Mike Nelson’s intent appeared to create immersive works and utilising our senses to the highest. Within his work there seems to be an abstract narrative, and a spatial aspect as well as a psychological effect on our senses. Going through his exhibition, there was an internal conflict, of seeing and feeling one thing whilst my mind was overriding, and my consciousness was kicking in.
A lot of his transported me into another dimension, creating a space without context and informing our own situation from it. For instance, the photography room built within the sand hut was painted in red light, creating a very ominous environment straight from a horror movie. Through the light, and bringing in menacing ambiguous chemistry equipment with hanging photographs, the random combination together made an uncomfortable environment to be in. As if it was once inhabited by a menacing character. This control Mike Nelson has over the audience’s feelings, like myself, by working with our senses, is something to consider when designing for my own project. What environment do I want to convey for children? How can I achieve this with the combination of the senses? The ambiguity in his work allows us to actively seek connection and search for meaning. Which means we are doing the work for him; he allows us to be the storytellers from our own point of view.
His work had a distinct smell of old and used materials. It created a sense of eeriness and disorientating at times. I believe it also controlled the direction of travel, avoiding or being curious where the smell led towards. For my project I wish to incorporate the sense of smell in my design, so it informs how the user interacts within my space.
Nelson’s room full of his sculptures ‘The Asset Strippers’ came of my interest as they first appeared to be agriculture equipment. I instantly began to think about their purpose and how they move when they are activated. However, the sculptures are fictional, being constructed from parts of industrial and agricultural machines. He attained these through online auctions from company liquidators. This means they stood as a reflection of the loss of British industry. I was reminded of the labourers who once operated them and the reduced amount of these bustling industries. It brought the question of the value of these labourers and the industry as most things are mass produced and automated. This connotation relates to my work as I am focusing on the act of growing and cooking food. I wish to develop a link to the methods and importance of cultivating food and the connection between people and farming in my design.
His work is also influenced by science fiction. He is inspired by a novel from Stainslaw Lem where it states language is distorted and morphed to create new words that describe things that will exist in the future. Applying this concept to his own work, he ponders over the human desire to predict and control the future, when we are only constrained to work in the present. With my project focusing on hydroponics, I wish to consider the futuristic and science aspect of growing food to sustain for the future. Possibly exaggerating the concept in my design to emphasise the futureproofing of growing local produce.
I also liked the idea of the rooms connecting, such that one door led to you being positioned on one side of the bar, where the other door led to the other side so that you were serving the other person. Nelson cleverly designed the corridor, doors and rooms to be connected, disorientating the user of the space so that they lose a sense of purpose and function of the room. The control allows a manipulation of space being used which I would like to use in my project. Controlling the roles placed in the space through the configuration of the doors, passageways and interior.
Gallery: