A Liminal Walk
Exegesis
Luke Bretnall
Contents
\ Abstract
pg. 3
\ Introduction
pg. 4
\ Research Contexts
pg. 6
\ Method
pg. 12
\ Project Output
pg. 17
\ References
pg. 19
\ List of Figures
pg. 20
Abstract
Fort Lane was once known as the entertainment centre of Auckland. City dwellers
drawn to its cinema and theatre environment created a real connection between
people and the space they occupied. What was once a cinematic urban landscape,
now used as a transitional lane to get from A to B. Unaware of their union
between self and space, occupants add to the dissociation we see in the urban
landscape of Fort Lane. How can occupants’ awareness of self in space be restored in the
urban landscape of Fort Lane? I wish to propose a public design installation within
Fort Lane through the assessment of liminal space and the cinematic phenomena
related to urban landscapes. This public space will introduce a series of textured
panels, creating multiple pathways focusing on moments of separation, transition,
and incorporation while moving through Fort Lane.
Introduction
Fort Lane is home to some of the most significant developments in Auckland’s
formation as a major city. The urban environment reflects the scale of change
the shared lane has endured. Once a trading port, a space for the sale of fine
goods, most notably the hotspot for theatre and entertainment. The opening of
Queens and Everybody’s picture theatre in the 1910s took advantage of cinema’s
increasing popularity. Simultaneously, the interest in cinema grew. Many new
theatres appeared, possessing grand interiors adding to the entertainment and
excitement of the experience. This focus on detail hinted at a strong connection
between people and their spatial environment when experiencing their
cinematic journey. Unfortunately, the connection has slowly diminished into the
disengaged occupants of Fort Lane we see today.
‘A Liminal Walk’ aims to rekindle the connection between people and space.
Creating an environment that stimulates awareness of self in space will
accomplish this lost connection. What does self-awareness in space mean?
Although Fort Lane currently is a shared public space, it lacks the spatial
and programmatic conditions that enhance the shared experience. Making
it a problem for spatial design to solve. “Spatial design is always about the
interrelationship between people and the environment.” (name/date). Fort Lane
had gained attention for its run-down and seedy character for some time. It
was providing an opportunity for people to avoid interaction with Fort Lane
altogether. All it takes to reconnect people with their spatial environment is to
add a bit of entertainment. A visual prompt to experience the space in a way
people may not have imagined. Swedish artist David Svensson showed how this
visual prompt was persuasive through his Eyelight Lane light installation in Fort
Lane. The red neon light runs through a section of Fort Lane, bouncing between
walls and transforming the way we see space.
The project concept explores liminal space and the phases that create the space.
How is liminal space created? Liminal space is necessarily ambiguous and
uncertain, resulting in spatial conditions that allow a more vital awareness of
self in space. What are the spatial characteristics of liminal space? My public
design installation is interactive, but not in a physically stimulating manner. This
sense of interaction focuses more on the movement of one’s body through space.
The focus lies with the dialogue created between occupants and the transitional
moments experienced through the installation. Moments of separation,
transition, and incorporation shed light into the urban landscape one sits within,
offering further insight into one’s awareness of self in space. This installation
is a temporary addition to Fort Lane, providing an intended sudden change of
scenery for its occupants.
The idea of ambiguity and uncertainty for some can provoke an anxious
response. This response is necessary to nudge occupants into the ‘liminal space’
and build a stronger relationship between people and their urban landscape,
which would otherwise never be discovered.
In this exegesis, I will investigate the questions I have surfaced through the
analysis and reflection of my design processes and methods. These questions
help to unpack my project concept, the installation’s intention, and how I made
design decisions.
Research Contexts
Arnold Van Gennep
The term ‘liminality’ originates from anthropological studies, the study on
human behavior and societal patterns. Arnold Van Gennep coined this term, an
ethnographer well known for analyzing liminal space in ‘The Rites of Passage.’ A
rite of passage (ritual) occurs when an individual or social group goes through
a significant status change. These are usually milestones or ceremonies such as
graduation, weddings, and funerals. Van Gennep distinguished a pattern that
accompanied a ritual which included three phases: separation (pre-liminal),
transition (liminal), and incorporation (post-liminal) (Van Gennep, 1909).
