The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur
by Yap Weng Nam
-700x460.jpg)
PROJECT BY
Yap Weng Nam
Joined July 2017
ABOUT PROJECT
“Hey, the elephant is a pillar,”
“Oh, no! it is like a rope,”
“Oh, no! it is like a thick branch of a tree,”
“It is like a big hand fan”
“It is like a huge wall,”
“It is like a solid pipe,”
Have you ever heard of the story “The Blindmen and The Elephant”? The story is about a group of blind men (or men kept in the dark), who have never came across an elephant before. They began to conceptualise the elephant by touching it. Each one of them, touches a different part of the elephant, but only one part; side, tusk, ear, leg and so forth. They began to describe the elephant based on their partial experience and each of their description are in complete disagreement of how an elephant should look like. The implication is that one's subjective experience can be true, but such experience can be inherently limited by its failure to consider others truth or judgement. In the process of truth finding, accessibility of information, communication, and respect for different believes and perspectives are paramount.
“The Blind Men and The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur” is an interactive audio visual installation derived from this story. The installation is framed in an empty dark space, with background audio sound composed from various sound elements unique to one object, familiar to the people of Kuala Lumpur (e.g sound of public transport, ice-cream vendor, memorable advertisement song and etc.) Audiences will be given torchlight to be use and invited to enter the empty darkroom as the role of „blind men‟. Visual projections will be triggered by the casted light while the audiences are in search for the deconstructed sounds. Audiences will to figure out and describe the object (the elephant) by gathering hints from the deconstructed sound from their hearing experience. As extension of it, they are invited to join into the process of seeking the truth by discussing and guessing the related object through online social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and offline at the exhibition. To „see‟ the full unknown „elephant‟, audience will find out the „truth‟ on Facebook page when the object (the answer) will be revealed!
“Oh!” everyone said.
馬來西亞平面設計師與視覺藝術家Yap Weng Nam首次於日本札幌現代藝術研究所展出《瞎子摸象，札幌》互動式視覺聲音裝置後，將於自己的出生地吉隆坡籌備展出《瞎子摸象，吉隆坡》。
Yap Weng Nam關注於聲音、音樂與視覺之創作，喜好以不同媒材進行跨領域創作，挑戰傳統視覺表現手法，遊走於設計與藝術領域之間，試驗各種隨機美學。他的作品在歐洲與亞洲獲得關注，也曾獲得歐洲設計大獎。此次於吉隆坡展出的個展《瞎子摸象，吉隆坡》，創作與策展靈感來自於〈瞎子摸象〉這個眾所皆知的故事。故事描述一群盲人透過身體觸摸大象，說出他們所感覺到的大象形貌。由於每個人觸摸大象的不同部位，因而對大象的認知與形容各不相同，但每個人都堅持自己的說法才是正確的。這個故事的含義在於：人的主觀經驗可能式正確的真理，但是這樣的經驗在本質上就缺乏對其他真實或真實的全貌的認識。而在尋找真實的過程裡，資訊的取得、溝通以及對於不同觀點的尊重才是最重要的。
取材於這個故事，《瞎子摸象，吉隆坡》試圖將這個含義注入互動影音裝置裡。這個裝置主要架設於一個空蕩且黑暗的空間裡，聲音來自大家於吉隆坡或馬來西亞熟悉的某個聲響。觀眾手持手電筒，受邀進入這個黑暗的空間裡，扮演「瞎子」的角色，當他們進入其中並尋找各種聲音時，投影機因為手電筒光源而開始投射影像。觀眾必須透過他們所聽到的各種聲音暗示來辨別這個聲音究竟為何物，之後，觀眾們需要經過討論的過程，共同尋找所謂的真實，並透過社交媒體（像是臉書、Twitter、Instagram）一起猜測這個物件的真面目。這個聲音（也就是所謂的「大象」）的真實面目將於展覽結束後於社交媒體上公佈。
RISKS AND CHALLENGES
Challenges on Concept
This installation was first exhibited at Sapporo, titled “The Blind Men And The Elephant, in Sapporo”. The sound (the content) is progressively changing based on the cultural context of the area.
