spectacle
\Spec"ta*cle\, n.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin
spect
culum, from
spectre,
to watch, frequentative of specere,
to look at.]
1. Something that can be seen or viewed, especially
something of a remarkable or impressive nature.
2. A public performance or display, especially one on a
large or lavish scale.
3. A regrettable public display, as of bad behavior
4. A spy-glass; a looking-glass. [Obs.]
5. pl. An optical
instrument consisting of two lenses set in a light frame, and worn to assist
sight, to obviate some defect in the organs of vision, or to shield the eyes
from bright light.
6. pl something resembling
eyeglasses in shape or suggesting them in function.
7. pl. Fig.: An aid to the intellectual sight.
Syn: Show; sight; exhibition;
representation; pageant.
Sources:
The American Heritage®
Dictionary of the English Language
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
Concept
The installation Spectacle
is a multi-faceted work that investigates several domains: visual science
physiology, store display aesthetics, formal properties of lighting and color, spectacles as refractive error correction devices,
spectacles as a fashion accessory and spectacles as a signalling device in
local
In visual science physiology, Spectacle explores the phenomenon of optical mixture – the
summation of pixels to form an image in the eye and perceived by the brain.
Historically, the phenomenon of optical mixture was first harnessed in
pointillism. In pointillism, painted spots serve as the pixel, while in Spectacle, each pair of spectacles and
its lenses together serve as a pixel.
Spectacles are not merely refractive devices for the
correction of vision, but also sunshades to reduce glare and to enhance
contrast appreciation. Spectacles are important fashion devices that reframe
the face aesthetically, and
In reinforcing the notion of spectacles as a fashion
device, and in marketing the spectacles, the retailers of spectacles install
aesthetically designed spectacle racks that are often have elements of
simplicity, material emphasis, and clinical blend of aesthetics that is
consistent with optometry as a science. When we browse in a spectacle shop, we
are captivated by the presentation of these spectacles, whether displayed in
racks, shelves, or display cabinets. Recognizing the potential of these arrays
of racks as a presentation device, the artist harvests these arrays of racks as
his canvas, and the spectacles as his pigmented pixels, and re-presents these
racks in a grand composition of a subject image.
We look through the lenses of spectacles by receiving
light entering the front lenses, but in Spectacle,
there is a reversal of the process: the spectacles are lit from the back, light
emits from the front lenses, and our eyes look at the front of the lenses.
These arrays of racks may be seen as a scientific
device for investigating additive optical mixture under varying luminary
conditions, whether the lights are projected from the back panels, or cast from
the front in spotlight and diffuse conditions.
The proposed subject is the eyes of the young
schooling Singaporean female. The Singaporean schoolgirl is at the highest risk
of developing myopia (short-sightedness) in the world because of excessive near
work. Yet ironically, many Singaporean schoolgirls aspire to be the Singapore
Girl – the air stewardess at the national airline Singapore Airlines that is
the icon of
Proposed Sites:
Sculpture Square, with a cavernous and minimalist
interior, may have one of its site walls lined by Spectacle. The front entrance
opens spectacularly to the image of Spectacle, and the back entrance opens
surprisingly to the image of Spectacle.
The Esplanade – an architectural spectacle – is another
ideal site for the installation of Spectacle, for both the building and the art
work allude to a grand and lavish public display.
Commercial malls with atria are provocative sites for
shoppers will be surprised for the Spectacle.
Figure
1: Proposed Subject: Image of Spectacle –
showing the pixels. In this graphical image, each pixel actually
consists of 2 spectacle pixels mounted horizontally one above the other.
Figure 2: Illustration
of an array of racks of spectacles and spectacles serving as pixels.
Figure
3: Larger view of spectacles mounted on a
rack.
Construction
Spectacle
consists of units of artist-designed spectacle racks that are aligned one after
another and one above another in an array. For translation of the depicted
image to the array of racks of spectacles, each rack is labelled R1, R2, R3,
and so forth. From the top left hand corner of the artwork that is facing the
audience, the horizontal rows are labelled 1, 2, 3 and so on, and the vertical
rows are labelled AA, AB, AC, and so on to BA, BB, BC, and so on. Each pair of
spectacles is labelled and tagged with a discreet small piece of white label
with cellophane tape overlay on its right hind appendix by its position on the
array, for instance R1, 1, AA for the top left hand corner unit. Below is a
sample of a 10 by 10 spectacle rack:
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R1,1,AA |
R1,2,AA |
R1,3,AA |
R1,4,AA |
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R1,1,AB |
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R1,1,AC |
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R1,1,AD |
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Figure 4:
Each rack unit has mounted translucent white panel
which lit from the back by rows of white tungsten filaments tubes of lights.