Therefore, for liminal space to occur, there must be a ritual/s taken place. Mirco
rituals exist with the site, some existing now and remains of pre-existing rituals
during Fort Lane’s cinematic era.
Although liminal space comes from anthropology, a ritual’s phases can also
be viewed as a spatial experience. In the context of Fort Lane, the activity of
walking through the lane is a ritual. People’s daily walk may consist of using Fort
Lane as a shortcut from A to B. This is a moment of separation, transition, and
incorporation from a spatial structure rather than a social structure. In order to
create liminal space, the three phases must occur within the design installation.
Given that the liminal state is central to the relationship between ‘self’ and ‘the
world’ (Arya, 2012), I have chosen to explore the concept of liminality to achieve
my main goal: How can occupants’ awareness of self in space be restored in the urban
landscape of Fort Lane?
Victor Turner
An anthropologist named Victor Turner acknowledged and continued the
investigation into Van Gennep’s study of liminal space. Turner isolated his
research towards the liminal phases identified by Van Gennep. He began to
investigate the significant attributes that define each phase. Turner concluded
that each liminal phase must be distinctly different from the previous and
future state. This difference identifies the change in space, atmosphere, and
relation to surroundings.
In the context of human behavior, Turner believes “the attributes of liminality
are necessarily ambiguous” (Turner, 1969), and the liminal individuals are in a
dissolved and disorientated state. This interpretation can be interchangeable
with the spatial design and programming of my installation. The transitional
phase must identifiably look and feel different from the past or future states to
achieve this.
Richard Serra
Richard Serra is an American sculptor well known for his large-scale steel
structures. Most of his work exhibited appears out of place and forces viewers
to engage in bodily dialogue with the structure (Fig 1.1). Thus, resulting in
a stronger awareness of self in space. Serra possesses a firm opinion on art,
claiming he is “not interested in the notion that art serves something. Art is
useless, not useful” (2016). Although this viewpoint contradicts the impact of
his art, it playfully poses a new question into the purpose of art. Alternatively,
maybe this was Serra’s intention by making this statement. Serra has redefined
art’s purpose, expressing that art is useless when not engaged in bodily dialogue
with its audience.
For example, his sculpture collection ‘Torqued Ellipses’ explored the idea of
disorientation concerning the audience movement, as mentioned with Victor
Turner’s interpretation of liminal space. These sculptures encourage movement
to understand its form and purpose, which would not be discovered if standing
still or outside the structure (Fig 1.2). The movements through Torqued Ellipses
can be viewed as a transitional liminal phase, as moments of dissolution and
disorientation occur while moving within the structure. The audience becomes
separated from the previous spatial structure once entering the sculptures,
potentially coming out with a new perception, which is Serra’s overall goal. “I
am interested in restructuring the perception of a given space through the way
my work organizes the space. “(Serra, 2007).
Fig 1.1: ‘Tilted Arc’ was removed after the public viewed it as disruptive and frustrating to manevour around.
Fig 1.2: Audience engaged in bodily dialogue within ‘Torqued Ellipses’.
Olafur Eliasson
Olafur Eliasson is a Danish artist who works with mostly large-scale installation
art and sculptures. Much like Serra, Eliasson aims to create environments that
enhance the viewer’s awareness, perception, and curiosity through his art. One
of his most famous installations was ‘The Weather Project’, exhibited at Tate
Modern in London. Eliasson brings nature into the museum environment by
recreating an indoor sun and sky landscape. ‘The Weather Project’ invites the
audience to think about the relationship between themselves and the space they
are inhabiting (Fig 2.1). “My works demand the visitors’ engagement; they are
dependent on viewers to co-produce them,” (Eliasson, 2015).
Like Eliasson, I have a clear conceptual intention behind my installation.
