Reflections on The Vault: #3 three

Exploring and making performed installations in which performance venues are engaged as-the-rooms-that-they-are in conversations with light has been a distinct thread in my work. As an extension of this journey, In/Visibility was set out to be an exercise to challenge myself – to see what the possibilities are when a third element is introduced as an anchor and how this would influence the choices I make.

The process of devising methods of translating text into visual vocabularies and drawing up new parameters was much of a struggle, but the exercise proved to be a worthy experiment.

It was particularly interesting to experience the tension between what the space was telling me to do versus where the planned sequence was headed during the first trial in the venue. At certain points, my instinctive response to the room called for light states that were markedly different from the ones determined by the structure of the play or the appearance of a particular character. A conscious decision was made to stick to the latter, and the derived light narrative turned out evidently different.

“The process of devising methods of translating text into visual vocabularies and drawing up new parameters was much of a struggle, but the exercise proved to be a worthy experiment.”

My motivations and internal dialogues during performance were very different as well. Instead of reacting and connecting directly with the space and let it tell its own story, I ran the skeleton of the “external” story of the play in my head and superimposed it on the Centre 42 Black Box through the performance, and also attempted to use aspects of the script to motivate and affect the rhythm and pacing of my playing of faders on the lighting control board.

The introduction of this third element of text also appeared to have had a substantial effect on audience’s response. In contrast to previous pieces, the reactions and feedback were considerably diverse and more complex, providing much food for thought.

– Lim Woan Wen

More details and resources on In/Visibility are available here.
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During the months of conceptualising “For the Time Being”, I had various ideas in response to the script “Invisibility” by Dr. Quah Sy Ren. The filtering process, which ultimately ended up with the use of ice, was one that came about rather naturally – I wanted something that was seemingly simple (in presentation) while staying true to the responses I had for the script (themes), yet allowing room for the visitors to have their own responses and interpretations.

Some of the difficulties I faced were during the research and development process, when a lot of experiments were with the ice and its container (vessel). I initially wanted to use glass containers, which made the ice more visible and aesthetically more pleasing. However, under immense pressure from the contractions and expansions of the freezing process, various attempts with different glass containers resulted either in cracked containers or shattering glass upon freezing.

This was disheartening in the earlier process and I went on to plastic containers. Much to my dismay, they too cracked during the freezing process. I finally found the right container with the appropriate softness necessary to withhold the pressure, as seen in the installation. They were not perfect but they were the right ones.

This, in retrospect, is interesting as the idea of a vessel, or selecting the right vessel, does seem like a necessary process or ritual, to house the transition of a matter. We have expectations of ourselves, our body being the vessel, housing our transitions. Often, it is not what is good or perfect, but what is necessary and appropriate, giving the right conditions in facilitating the transition.

Not having control over the production of sounds in this installation was an interesting experience for me. I had no way of ensuring the sounds I heard during my research period would be reproduced faithfully again during the installation. Likewise, I had no way of reproducing the same sound each day during the sound installation period, due to various factors that affected the freezing and melting of ice. I became a participant as well, a keen observer, as I quietly took a seat on the receiving end – helpless and curious, I could only wait in anticipation.

“I became a participant as well, a keen observer, as I quietly took a seat on the receiving end – helpless and curious, I could only wait in anticipation.”

This in turn gave me an insight into “Invisibility” again as I was able to react, respond and read more into the piece (now with visitors in the picture as part of the composite) and making new links to the script, characters and themes. It was an unexpected dialogue, and it taught me more things than I had first assumed.

Speaking of dialogue, one of my greatest rewards was to be able to hear the different responses from visitors and the personal and beautiful discourses during many private feedback sessions I had with them. They had their own take on the notion of invisibility, of being, of nothingness, on the familiar, the unfamiliar and the in-between. Some concocted images or physicalised the sounds; some pegged the sounds and associated them with familiar sounds they were reminded of. They shared with me stories, emotions, reasoning and their intellectual readings. They questioned me, offered alternatives and challenged the concept and/or script further and extended it to life.

All these informed me more about the piece and their possible readings and taught me more about living and transiting. I had intended for this to happen, but the extent of it way surpassed my expectations. For that, I am most grateful.

I can create a piece, whereby I am the dictator of meanings, or I can just let the piece take its own course and narratives, so that it becomes something bigger than one person. I chose the latter and it had been most rewarding.

– Darren Ng

More details and resources on For the Time Being are available here.
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