The translucent white panel has mounted Perspex rods that protrude at a
perpendicular angle from the translucent white panel at regular intervals.
These Perspex rod protrusions end with a stopper. Two-thirds along the Perspex
rod, from the stopper to the translucent white panel is a curved Perspex rod
that is mounted parallel to the surface of the translucent white panel. Each of these Perspex rod
allows a spectacle to be steadily placed and presented. The nasal rims of the
spectacle rest on the stopper, and the hind supports of the spectacles rest on
the curved Perspex rod. Each spectacle serves as a pixel.
The artist-designer uses clear transparent Perspex
rods so as not to distract from the saturated color
of each spectacle lens shade.
Each spectacle is to be mounted a small distance away
from the white translucent panel.
Each spectacle is one standard medium-sized lens
height and one standard medium-sized lens width in separation spacing.
The preference is for the spectacles to be protected
by a layer of Plexiglass. In view of the cost of
installing the Plexiglass, this option may not be
viable.
The alphanumeric labelling system allows the
spectacles to be removed for storage, and reassembled again.
Spectacle is divided into 2 parts: 1 main panel, and
1 secondary panel that is detached.
The artist has arrived at this style of construction
based on his observational analysis of various spectacle racks at numerous
spectacle retail shops.
Public
Participation and Online Presence
There are 2 capital conservative ways to acquire the
number of 12,000 spectacles to stage this work. One is to approach a commercial
manufacturer or distributor of spectacles to sponsor spectacles in return for
publicity coverage. The other is to involve the public by staging global online
and local offline word-of-mouth and sponsored advertising and marketing
campaign to persuade individuals of the public to donate their spectacles. When
an individual public donates his pairs of spectacles, he writes his name, age,
country of residence, occupation, e-mail address, and he is encouraged to write
on any poignant and memorable aspect of the pair of spectacles.
A website titled projectspectacle.com displaying zoom
in and out views of the installation can be established by simple digital
photography and reproduction of the art work. The alphanumeric grid position
labels, each corresponding to a pair of spectacles, can be displayed at the
website. Each spectacle position is hyperlinked to retrieve from a simple Microsoft
Access My SQL database the same particulars and statements contributed by
individual donors of the particular pair of spectacles.
The personal attachments of each spectacle serve
present a personal human dimension that balances the design aesthetics of Spectacle.
In selecting the spectacles for each pixel position
on the rack array, the artist compares the color of
the lenses with the color of the draft digital image.
If the match is right, the pair of spectacles is granted the corresponding
position and labelled. Volunteers of the public pick up the labelled glasses on
the tray and place the glasses in the corresponding position.
Current Scale
Spectacle
comprise100 racks. Each rack consists of 100 spectacles. There are altogether
10,000 spectacles. The racks may be hung on plain white gallery walls, and
appear to be seamless in alignment with one another. Alternately, the racks can
be mounted on a weighted space frame for stability and alignment.
Scalability
The modular structure of the rack array allows the
art work to be scaled. Each spectacle serves as a pixel. The work can be scaled
by the power of 4. If the original work is at baseline of 1, a larger version
will be 4 times the baseline size, and the largest version is 16 times the
baseline size.
Duplicability
By
following the blueprint image, and the specifications for the construction of
the array of racks, any person in any part of the world can reconstruct the art
work.
Alternate
Presentations
The racks, which are reusable, can be emptied of the
spectacles, and the depicted image changed with the placement of new spectacles
and new lenses. The racks can be arranged in different configurations. The back
lighting color can be varied in intensity of luminescence,
and the color can be changed on changing the tubes.
The light shining on the racks can be changed in color,
intensity of luminescence, area of luminescence (spot or diffuse), direction of
projection, and the degree of motion as opposed to static. By this alternate
presentations, the work Spectacle ceases to exist in its original form and is
replaced by a new work to be titled.
