It is about a Way-of-Being
THE WHITE BENCH
Double consciousness of seating
Volatility of material, resonance of environment, and creativity of mankind
PROJECT TYPE: Academic (Collaboration with Joey Farrell)
MEDIUM: Plaster, Wood
DIMENSION: ~W56” x D28” x H18”
DATE: Spring 2022
In this design, seating becomes its own master of the time in the environment, and when people use it, people become the master of the time. Insight of material volatility, human resonance, and shi(environment flow) is developed and supported to the concept of Double Consciousness.
Shi - the flow of the Washington Square park
By and for people, artifact, and their surrounding
The White Bench emphasize the concept of Shi and materialize it by its characteristic and the surrounding environment: Washington Square Park. The material of plaster allows the natural tendencies of plaster to prevail rather than minimizing “imperfections” with the existence of drips, fragility, and ease of texturing.
The White Bench also emphasize itself as the Shi epitome of the park by its form extraction of the shape of a part of the park’s walkway; the bench carefully consider the sitting position and interaction it can offer to the audience, making the audience to sense the Shi of the bench.
Creativity of people
Shi of environment
and Resonance of all
The constantly changing form of the White Bench represents as the people’s interaction and environment’s effects, and all of these tell the notion of time that happened and is happening on the White Bench. Hence, people in the scene need to react with the change brought by volatility.
At the same time, Plaster only need simple polish to retrieve its white and pureness, but is it necessary to renew it? Some things are quick to be broke down but breaking it down change nothing of its existence.
Looking closer, the surface texture evokes the emotion, Shi, and mood with more detail and exquisiteness; Looking farther, the White Bench’s material and color present a huge contrast to the environment, giving a sense of unreality and self-presence.
When people use it, they are around the White Bench. When there is no man, White Bench is the man of environment. Its Shi carries on and beyond and the White Bench will express itself with a sense of its own, strong and deep in the city.