Marshall Berg

2/1/11

Art Since 1945

Essay 1

Perception: Time and Space

Contemporary artist Olafur Eliasson is producing art that investigates perception,

in similar ways as described by Robert Morris in chapter 10 of his book, “Continuous

Project Altered Daily.” In the reading Morris points to two modes of awareness that

combine to define what he calls “presentness”. He introduces these modes with George

Mead’s definition of self as divided into the “I” and “me”. Morris states, “The (“I”) has to

do with the present-time experiencing self, continuously reacting. The (“me”) is the self

reconstituted from various forms of remembered indices (or mental space).”1 He goes on

to explain, “The “I,” which is essentially imageless, corresponds with the perception of

space unfolding in the continuous present. The “me,” a retrospective constituent, parallels

the mode of object perception (symbolic imagery).”2

I feel that Eliasson is investigating the space between the “me” and “I”. His work

operates in, and extends the time in-between the “I’s” real time experience of the work,

and the safety that comes with the cognition of those experiences within the reflecting

“me” side of self. This time is what can be most powerful in Eliasson’s work. His piece

Din blinde passager for the utopia project, at the Arken Museum for Modern Art outside

of Kφ benhaven, Denmark speaks to this conceptual gain at momentary loss of cognitive

perception.

Din blinde passager is an immersive installation. The participant enters into a 10

ft tall black wooden box and then through a set of doors into a completely fogged tunnel.

The tunnel only has a visibility of 1.5 meters inside, and it is filled with colored light. The

participant walks slowly through the box, all visual perception is lost, the brain scrambles

to place the body in context with the space. The only cue that the participant is even

moving through space is the slow transitions between different colored light, and the feel

of solid ground beneath their feet. The tunnel is 90-meters long and tall and wide enough

for the ceiling and walls to be invisible until your almost touching them.3

The participant is enveloped in light. I imagine that the experience of this piece is

felt in the “I” side of self, it has been given power by the confused cognitive “me”. The

“me” is still felt I’m sure, but it is the loss of definition (that our cognition so prides itself

on) that is felt. This is the time in between the two modes of self that is so exiting for me.

The “me” is lost and constantly asking the “I” for more information, more context, some

inkling of a memory. Space is unfolding continuously in the present, and without

constant visual cues of movement time is felt differently.

Velocity and distance are directly related to time and how we perceive it as

shown in the formula T= V/D a simpler version of Newton’s second law4. As the

participant walks through Din blinde passager their visual perception of distance and

velocity (speed of travel) are disrupted and time becomes less concrete.

“For me, utopia is linked to the now, the moment between one

second and the next. It constitutes a possibility that is actualized and

converted into reality, an opening where concepts like subject and

object, inside and outside, proximity and distance are tossed into the

air and redefined. Our sense of orientation is challenged and the

coordinates of our spaces, collective and personal, have to be

renegotiated. changeability and mobility are at the core of utopia.”-

Eliasson5 6

Eliason obviously aims to redefine perception of time and space with this piece.

He sees, like I do, the value in this loss of cognitive thought. The participant leaves the

space, the “I” is still in control, “me” has been intimidated by the experience. When

cognition slowly re-takes control it has been changed, effected, and slightly humbled. I

feel we as humans could use some more real time experience. This feeling, is almost like

a deep meditation, a purely aesthetic moment. Eliason sees it as the route of utopia.

5
Notes:

1. Robert Morris, “Continous Project Altered Daily: Writings of Robert Morris”:

MIT Press 1994 pg 177

2. Robert Morris, “Continous Project Altered Daily: Writings of Robert Morris”:

MIT Press 1994 pg 180

3. Formal descriptions by the Arkan Mesuem of Modern Art:

http://www.arken.dk/content/us/art/exhibitions/utopia_-

_olafur_eliasson_din_blinde_passager and video provided by Studio Olafur

Eliasson: http://vimeo.com/17988510

4. “Newton laws of motion”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton

%27s_laws_of_motion and personal notes from Prof. Nandini Ranganathan’s

Math: Motion, Force, and Light class discussion on particle movement. Feb 1st

2011 PNCA

5. Quote from Olafur Eliasson discussing Din blinde passeger and the UTOPIA

project: http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/12642/olafur-eliasson-

your-blind-passenger.html

6. Eliasson’s artist website: http://www.olafureliasson.net/