I chose this particular gal- light was an essential element for the artwork lery is that the ceiling is lower than in Lume and I had to think carefully about what kind and I could have clearer image on how to $x of light to use and how to use it. In the early my work in the space. The decision worked stages of my working process, I planned to out well when I did some testing in the space. exhibit my work in natural sunlight to truly It was easy to handle the space. I could easily feel the passing of time but I noticed at some establish similar circumstances in exhibition point that it did not work so well in the way trials. I meant in the beginning. Instead, I found that the unsteadiness of the projected shad- Arrangement ows and the slight movement of the fabrics According to the nature of the artwork, my are interesting enough to feel the existence of work had to be arranged in a particular man- invisible things. So, I changed my plan, and ner. The work must be arranged in front of decide to use arti$cial light instead. the lighting rail to get the backlight position. Picture from lighting test at Aralis Gallery , 2013 I also had to take into consideration the line I knew by trial that I could get the shadows of %ow since the gallery was an open space. I
I wanted with the standard gallery lighting decided the arrangement of the artwork ac- Corridoor but I was not satis$ed with the initial result. cording to the two points mentioned above. I could borrow more powerful lights from school and I also tested it. !e result was re- Illuminants ally good and I could get distinct shadows Artworks but there were some problems, too. !e lights became really hot even after a short time and Elevator hall I could not leave expensive implements for a Line of %ow long period. So I decided to use the lighting only for the opening and light in gallery for the rest of the exhibition period. Library
Space There were several choices of the gallery Floor plan and exhibition plan , 2013
58 59 Capturing the Moment
60 61 Picture from thesis exhibition, "Capturing the Moment" , 2013 Capturing the Moment Feedback
6.8 Feedback
Q. Did my work provoke something (thoughts, feelings, questions or whatever) to you? Can I ask what it was?
To me your work was somehow very touching. It came very close and real, although it was quite I was expecting completely something else for the exhibition, the three "pictures" with white dream-like (the light colours, chosen materials, the delicate line etc.) or dreamy. My $rst im- light were a big, lovely surprise. I had two controversial feelings when I saw your work. One was pression was that it's airy and maybe even a bit shy. But as I really started looking at the three Finnish Summer feelings with windy, light material. Another was Finnish winter because of pieces I found some really strong expression in them, a clear message of some certain moments. the whole white like snow. Also I got misty feeling because you don’t show everything in the art And it's nice that you didn't underline anything or make things too obvious. As you had written piece straight away. !ere is something mysterious to see through... (Armi) in the text about the exhibition that it's about you being in Helsinki as an "outsider", and seeing things maybe in a di"erent way. I got very inspired by your work and by it being so calm and telling the story in such a simple / ascetic / graceful way. (Vilma) !e work gave me a thought that was, in a way, nonverbal. It was perhaps more like a feeling - something can not be described in words, something really transparent and sublime. And afterwords I suddenly felt going back to the forest in my hometown. (Eri) I remember looking at your textiles, my $rst thought was summer. It is this feeling what you have in the end of the summer when its super hot, people are lazy and the grass is almost burned. !en, there is a sudden rain that wipes through the land and it makes the birds %y again and the crickets start to sing their songs. Maybe then it is this speci$c moment after the rain is over and !e idea about time itself is abstract, philosophical yet there is a sense of archaeological, because the sun comes through the clouds again. (Walter) it has been a topic for philosophers, or scientists to research on for decades. And so, I think Miyu's artistic approach is from a di"erent dimension and perspective, it is melancholic yet delightful at the same time, seeing from the treatment of the $nal artworks, the motifs and the $nal presentation. I think the design is beautiful too, and this series of work would look even !ese lights and shadows of your work and how picture was made through it, reminded me better if they are in a di"erent environment, perhaps an outdoor one in the wild, for the theme about the way we all see "reality" as a re%ection of our thoughts. And our mind and thoughts are to coincide with the natural clock of sunrise and sunset. (Aiwei) so unstable and depends on the angle of view. (Varvara)
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7.Conclusion Process of creation is always a sequence of The core idea of my work consists of quite events, which requires momentary decision- analogue and simple mechanism; light and making. Take all the events happened by shadow. However, I feel simplicity helps my chance and coincidence, the artwork real- work remain minimal yet strong. On the ized itself as a form in reality, like that of my opening day of the exhibition many people thesis work executed. Unification of all the came to see my work and me. I had never events in the intended form, when and how talked to some of them before but we could to use my brain, have always been signi$cant communicate through my work. It was events for me. Sometimes intuitive decision- delightful to talk with people and receive making works better than logical decision- comments and observe their reactions to making and sometimes the opposite. This my work. Under the production process, I time, the process of thesis writing provided sometimes felt pained and tortured because me an opportunity to analyse the reasons of the work was much more fragile than I had my intuitive decision-making. !e process of thought and I could not see the result until writing described the track of my invisible the last moment. However, the result was thoughts and it helped me to understand my worth the anguish and now I truly appreciate habit of unconscious thought. I $rmly believe that the exhibition closed safely. this experience will become a great help in my progress as a creator.
64 65 Capturing the Moment Endnote
8.Endnote
8.1 Bibliography Amy Chavez, 2008. Land of the Great Pumpkin. [online] Available at
GJ Whitrow, 1972. What is Time? London: !ames and Hudson Junichiro Tanizaki, 2001. 陰影礼賛 (In Praise of Shadows). Reviced 6th ed. Japan: Chuokoron- shinsya, inc. Helen Bannerman, 2007. !e Story of Little black Sambo. [online] Available at
Impressionism : Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at
James Turrell, 1999. A Conciousness That Touches the Light interviewed by Masato Sasaki. Kenji Miyazawa: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at 66 67 Capturing the Moment Endnote wiki/Kenji_Miyazawa> [Accessed December 2012] (p13) http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-crucifixion-jesus-christ-red-im- age13127745 MoMA PS1: Exhibitions: James Turrell: Meeting. [online] Available at Möbius strip: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. [online] Available at Tatsuo Motokawa, 1993. ゾウの時間ネズミの時間 (Elephant Time, Mouse Time - !e Biology (p37) http://pearls-and-empty-rooms.tumblr.com/post/6199419581/interior-with-punch-bowl- of Size). 24th ed. Japan: Koji Shimanaka 1904-vilhelm http://altoonsultan.blogspot.$/2012/03/distilled-art-of-vilhelm-hammershi.html 8.2 Image Credits http://yvettecandraw.blogspot.$ (p10) $g.1 http://www.cavetocanvas.com/post/16352346433/james-turrell-meeting-installation- at-moma-ps1 (p38) $g.9 http://www.reproarte.com/picture/Vilhelm_Hammershøi/Reading+Woman+in+Sunl $g.2 http://memory-imprint.blogspot.$/2011/11/$ne-arts-james-turrell-in-naoshima.html ight_+Strandgade/20205.html $g.10 http://www.classicartpaintings.com/Others/ELINGA+Pieter+Janssens+Reading+W (p12) http://www.sott.net/image/image/s6/120101/full/baby_in_utero.png oman.jpg.html www.catalhoyuk.com $g.11 http://neoalchemist.$les.wordpress.com/2012/05/dustmores.jpg http://thecityhour.com/design/2012/1/30/hammershi-and-europe.html http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/110006978?rpp=20 68 69 Capturing the Moment Profile &pg=1&rndkey=20130306&ft=*&where=Denmark&who=Vilhelm+Hammersh#fullscreen (p44) $g.13 http://www.medievalwalltapestry.com/heraldic-unicorn.html $g.14 http://www.dailyart$xx.com/2011/06/17/m-c-escher-1898-1972/moebius-strip-ii-r ed-ants-mc-escher-1963/ (p51) Photography by Foo Aiwei All the rest of pictures - Photography by Miyu Kuno Profile Miyu Kuno is a Japanese designer and illustrator, currently studying for an Master of Arts in Textile Art and Design at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture since 2011. Before she came to Finland, she completed a Bachelor of Arts in the Department of Design, at Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Arts. 70 71 Capturing the Moment Capturing the Moment by Miyu Kuno / 5 copies Published in March 2013 Designed and produced in Finland [email protected] www.miyukuno.com ©2013 miyu kuno all rights reserved. Acknowledgements Pirjo Kääriäinen / professor Maija Pellonpää-Forss / supervisor Larura Isoniemi / supervisor Eeva Heikkinen Åre Jürgensohn Manne Kuva Mikko Ristimäki Kari Niirainen Ali Neissei Shoosh Sirkku Viitanen-Vanamo Riikka Townsend Asami Otsu Foo Aiwei Ryuto Miyake everyone who respond to my asking of help 72