Things Arranged In Spaces

Things Arranged In Space

For this exercise, I decided to only use one location. By having one controlled variable, I thought it would allow me to measure the different reactions to the objects more clearly. My goal was to lay out all of my options and see what everyone else likes the best.

So, the space is... a bathroom stall !!!!

(Window)

(Mirror)

(Picture of a Camera)

(Smile, You're on Camera)

(Cringy Sign)

These first five objects are meant to make the viewer uncomfortable. They are things that you normally would not want to see in while using the bathroom. I don't think this is the feeling that I want to leave my audience with. But I feel like these would leave the biggest impact on them...  I do, however, kind of like the picture of a camera because I think it is really funny, especially if it were huge or something. 

(Famous Art with Frame)

(Famous Art)

(My Art with Frame)

(My Art)

(Frame)

(Advertisement)

(Graffiti)

(TV Show)

(My Film)

This is the biggest section. Here are objects that I thought were more normal. I guess I don't know how to categorize them, but to me, they all fit together. However, with all of them, I want to see how long people will view the piece, or if they will simply go about their business and not even give it any attention.

Technically, any of these could have a parergon (even the frame I guess). I just think that in this context, they just there to try and hide the fact that these art works are in a bathroom stall. But ultimatly this disguise fails. It just seems kind of silly to me. 

As for the 'my art' vs. the 'well-known art', I was just wondering how people would react to seeing something they don't know and something they do. If someone sees a famous artwork hung up in a space they have never seen it in before, they would know. It would be weird, and maybe they would be taken back. But if they saw something they had never seen, maybe it wouldn't be so shocking.

The advertisement and the graffiti, I just thought, would be interesting. Graffiti is already commonly found in bathrooms. So unless it is to the size pictured above, people might not even notice. As for the advertisement, I was thinking that I could throw out some crazy fact that would guarantee to get the viewers' attention. And then they would for sure look at my art. Maybe I would have it be a true fact, or I could make one up.

(White Board)

(Speakers)

(Phone)

These three are my interactive objects. By giving the viewer something to do, my hope is that they will view the piece for longer. Whether they draw their own art, play music through their phone, or call someone. All things you normally wouldn't usually do in the bathroom.

(Party)

(Myster / Escape Room)

(Pop Culture Reference Themed)

My last three objects are less of specific objects, and more themes. I thought that if I really wanted to immerse my viewer, I would need to completely transform the bathroom. I feel like these completely redefine what a bathroom stall is, so now, with a completely new purpose, the viewer has a different reason to stay. Whether that reason is to party, to solve a brain teaser, or to become completely absorbed (get it, like a sponge...) in some sort of pop culture reference.