Sjen Sjen (2019)
“Sjen Sjen” is an abstract qualia exchange mechanism that allows you to see yourself from the perspective of the other. Through geometrical representation, a leap of the imagination and a 180 degrees rotation, the users of this system are offered the chance to transcend their own central position and get access to the impossible point of view of “the other” (or their own former self). While looking at “looking at each other” and seeing each other from the opposite side, the users can experience how their intersecting views are determining the position and shape in which they find themselves.
In both of the mirrors (the square and the triangular mirror) there is a small hole through which the users can look at each other. When you look through the hole in the square mirror (with one eye) you will be able to recognize a triangle in the object that is placed in the center. This represents your image of “the other” person standing behind the triangular mirror that is facing you.
Conversely, from the perspective of the triangular mirror, you can recognize a square in the object that is placed in the center. In this way all the shapes (the triangle, the square and the shape in the middle) are the result of the process of looking at each other, caused by the intersections of each others perspective. (*see image 5)
When you then rotate the installation 180 degrees around each other, you can see yourself as the other person sees you. In the reflection you will also be able to see the image of the image that the other person has of the image that you have of the other person. This shape in the reflection, (your image of my image of you) is therefore the sum of the two shapes triangle + square, a shape with 7 corners (*see image 6) that repeats itself endlessly. (Your image of my image of your image of me, etc.)
*5
*6
*Looking at myself looking at looking at myself
This installation can be seen and used at Fort Ruigenhoek as part of Festival Tweetakt in Utrecht till June 16th 2019. See the full program here: https://tweetakt.nl/programma/