Hence the challenge for Kuala Lumpur version is to implement a different meaning, which could be culturally, racially interesting and able to engage and familiar to the audiences in Kuala Lumpur. (e.g ; sound derives from ice cream vendor, public transport and so on)
Malaysia has multi races to its cultural vibrancy, yet we constantly have disagreement or disrespecting to others believe and judgement. This installation “The Blind Men And The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur” provides a chance to gather audiences coming from different cultural background and races to seek and to find the „object‟ in this dark room without audiences knowing or judging each other experiences in conceptualising this „object‟. Audiences are dependable to work together and to share the findings while exploring in the
dark room with torchlight. With these findings it will help to solve and guess the mysterious sound for the „object‟ through a series of discussion.
---
Challenges on Budget
This installation requires a set of supports for it to be redefine and to further enhance it experiences based on chosen location. It varies from the size of the dark room to the sound interaction with audiences. It is a complex synergies that requires certain technical supports as well as sets of coding programs for it to be responsive and engaging to audience.
With your help and support, the installation itself no longer confined by the setting and it is able to be mobile and be implemented in different spaces and applications in future explorations. I believe in the midst of finding and exploring, we learn from others‟ way of seeking and learning; in search for familiar values that we all shared and have. With this, the art becomes a meaningful tool.
Yap Weng Nam
Yap Weng Nam
Joined July 2017
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Project funding closed
Rewards
Support RM50 or more
– Heartfelt thank you email.
Support RM100 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
Support RM200 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
– Receive a limited editiion 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Sapporo' poster with artist's personal signature, designed by Clap
– Receive a special 'Thank you' card, designed by Clap
Support RM500 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
– Receive a limited edition 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Sapporo' poster & also a special 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur' poster with artist's personal signature, designed by Clap
– Receive a special 'Thank you' card, designed by Clap
– Special invite by artist for early access to the installation, provided with 'Meet the artist' session & artist walk.
Support RM1,000 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
– Receive a limited edition 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Sapporo' poster & also a special 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur' poster with artist's personal signature, designed by Clap
– Receive a special 'Thank you' card, designed by Clap
– Special invite by artist for early access to the installation, provided with 'Meet the artist' session & artist walk.
– Your name / company name will be credited as contributor in all publicity act (poster, social media, event, video documentation & etc...) + a personal live shout out during the launch.
PROJECT BY
Yap Weng Nam
Joined July 2017
ABOUT PROJECT
“Hey, the elephant is a pillar,”
“Oh, no! it is like a rope,”
“Oh, no! it is like a thick branch of a tree,”
“It is like a big hand fan”
“It is like a huge wall,”
“It is like a solid pipe,”
Have you ever heard of the story “The Blindmen and The Elephant”? The story is about a group of blind men (or men kept in the dark), who have never came across an elephant before. They began to conceptualise the elephant by touching it. Each one of them, touches a different part of the elephant, but only one part; side, tusk, ear, leg and so forth. They began to describe the elephant based on their partial experience and each of their description are in complete disagreement of how an elephant should look like. The implication is that one's subjective experience can be true, but such experience can be inherently limited by its failure to consider others truth or judgement. In the process of truth finding, accessibility of information, communication, and respect for different believes and perspectives are paramount.
“The Blind Men and The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur” is an interactive audio visual installation derived from this story. The installation is framed in an empty dark space, with background audio sound composed from various sound elements unique to one object, familiar to the people of Kuala Lumpur (e.g sound of public transport, ice-cream vendor, memorable advertisement song and etc.) Audiences will be given torchlight to be use and invited to enter the empty darkroom as the role of „blind men‟. Visual projections will be triggered by the casted light while the audiences are in search for the deconstructed sounds. Audiences will to figure out and describe the object (the elephant) by gathering hints from the deconstructed sound from their hearing experience. As extension of it, they are invited to join into the process of seeking the truth by discussing and guessing the related object through online social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and offline at the exhibition. To „see‟ the full unknown „elephant‟, audience will find out the „truth‟ on Facebook page when the object (the answer) will be revealed!
“Oh!” everyone said.
