Space Reading: Jimin.H.Kr Interview
I:Hello. Today, we have the creator behind the project 《Space Reading : Visual Experiment》. Could you first explain the basic concept and purpose of this project?H:Hello. 《Space Reading : Visual Experiment 》, also known as Reading Method Experiment Collection in Korean, is a project that explores how letters can be perceived differently depending on their relationship with space. This work experiments with reconfiguring the same letters in various spatial arrangements and angles to make them visually intriguing. Ultimately, the book is a collective record of these experiments.
I:That's fascinating. What motivated you to start this project? H:The project began with an exploration of the theme of 'absence'. In everyday life, we visually perceive and interpret a lot of information. However, some subjects exist in a state that is difficult to perceive, a state of low legibility. I wanted to explore how we create new meanings through these hard-to-perceive states. Even when we cannot clearly understand a subject, countless guesses and interpretations arise from that uncertainty.
I found this continuous generation of new meanings very interesting.
I :The idea that new meanings are generated in a state of low legibility is intriguing. Could you elaborate on this?
H:Certainly. A state of low legibility means we cannot clearly grasp the subject. In this state, we start to guess the meaning. For example, when we see a blurry image or unclear text, we imagine various possibilities to understand its meaning. In this process of imagination and guessing, new meanings are generated. This process can be seen as 'presence in absence'. Even in seemingly non-existent states, meanings continue to be created and transformed. I wanted to visually explore this process.
I:How do you specifically carry out this work?
H:The methods are quite diverse. I create new forms by sprinkling water to reveal patterns on surfaces or analyze the results of light passing through various surfaces. I also use different angles to present letters in new ways. Through these various visual experiments, I explore how letters are perceived differently in space. Space is not just a background but a crucial element that forms context, helping us understand and experience the boundaries of letter recognition.
I:What are your thoughts on the theme of space?
H:Space is not merely a physical location but a crucial element that forms context. By exploring how letters interact with space, we can understand and experience that context. I started this work to explore this concept of space. Space generates various meanings at the boundaries where letters can be recognized. Through this project, which began with an exploration of 'absence,' I focus on discovering new interpretations and meanings through the interaction between letters, space, and cognition.
I:What experience do you hope viewers will have with this work?
H:I hope viewers will directly experience the processes of perception and interpretation through this work. By placing the same letters in various spatial arrangements and angles, viewers will explore the boundaries of letter recognition. As they follow the methods I present, they will find enjoyment in guessing the space and reading the letters. In this process, viewers will experience countless interpretations. I hope this leads them to the philosophical exploration of 'presence in absence'.
I:You mentioned offering a new perspective on perception and existence through this work. Could you elaborate on this?
H:I In the three-dimensional space, we go through the process of perception, dividing objects into those that are perceivable and those that are not. In a state of low legibility, we can guess the object but cannot definitively name it. This state raises existential questions. Can we say that the object exists? To answer this question,
I approached this work from existential and ontological perspectives. By rearranging letters and changing their surrounding space, we aim to explore how we perceive and interpret objects. Through hard-to-perceive objects, we continuously create new meanings and discover infinite interpretative possibilities.
I:That's a very philosophical approach. Finally, what message do you want to convey to the readers through this book?
H:This book is created with the hope that readers will enjoy the experience of new reading methods through interactions with space as they follow the ways I present. I hope readers share in the deep reflection on perception and existence. We can create new meanings at the boundary between what is perceivable and what is not, discovering new interpretative possibilities beyond the limits of perception. I hope this book provides such meaningful experiences to the readers.
I :Thank you for the interview. I hope this project offers a significant experience to many people.
H :Thank you. I hope many people enjoy this visual and philosophical exploration through this work.
Camera Walk
Introduction
While contemplating methods to defamiliarize the familiar,
I discovered that the view through a glass table changes
depending on the angle, altering the landscape. This
phenomenon shows that the appearance of the same object
and space can vary significantly based on the observer’s
position and perspective. Such effects occur not only in
three-dimensional space but also when drawing the same
letter on a two-dimensional surface. I aimed to incorporate
this principle into my work, where the object appears
unfamiliar depending on the viewing angle.
This approach involves more than visual change; it
includes an epistemological exploration. It suggests that
the essence of an object is not fixed but can be transformed
by the observer’s perspective and context. Through this
transformation process, I seek to explore the multilayered
meanings and diverse interpretations of the object. This
visual experimentation aims to reveal new meanings at the
boundary of perception and interpretation.
Method
The video is 2 minutes long. During these 2 minutes,
the work explores the theme of space by examining
each letter of the English alphabet in sequence. A tiny
micro-camera navigates various angles to discover new
frames. The key point is that each letter should not be
perceived merely as a letter but should appear unfamiliar
in a three-dimensional form. Therefore, any scene
where a letter is simply read as a letter is deleted.
Using this method, the entire alphabet is explored in the
same timeframe, expressing the context of space. In the
video, the letters transform from flat characters into
three-dimensional objects, providing the viewer with a
new visual experience.
The audio component of the video uses pronunciations
taken from a dictionary, presenting them as universal
sounds. Sounds corresponding to each letter are cut
and organically connected with the camera’s spatial
movements. This creates a multisensory experience for
the viewer, combining auditory and visual elements.
Reflective Fludity
Introduction
This study utilizes the properties of mirror surfaces to explore the defamiliarization of letters. Mirrors reflect
and distort objects, with the reflection changing accord to the curvature of the surface. This study projects letters onto such surfaces to create unique visual scenes, observing transformations similar to the shimmering surface of a lake. The letters are reversed and distorted to induce unfamiliarity, while the amount and color of light in the space are adjusted to conduct various visual experiments. This process creates a three-dimensional space, as the reflected letters bend and distort, redefining the concept of space. The study aims to explore the multifaceted meanings and interpretive diversity of
letters, providing viewers with new visual stimuli and cognitive flexibility. It is an attempt to reveal the process
of creating new meanings at the boundary of cognition and interpretation.
