Gray Space – Augmented Space Project

The Gray project was an attempt to illustrate an invisible space that exists for everyone through the use of an imaginary space and an imaginary character. The space was supposed to feel familiar to those entering it and yet unfamiliar and unsettling as well. Familiar objects covered—as with a house left—though the coverings were meant to be sheer almost as well as if covered in a film of dust, and the edges of the coverings were dyed a gray to appear dirty. As if they and the objects had been there for some time, but had also been used; the coffee stain on the desk, the book on the chair, the fact that the fabric on the chairs had been sat on.

My original intent was to create a sort of critique on the large roll that technology claims over our lives and how that can be detrimental. However, I was not opposed to other readings of the space which is why I did not wish to specify that negativity; perhaps in part because of my own feelings towards technology. I feel that it can be detrimental, but I also feel that it can be a great tool that should be used in a wide variety of ways.

The other element that I wished to include was the fact that I view art and books as a form of augmented space or a tool that can be used. They create a space that is differentiated from reality even if they do come in physical projects, though that my own opinion though that connection is shakier and varies. There are shades of gray throughout, not everything should be cut and dry that would be boring.

While the space was meant to be ambiguous the sound file was meant to be negative. The intent of the sound piece was to be the sound of someone typing, talking on instant messenger while the speaker attempts to get the typer’s attention. Since Gray exists in an imaginary space and is an imaginary person he/she cannot respond; however the cadence of the typing increases with the intensity of the voice (or that’s what I tried to do with it.)


Things That Did Not Work:
-     Covering fabric was not sheer enough, especially not with the lamp light that I used.
-    Lighting did not work
-    Sound file needed work
-    The carpet did not convey the intended cohesion of space and in fact detracted from it.
-    Items and placement needed to be more thought out
-    Seeing more people inside beforehand would’ve been helpful. (In essence more trails set up's and more testing before hand would’ve been a good idea. Editing.)
-    Implied items were a good thought but not all implications will read the same to other people. Consider carefully before implying things.
-    Over complicated, remember simplify.
-    Consider the delineation of space and the purpose of it (inclusion of the audience or apart from, though I feel with this piece the audience was meant to explore the space though other aspects were not clear enough as it is meant to be an illustration of a familiar and yet fictional space.)

Things That Did Work:
-    The sheet walls worked fairly well though they needed to be higher.
-    Use of the light source from the window and the inclusion of that outside influence something affecting the space and the structure that was unpredictable. (Unseen presents?)