馬來西亞平面設計師與視覺藝術家Yap Weng Nam首次於日本札幌現代藝術研究所展出《瞎子摸象，札幌》互動式視覺聲音裝置後，將於自己的出生地吉隆坡籌備展出《瞎子摸象，吉隆坡》。
Yap Weng Nam關注於聲音、音樂與視覺之創作，喜好以不同媒材進行跨領域創作，挑戰傳統視覺表現手法，遊走於設計與藝術領域之間，試驗各種隨機美學。他的作品在歐洲與亞洲獲得關注，也曾獲得歐洲設計大獎。此次於吉隆坡展出的個展《瞎子摸象，吉隆坡》，創作與策展靈感來自於〈瞎子摸象〉這個眾所皆知的故事。故事描述一群盲人透過身體觸摸大象，說出他們所感覺到的大象形貌。由於每個人觸摸大象的不同部位，因而對大象的認知與形容各不相同，但每個人都堅持自己的說法才是正確的。這個故事的含義在於：人的主觀經驗可能式正確的真理，但是這樣的經驗在本質上就缺乏對其他真實或真實的全貌的認識。而在尋找真實的過程裡，資訊的取得、溝通以及對於不同觀點的尊重才是最重要的。
取材於這個故事，《瞎子摸象，吉隆坡》試圖將這個含義注入互動影音裝置裡。這個裝置主要架設於一個空蕩且黑暗的空間裡，聲音來自大家於吉隆坡或馬來西亞熟悉的某個聲響。觀眾手持手電筒，受邀進入這個黑暗的空間裡，扮演「瞎子」的角色，當他們進入其中並尋找各種聲音時，投影機因為手電筒光源而開始投射影像。觀眾必須透過他們所聽到的各種聲音暗示來辨別這個聲音究竟為何物，之後，觀眾們需要經過討論的過程，共同尋找所謂的真實，並透過社交媒體（像是臉書、Twitter、Instagram）一起猜測這個物件的真面目。這個聲音（也就是所謂的「大象」）的真實面目將於展覽結束後於社交媒體上公佈。
RISKS AND CHALLENGES
Challenges on Concept
This installation was first exhibited at Sapporo, titled “The Blind Men And The Elephant, in Sapporo”. The sound (the content) is progressively changing based on the cultural context of the area.
Hence the challenge for Kuala Lumpur version is to implement a different meaning, which could be culturally, racially interesting and able to engage and familiar to the audiences in Kuala Lumpur. (e.g ; sound derives from ice cream vendor, public transport and so on)
Malaysia has multi races to its cultural vibrancy, yet we constantly have disagreement or disrespecting to others believe and judgement. This installation “The Blind Men And The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur” provides a chance to gather audiences coming from different cultural background and races to seek and to find the „object‟ in this dark room without audiences knowing or judging each other experiences in conceptualising this „object‟. Audiences are dependable to work together and to share the findings while exploring in the
dark room with torchlight. With these findings it will help to solve and guess the mysterious sound for the „object‟ through a series of discussion.
---
Challenges on Budget
This installation requires a set of supports for it to be redefine and to further enhance it experiences based on chosen location. It varies from the size of the dark room to the sound interaction with audiences. It is a complex synergies that requires certain technical supports as well as sets of coding programs for it to be responsive and engaging to audience.
With your help and support, the installation itself no longer confined by the setting and it is able to be mobile and be implemented in different spaces and applications in future explorations. I believe in the midst of finding and exploring, we learn from others‟ way of seeking and learning; in search for familiar values that we all shared and have. With this, the art becomes a meaningful tool.
Yap Weng Nam
Yap Weng Nam
Joined July 2017
project.REWARDS
Support RM50 or more
– Heartfelt thank you email.
Support RM100 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
Support RM200 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
– Receive a limited editiion 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Sapporo' poster with artist's personal signature, designed by Clap
– Receive a special 'Thank you' card, designed by Clap
Support RM500 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
– Receive a limited edition 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Sapporo' poster & also a special 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur' poster with artist's personal signature, designed by Clap
– Receive a special 'Thank you' card, designed by Clap
– Special invite by artist for early access to the installation, provided with 'Meet the artist' session & artist walk.
Support RM1,000 or more
– Heartfelt shout out on social media (with consent), when project is online.
– Receive a limited edition 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Sapporo' poster & also a special 'The Blind Men & The Elephant, in Kuala Lumpur' poster with artist's personal signature, designed by Clap
– Receive a special 'Thank you' card, designed by Clap
– Special invite by artist for early access to the installation, provided with 'Meet the artist' session & artist walk.
– Your name / company name will be credited as contributor in all publicity act (poster, social media, event, video documentation & etc...) + a personal live shout out during the launch.
Contact Yap Weng Nam
- RM50
- RM100
- RM200
- RM500
- RM1,000
- Just support