Did you Pack this Yourself...?

"A TEMPORARY GUIDE TO CONTEMPORARY LIFE."

"DESIGN + BUILD AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBITION ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, NATURE, PLACE + MOBILITY IN A CHANGING WORLD"

Presented with this open brief by Charles, a group consisting of six students and Sebastian was formed to approach it with the only constraint being the containment of the suitcase.

Over two meetings, we brainstormed and discussed and unpacked the suitcase.

The suitcase itself can exist in various states; full or empty, open or closed, in transit or being carried.

The suitcase is instantaneously connotative of travel and movement and this too is comprised of several states; the origin, the journey and the destination. It signifies mobility, instability, temporarily - aspects of a modern life where we move around a lot more, mass travel, mass tourism. Refugees taking whole life into suitcase.

We take with us every day, on every journey, a part of our life to sustain us while we are away from our origin. The contents are never fix and are ultimately determined by the the origin, journey and destination. How do we compartmentalize, condense and miniaturize these aspects of our lives?

The mystery of the closed suitcase evokes mystery and intrigue and potential danger: security threats, bombs and terrorism; who is a terrorist, who are they? On person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. How do potentially threatening objects affect human processes? One potential bomb affects the entire customs process and the experience of airports and travel.

When opened, it reveals something: an experience, an insight - how much can you learn about someone by the contents of their suitcase?

And what about Duty Free - the in-between, almost 'non-place' at the beginning and end of a flight journey where we are tempted with high end, luxury items - tobacco, alcohol, confectionery, electronics and fragrance- but without the tax. In a euphoric, dazed state we pass through and are lured temporarily from reality and the scrutiny we are about to be subjected to in security. We are temporarily free from restrictions and 'duty' and allowed to indulge.

Discussing issues of possible interactivity ultimately impacts on how to best represent any of these ideas. One of the main ideas was to tap into the experience of picking up and carrying a suitcase around the gallery / exhibition space. It immediately evokes ideas of journey and travel and enables the suitcases become devices - they don't reveal anything but trigger them. Perhaps by walking into a room to trigger a projection or part of a story onto the walls to immerse the viewer and take them on a journey.

For my initial concept I took this idea but instead of carrying it, the viewer has the suspense and excitement of opening it which then would trigger projections on the wall.

Following a second meeting, ideas continue to develop so this is still really just a starting point...