This 6-week course studied the imaginative power of landscape by analyzing the art made in Aotearoa. As a student in this course, I was able to conduct my own design brief that had to develop a new design for a part of our National Museum - Te Papa Tongawera. Thus, my project was to design a gallery space within Te Papa that's purpose was to create a space of spiritual reflection. I integrated an open pool of water as its central element, and my key motives were an environmental connection to our landscape, spiritual reflection, and cultural significance. The design outcome was produced through analytic drawing, mapping, photography, and interpretive representation in model and image-making.
The Aquatic Symphony is a sanctuary where visitors can immerse themselves in the poetic dance of light, water, natural beauty, and cultural heritage, within Te Papa. The reflective surfaces of the water, mirrored surfaces, and glass become a testament to the beauty that emerges when nature and water engage in a symphony of reflections. Through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a dappled pattern of natural light floods the space during the day, casting ethereal reflections on the water's surface. As the day unfolds, the play of light transforms the gallery space into a living artwork. As visitors gather, they are encouraged to remind themselves of the symbiotic relationship between the Maori ancestors and the land, where every reflection is a chapter in the narrative of survival, adaptation, and thriving in harmony with nature.
Photographic Sequence of my own photography throughout the course that conveys a feeling of the imaginative landscape, which is the inspiration behind my design 'The Aquatic Symphony.'
The reflective surface of the water becomes a testament to the beauty that emerges when nature and water engage in a symphony of reflections. Not only signifying the serene lakes and coastal landscapes of the country, but the symbolic relationship of what we owe to our Māori ancestors, and how we have adapted and branched out from our roots as a nation over time.
Additional Photographic Sequence of Physical Materiality Produced with Dye + Water.
