FRAME
VS.
FIELD
MODULE FOUR.
Description.
An excerpt from Italo Calvino’s ‘Invisible Cities’ novel was reinterpreted to be situated in The University of Melbourne’s gothic Old Quad building. Isometric and Perspective drawings aided the illustration of a scene in which thematical connections to the text snippet can be translated to architectural forms to explore narrative.
OVERVIEW
In reference to the origins of perspective in Italian Renaissance art, as well as its later translation to contemporary cinema, this module allowed for theorising the concept of space. The mapping of representation became less subjective and complemented time with movement and notational devices.
PROCESS
Analysis.
Text Interpretation
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Italo Calvino’s city of Zirma is one of contorted memories conceived differently by individuals, and ultimately reveals an eternal time loop of repetition which entraps the society undergoes. The subtle mention of cornices which overlook this repetition, implies that civilians are being watched and perhaps driven into madness by a superior force from above.
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Excerpt: Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
Initial Note-taking
Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights
The notions of time looping into eternity interpreted from Calvino's piece reminded me of the madness within repetition displayed in early Catholic depictions of hell.
Metaphors, definitions and early concept development.
Iterations.
Once modelling the old quad, I began to create iterations of its composition, in order to evoke the conceptual interpretations from the text.
The initial textual perceptions were materially translated by composing a circular pyramid which descends further and further down into chaos.
It is over-watched from the highest point in the construction, where the vaulting and pillars are unscathed, and begins to crumble away further down, correlating with the endless repetition of time and trapping delirium.
The directional arrows show the way in which individuals of Zirma are forced to follow circular cycles of repeated time and the vertical time notation lines show the way in which these cycles become progressively more contorted as the eye moves downwards.
I began to arrange the flooring directly in conjunction with vaulting and pillars, aiming to form a hierarchy in elevation.
I later decided that I would be able to create more definitive levels of height, if solely focusing on the flooring element before attaching vaulting and pillars.
Experimenting with the idea of circular time loops, I created a surface onto which I could lay the flooring tiles in order to create a rounded pyramid to signify eternal delirium.
Various formations were influenced by the levelled circular surface in order to define the difference between superior overwatching and the falling into chaos down below.
The remaining elements were then combined with the arranged flooring.
A final iteration was created.
Perspectives.
Focally addressing the in tact highpoint as reigning over the chaotic unfoldings below, the first perspective shows individuals at different points along the ascending loops of time, gradually becoming more and more bewildered as they fall with the crumbling scene and accompanying light rays. The tranquility wash was chosen as a satirical comment on the oblivion of the individuals in the time loops who don’t see that they are being driven into madness and appear to be living in a tranquil setting.
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01.
Tranquility
Delirium
02.
The idea of cyclic repetition is shown by the horizontal motion of figures, under the overbearing watch of figurative cornices, almost relatable to early catholic depictions of eternal suffering in hell. The subject matter was kept minimal as not to distract from these fundamental notions. The delirium wash was chosen to emphasise the evident dream-like madness into which the city falls as the time loop continues to repeat itself.
Reflection.
This final module combined the skills developed by each prior task. Rooted in conceptualism and re-appropriation, the process involved a variety of intricate attention to notation in order to convey an idea. After brainstorming in depth, I decided that the motif of the pyramid broken up by distinct loops was a suitable way of portraying the dystopia experienced in the city of Zirma.
I managed to use both perspectives to portray individual aspects of the narrative, yet allowed them to interact with one another to tell a combined visualised story. The overall isonometric composition may have been improved by applying a stronger body of notational devices, such as harsher arrows, in order to more clearly convey the relation to the text's underlying symbolism.
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Notably, the work responds to Ewrin Panofsky’s idea that perception does not know the concept of infinity; the old quad columns and tiles were arranged to fall in along an ascending trend line, implying the infinite depths of repetition into which the city falls, instead of trying to depict infinity as a literal concept. This demonstrates the impact which spatial notation can have when accompanying design.