Method
The process involves using fireproof blanket foil, lighting, various colored cellophane, and printed papers with reversed letters. The foil surface is carefully smoothed with an iron to remove creases, and then it is manipulated in front of the printed letters to capture the changes in the space between them. Images that are too distorted to recognize as letters are selectively deleted, considering the overall theme of letter recognition. This study delves deeply into the interaction between letters, space, and light, providing new visual experiences through the reflected and distorted letters. This method reexamines the relationship between letters and space, allowing viewers to explore various interpretative possibilities beyond their cognitive limits.
Diffusive Iteration
Introduction
On a rainy day, I noticed the distortion caused by water droplets meeting the mesh of a window screen. This intriguing interaction between the artificial and natural elements inspired the idea to capture the unfamiliarity that arises when different textures alter the appearance of objects. This project was conceived by exploring materials with the most interesting textures found in everyday life. Among them, the texture of a bathroom curtain stood out. Designed to prevent slipping, the bathroom curtain also diffuses other objects when viewed through it, creating a repetitive pattern that obscures direct view. When applied to letters, this texture created effects similar to melting ice, with repetitive diffusion occurring at the boundaries of each square. By capturing these characteristics from various angles and lighting conditions, the project aims to offer a new visual experience.
Method
The process involves using a bathroom curtain, lighting, and printed letters photographed from various angles.
The curtain texture is used to create a diffused effect on the letters. By changing the folds of the curtain and bending the paper with the letters, the project seeks to create and control a three-dimensional space. The photography is conducted under different angles and lighting to capture various visual changes.
Repeating the same letters and patterns revealed certain limitations, leading to experiments with changing the
angle of light to make the letters appear luminous. Additionally, overlapping the letters was tested to achieve new visual effects. Through these processes, the project aims to provide viewers with a perception of the relationship between letters and space, exploring various interpretative possibilities.
Distortion Diffusion
Introduction
This project is an extension of previous experiments, exploring the images that change according to the
distance between letters and other objects. When letters are placed close to a glass surface, their shapes become distinct, while moving them further away results in increased opacity and diffused distortion. This diffusion mimics digital diffusion transitioning to an analog form, creating a mosaic-like blur with the fine texture of the glass surface. By examining the visual changes created by the interaction between letters and objects, this work encourages viewers to reinterpret the original meaning of letters. The varying patterns on the glass surface, influenced by light and the shape of the letters, are particularly intriguing. This project aims to transcend the original meaning of letters, revealing new forms and meanings, and providing cognitive flexibility.
Method
The process involves using glass, lighting, and printed letters placed at various distances. By placing the letters close to the glass surface, the clarity of their shapes is observed. Moving the letters further away allows for the recording of increased opacity and diffused distortion. This captures how the texture of the glass surface interacts with the letters, creating a mosaic-like blur. To further dramatize the experiment, the letters are viewed at extreme close-up to explore the limits of legibility. Adjusting the angle and intensity of the light, the changes in the patterns on the glass surface and the letters are captured from various perspectives. The goal of this work is to deeply analyze how letters interact with objects and the resulting visual effects. Through repeated experiments, the changes at different angles and distances are recorded, allowing viewers to newly perceive the relationship between letters and space in a fresh way.
Needle Light
Introduction
This project explores the impact that a two-dimensional sheet can have on three-dimensional space.
By manipulating two-dimensional letters on a sheet of paper in various ways, the study examines how these transformations manifest differently in a spatial context. The paper is perforated with needle holes at regular intervals, allowing light to be dramatically projected in
one direction, creating an image on a white wall.
This experiment records the effects that occur as the paper is bent or folded, and as the direction and distance of the light are subtly altered. Observing how the dots become clearer or blurrier depending on the distance is particularly intriguing. Furthermore, the project employs two intersecting light sources from different directions, superimposing two images to explore the boundary between legible and illegible text.
Method
The process involves using paper, needles, lighting, and a white wall. First, the paper is prepared by perforating it with needle holes at regular intervals to allow light to pass through. The paper is then bent or folded to observe the resulting shapes when light is projected through it. By slightly altering the direction and distance of the light, the experiment records how the clarity of the dots changes. This method explores how the shape of the letters transforms within the spatial context. Additionally, two light sources are projected from different directions to intersect, creating superimposed images. This technique results in images that lie on the boundary between legible and illegible text. Through repeated experimentation, the project records changes from various angles and distances, allowing viewers to gain a new perception of the relationship between letters and space.
Prompt Imagine
Introduction
This project explores the defamiliarization of letters using the AI tool MidJourney. By utilizing the English alphabet, each letter is imagined and images are generated based on keywords. The purpose of the project is to transcend the original meaning of letters, discovering new forms and meanings, and encouraging observers to view familiar objects from a new perspective. This work encompasses more than simple visual changes, including epistemological exploration, and provides viewers with a novel visual experience through the combination of natural and artificial elements.
The reason for this project stems from an anecdote related to stones. We often find similarities with familiar objects or items in our daily lives while looking at clouds in the sky or the beach. Inspired by this experience, letters were created using familiar objects in our lives, such as natural and artificial elements.
Method
In the image creation process, specific moods were set to achieve the desired images, using a combination of natural and artificial elements. For example, when creating the letter A, images of fossils and fruit were combined to create a unique form that harmonizes nature and artifice. Each letter was designed to provide a unique and new visual experience through keyword and mood settings. This process reexamines the relationship between letters and space, allowing viewers to explore various interpretive possibilities beyond their cognitive limits.