However, this does not mean people require the competence to understand why
they feel a certain way in my proposed space. If they experience Fort Lane in a
new way, this is successful. Eliasson explains, “I do not mind if people are moved
by my work without knowing, or even caring, about any of the theories behind
it.” (Eliasson, 2015). Taking away instructions and guidance allows the audience
to interact in the purest form (Fig 2.2). Take museum exhibitions, for example. In
the chapter ‘Noodling Around with Exhibition Opportunties’, Elaine Gurian explains
that museum exhibition curators, whether consciously or unconsciously, impose
learning impediments on the audience (Gurian, 1991). This is done without an
understanding of the visitor’s capability to learn and interact with art. Museum
exhibitions often seek an ‘appropriate’ audience behavior. Eliasson’s work drives
for a focus on the relationship made between people and space/art, which, in my
opinion, is more valuable than focusing strictly on space/art itself.
Fig 2.1: Audience at ‘The Weather Project’ glance at the vast reflection of themselves
and the artifical sun.
Fig 2.2: The audience have no guidelines on how to interact with the installtion,
encourging a variation of positioning.
Method
Spatial Relations
Spatial relations, or spatial editing, is the construction of film space through
a series of shots. This technique serves to position the audience within an
intended setting. My installation’s spatial editing was a critical technique
to construct the liminal phases of separation, transition, and incorporation.
Model-making helped envision how these spaces may look and feel within
a conceptual narrative (Fig 3.1). Viewing the site with a cinematic lens was
critical in elucidating the context that defines our urban landscapes. Referring
to Richard Koeck’s inquiry into ‘Cine-Scapes’ (cinematic and landscapes), using
film as a lens reveals cinematic phenomena and qualities present in postmodern
landscapes, which would otherwise be disregarded or passively consumed
(Koeck, 2013). I believe Koeck’s argument is that we experience urban landscapes
in an essentially cinematic way. Meaning, many elements we see in film also
impact the way we perceive our environment. I wish to focus on the sensation of
movement-based interaction, enticing the audience to become part of the visual
experience (film), rather than being moved.
With this theory in mind, I constructed my models and site visit photos (Fig
3.2) with a focus on the cinematic framing within a spatial context.
Separation
Transition
Incorporation
Fig 3.1: Exploration of liminal phases through spatial mini-models.
Fig 3.2: Laser-cut camera lenses used to create cinematic framing moments in Fort
Lane.
Surface Design
This project’s essential process was converting the knowledge learned around
the anthropological field of liminal space to a spatial design context. After
understanding the conditional attributes attached to each liminal phase,
indicated earlier by Victor Turner, I attempted to interpret those conditions as
physical expressions. Turner states that liminal space is necessarily ambiguous;
thus, individuals will encounter many other experiential qualities as a result. In
his thesis ‘Liminality in Architecture’, Niven Ibrahim states, “the liminal phase is
an amalgamation of different experiential states that a person may experience”
(Ibrahim, 2012). Examples of these states include layering, blurring, dissolution,
and integration.
The next step was to pair these experiential states to different liminal phases.
I created a diagram that associated the various states to the liminal phase they
would likely occur in (Fig 4.1). This helped me think about each state as a
physical spatial condition, rather than something experienced in the mind.
My main process to achieve this was experimenting with surface and materiality.
I explored the variation and surface detail of acrylic sheets using the 3D
workshop. Using a range of techniques, I applied surfaces, stripped surfaces,
burned, and molded the acrylic to interpret the conditional attributes of liminal
space into a tangible physical surface (Fig 4.2). The main attributes that I
focused on through surface design were layering and blurring.
The acrylic surface experiments were then introduced into structural nature of
my installation. These surfaces exist as a series of fragmented panels, following
the narrative and spatial editing of separation, transition, and incorporation.
Fig 4.1: Spatial conditions/states of liminal phases.
Fig 4.2: Interpretation of blurring using acrylic sheets.
Project Output
Referring to my research question: How can occupants’ awareness of self in
space be restored in the urban landscape of Fort Lane? My project has served
as an exploration of the concepts and thoughts extracted from this question.
