WEEK 05

😔🙁😵😐🙂

INQUIRIES FOR NARRATIVE

Despite the inherently abstract and subjective nature of my project, I am committed to crafting a cohesive narrative that guides the audience from beginning to end. To achieve this, I devised a series of concise yet thought-provoking phrases, which I placed on a whiteboard to elicit people's reflections. With a straightforward prompt, participants were invited to immerse themselves in a hypothetical scenario where they had to depart for a foreign country, knowing they couldn't return for a minimum of 10 years. Their task was to articulate the thoughts that surfaced as they encountered each phrase.

From the wealth of responses, I identified eight prompts that elicited the most profound and meaningful reactions, which will then form the foundation of my project’s narrative. The criteria for their inclusion were based on their capacity to resonate deeply with the project's overarching themes, enabling them to contribute substantially to the richness and depth of the narrative.

NARRATIVE POEMS

• Marginal Narratives

Inspired by my experience at the guided meditation sessions, I was motivated to craft and evolve a concept that could resemble the level of resonance and ambience. Combined with the establishment of the project's narrative framework, my next step involved crafting individual poems corresponding to the 8 selected "headings." This poetic journey unfolds from the moment of departure from one's homeland, traversing the challenges of adapting to a foreign culture, grappling with questions of personal identity, and ultimately embracing the multifaceted dimensions of multiculturalism.

Within these poems, subtle yet potent messages are interwoven, prompting participants to engage in introspection regarding their own roots and cultural origins. The ultimate objective is to enhance individuals' well-being by fostering an enriched sense of belonging and nurturing a profound connection to their heritage and home cultures.

01 LEAVING HOME •

Amidst whispers of familiar winds,
I set forth on uncharted trails,
Treading away from known abodes,
Seeking dreams that fate unveils.

A heart weighed down by bittersweet,
Memories are woven deep within,
Yet courage blooms with every step,
Embracing a new life to begin.

02 STEPPING IN

Footfalls echo on foreign soil,
A symphony of cultures merges,
In this mosaic of souls and stories,
New horizons and dreams emerge.

Gathered 'neath an open sky,
Differences blend in harmony,
In unity, we find our strength,
As we paint life's grand tapestry.

03 THE UNKNOWN •

Through veils of uncertainty, I walk,
A path obscured by shadows cast,
Yet with each stride, I find my way,
Defying fears of a future vast.

The map of life unfolds ahead,
A compass forged from courage's fire,
Even without guide, I step forth bold,
Into the unknown's inviting mire.

04 TO BELONG OR NOT BELONG •

A puzzle filled with pieces of doubt,
Do I fit within these realms, somehow?
A dance of questions in the air,
As I seek a place to call my own.

Yet belonging isn't just a space,
It's a melody within my soul,
In every note of who I am,
A harmonious self makes me whole.

05 WHO AM I?

A question etched in starlit skies,
Reflecting in my searching eyes,
Peeling layers of identity,
I seek the truth that underlies.

Amidst the blend of histories,
In echoes of ancestral song,
I find a mirror to my soul,
In the journey to where I belong.

06 FORGOTTEN LULLABIES •

Whispers of melodies from distant shores,
Carried on waves of lullabies of yore,
In quiet moments, I gently close my eyes,
Listening to stars from ancient skies.

Each note — a chapter of history,
A soothing balm for hearts’ reverie,
Lost in harmonies of bygone times,
I find solace in memories, sublime.

07 WHERE DO I COME FROM?

In the tapestry of time's embrace,
Roots entwined with histories vast,
I trace the steps of those before,
In footprints laid from first to last.

A journey back through sands of time,
In search of seeds from which I've grown,
Connection found in ancestral whispers,
In their stories, I find my own.

08 LOST AND FOUND? •

In the labyrinth of life's meandering,
I stumbled upon fragments of my soul,
Pieces of me scattered in spaces,
Awaiting reunion to make me whole.

Lost and found, a cycle profound,
Rediscovery in life's ebb and flow,
I gather remnants of who I am,
In their embrace, a sense of self aglow.

OUTRO: LETTER TO MY FUTURE SELF...

Oh, future self, yet to unfold,
What secrets will your heart confide?
In the ink of moments yet to be,
What dreams and truths will you confide?

May you remember this journey's essence,
A dance of cultures, a quest for truth,
In your hands, the legacy of paths explored,
Guiding the hearts of hopeful youth.

STORYBOARDS

(PARKED)

With the narrative groundwork in place, my initial objective was to craft animated videos for each of the storylines. However, as I delved into sketching storyboards for every narrative, I swiftly recognised that the limitations of time would impede my ability to execute elaborate, scripted animations for the complete set. Consequently, I chose to temporarily set aside this approach and explore alternative design avenues.

Nonetheless, this activity proved to still be valuable, as it enabled me to establish the desired atmosphere and essential elements that I intend to incorporate into each narrative, despite not pursuing the original animated video route.

UNIVERSAL ICONOGRAPHIES

In light of the feedback I've received, I attempt to find a visual language that holds universal appeal. Throughout this journey, my aim is to look for visual elements or iconographies that possess inherent universality, enabling a diverse array of audiences to readily comprehend the design. This exploration has guided me towards investigating emojis as a prime illustration of such universal symbols. I then carefully select the iconographies that would suit the context and narrative that I’ve been working towards, as you can see on the right. →

🖐️ 🥾 👁️ 🚪 👄 🪞 🌳 🖼️ 🧠 💧 ☀️ 🌙 👣 🌍 🕜 ⏳ 🎲 🧵 ☁️ 🌌 🌱 ⛰️ 🌊 🔥 🧭 ⚙️ 🗺️ 👂 🫀 🪹

VISUAL MOODBOARD

After some exploration, I decided to choose surrealism as the visual pathway to explore for my design. Surrealism's ability to transcend the boundaries of the ordinary aligns perfectly with my goal to capture the intangible aspects of experience. By infusing such dreamlike elements into my work, I aim to create an otherworldly atmosphere that guides participants through a thought-provoking voyage. This not only resonates with the abstract nature of the narratives but also allows me to tap into the deeper layers of emotion and meaning that the narrative aims to convey.

IMPROMPTU
GREEN-SCREEN

(PARKED)

I then moved on to explore the different mediums that I could employ for my project. Recognising the importance of hands in the arrays of symbolisms used in the set narratives, I decided to experiment with a green screen to record my hand movement, which will then be keylighted and incorporated into the composition.

While I found the visual results appealing, they veered away from the artistic vision I hold for this undertaking. While there remains the potential for this technique to yield benefits in the future, I have yet to find a way to effectively communicate the narrative through this particular medium.

Visual experiment with filmed footages

NOW OR NEVER

@Victoria Harbour Promenade

The program is a large-scale new festival immersing Melbourne/Narrm in the possibilities found where art and technology converge. They present a curated selection of intriguing and aesthetically unconventional artworks that captivate viewers, encouraging contemplation akin to the subjective essence of art.

Among these pieces, one that left a profound impression on me is "Living Well" by Jarra Karalinar Steel. The bold assertion "I am my ancestor's revenge" incorporated into the design exerts a powerful impact on visitors. Many individuals pause to read it aloud, prompting deep reflection on the audacious message it conveys. In my own endeavours, I aspire to emulate this approach in my project—establishing direct and impactful communication that leaves an indelible first impression, while also fostering enduring contemplation over time.