The physical design of the public installation starts to answer the creation of
liminal space. Envisioning how liminality may look, feel, or sound like in a
day to day environment, such as Fort Lane. This is where the understanding
of liminal conditions become important, especially in their interpretation into
physical attributes. In beginning to discover what self-awareness in space meant,
many further questions were raised. Through analysis of Richard Serra and
Olafur Eliasson, we start to think about art in a more holistic lens, rather than
purely fixated on the art itself. The importance highlighted more on audience
interaction.
What happens when you remove audience interaction completely, whether
intentional or not? What kind of perception and feeling is then experienced?
My project utilizes public art and interactive installation to create an
environment for liminal space to occur. As a result, occupants that engage in
bodily dialogue with the installation, will create a stronger awareness of self in
space. The panels do not work to enclose and block out Fort Lane. They allow
a new arrangement of sight, frame, light, and fragmentation to be explored,
creating a stronger connection with the surrounding urban landscape (Fig 5.1)
This installation does not intend to be a confronting experience, but more an
experience that encourages the audience to explore, move, and weave through
the space. To experience the space as a series of phases: separation, transition,
and incorporation. Moving from one spatial structure into an unknown
ambiguity, then re-entering what was perceived as the ‘normal’ environment.
Fig 5.1: Conceptual render of ‘A Liminal Walk’ public installation.
References
Van Gennep, A. (1909). The Rites of Passage (1st ed.). Routledge.
Turner, V. (1969). The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure (1st ed.). Routledge.
Koeck, R. (2013). Cine|Scapes: Cinematic Spaces in Architecture and Cities. Routledge.
Ibrahim, N. (2012). Liminality In Architecture. [Master’s thesis, Ryerson University].
https://digital.library.ryerson.ca/islandora/object/RULA%3A1854
Arya, R. (2012). Exploring Liminality from an Anthropological Perspective. In Harrison,
D (Eds.), Exploring Liminality from an Anthropological Perspective (pp. 159-160). IGI
Publishing.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7f0e ae0c9df5c52636dc0747d83cdcb03e4db90d.pdf
IdeelArt. (2016). The Space of Richard Serra Sculpture.
https://www.ideelart.com/magazine/richard-serra
Chevaillier, F. (2007). Interpretive Conventions in Site-Specific and Experimental Art: An
analysis of Richard Serra’s Sculptures and Joseph McElroy’s Fictions.
https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/1553
Alderson, R. (2015). It’s OK to Disagree: The Divisive Work of Artist Olafur Eliasson.
https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/its-ok-to-disagree-the-divisive-work-of-artist-olafureliasson
Gurian, E. (1991). Noodling Around with Exhibition Opportunities. In Karp, I. Lavine,
S (Eds.), Exhibiting Cultures: The Poetics and Politics of Museum Display (pp. 176-190).
Smithsonian Institution Press.
https://content.talisaspire.com/aut/bundles/5d4b72ccd965e63ecd6d03c4
Gallagher, S. (2020). Urban Itinerary: Script, Cut, Surface. Course material. Auckland
University of Technology.
https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/bbcswebdav/pid-5208562-dt-content-rid-12395795_4/
institution/Papers/SPAD702/Publish/SPAD702%20Spatial%20Studio%20III%20BRIEF.
pdf
List of Figures
Fig 1.1: Martin, F. (1981). Titlted Arc [Perspective].
https://edition.cnn.com/style/gallery/controversial-art/index.html?gallery=%2F%2Fcdn.
cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F131204163800-controversial-art-14.jpg
Fig 1.2: The Lonely Palette. (2016). [Untilted image of Richard Serra’s Torqued Ellipses].
[Interior perspective].
http://www.thelonelypalette.com/episodes/2016/9/19/episode-8-richard-serras-torquedellipses-1998
Fig 2.1: Eliasson, O. (2003). The Weather Project. [Birds eye view perspective].
https://olafureliasson.net/archive/artwork/WEK101003/the-weather-project
Fig 2.2: Eliasson, O. (2003). The Weather Project. [Interior perspective].
https://olafureliasson.net/archive/artwork/WEK101003/the-weather-project
All other figures are from the author.