Broken is
BEAUTIFUL
Experimenting with "The Materiality of Imperfections"
Beauty in Imperfection
Design Challenge
Explore and study impermanent art, the imperfections of impermanent art and how does beauty resides in the relationship between the viewer and the object.
Design Solution
Project Duration
20 Weeks - Graduation Project
Role
Research, Photography, Experimenting with materials, Videography, Curating the Experience, Material Sourcing, Thesis
The experience portrays two 8’ by 3’ broken mirror installations. The design of the broken mirror is inspired from wabi-sabi, the love and care extended on these shattered pieces should also encourage us to respect what is damaged and scare, vulnerable and imperfect, starting with ourselves and those around us. The design portrays the interdependence of Nature and Humans and creates an interesting line of design.
Brainstorming
Does it Inspire you
because it is Beautiful?
Look into the beauty of imperfections represent the ordinary as extraordinary and make the Invisible VISIBLE because in the end, no one or nothing is perfect.
Impermanent, Imperfect, Incomplete
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The notion of beauty residing in things worn, muted, mismatched,
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Incomplete, Irregular.
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Old things were juxtaposed with New things.
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Wabi-Sabi made visible in other forms of art.
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Abstract Ideas of Beauty that celebrate Simplicity.
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Perceiving something extraordinary
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Not holding on to fixed ideas or material things
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Imperfections- Process of Nature made VISIBLE.
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Imperfection- EMPATHY
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Imperfection- FEAR
Atelophobia
The Fear of Being Imperfect
People with Atelophobia become too consumed with achieving perfection that it affects every aspect of their daily lives. They often suffer from depression, when their perceived expectations do not match their reality.
If we try to stagnate one part of our life in order to attain perfection that means we are stopping ourselves from the natural process of growth as perfection is static. In order to grow, it is necessary to embrace imperfections and to self-reflect.
Transformation
It is important to recognize that we are worth the time and effort it takes to change. Part of what this earth life is about is finding ways to change our weaknesses. Some weaknesses may be lifelong battles, while others can be overcome more quickly.
Every area of life is filled with imperfections, but we need not neurose our every flaw rather learning from those flaws, even appreciating them will allow you to grow. That's what life is all about, living with your imperfections and transforming these imperfections into beauty over a period of time and age.
Nature is Alive, Dynamic, Reproductive,
Irregular, Imperfect and is still considered a Beauty?
Is Nature, Humans and Imperfections
inter-related?
How do Imperfections change with the
change in time?
“Imperfections are in some sort essential to all that we know of life. It is the sign of life in a mortal body, that is to say, of a state of progress and change. Nothing that lives is, or can be rigidly perfect, part of it is decaying, part nascent.”
- JOHN RUSKIN
Experiments
The Melting Candle
Introduction:
In this experiment, the candle as an object is used as a metaphor in comparison to humans.
Observation:
The melting candle changes its form over passing time, indicating and appreciating the process of change.
Conclusion:
The message it brings out is that, unlike candles our existence is temporary, it keeps changing its form over passing time, so we should try to embrace the glory and melancholy found in these forms.
Process of Growth & Decay
Introduction:
Nature and Humans are interrelated and interdependent on each other.
Observation:
The image on the right-hand side, portrays the leaves at the bottom in the state of decaying, whereas at the same time the leaves on the top are growing, multiplying. The process of growth and decay happens at the same time.
Conclusion:
The message it brings out is that unlike Nature even humans go throw this natural process of growth and decay. For instance, imperfections are a sign of growth, they not only help us grow but also decays the fear of being imperfect within us.
Self Reflection
Introduction:
The aim of the experiment was to encourage self-reflection, to take a moment out of your busy schedule to recall a personal experience that made you strong and confident.
Observation:
The experiment was of great help as a lot of people were motivated and encouraged to move outside their comfort zone and express themselves through the medium of writing.
Conclusion:
The stories and the personal experiences that were narrated were the stories of growth, change and transformation that made them strong and confident with the passage of time and also helped them to self-reflect on their Identity of what they were to who they are.
Wabi - Sabi
Introduction:
Inspired by wabi-sabi, I set for myself to create an object that would remind people that imperfections are interesting and natural.
Observation:
This recreated object was seen as an object of beauty that was damaged and imperfect, with a history or a story to tell.
Conclusion:
The idea behind this experiment was to recreate something new out of what was broken and cracked to give it a new purpose and a change in perspective of how we look at things that are damaged and imperfect but beautiful.
Understanding The Nature of Human Choices
Introduction:
The idea behind this experiment was to observe and understand the nature of human choices. The choice between growth and decay.
Observation:
A lot of people chose the decayed leaf, and beautifully explained the idea of death and gratitude.
Conclusion:
The message this experiment brings out is that nature and humans are interdependent. The imperfections in Nature and Humans make you extraordinary from the rest of the world. The only thing that matters is your choice of growing and living with your Imperfections.
Concept Explorations
Broken Mirror Room
The concept emphasizes highlighting the cracks and the broken mirrors rather than disguising them. It portrays the human relationship with nature along with appreciating yourselves by self-reflecting through these broken mirrors. Broken mirrors are used as a metaphor in place of humans, they tell you that they rejoin stronger at the very location they are broken, those are the spots where the light will shine through.
Feedback from users
The broken mirrors acted like portals where one could access and choose the portals depending on their mood. Some of them could relate the reflections and the room to the reflections of past, present and future. While some associate it with the feeling of being in-depth and the light of hope being emitted from the shattered mirrors.
What could have worked well was:
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To scale the prototype so that people could see their entire selves in the broken mirror.
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Add the idea of nature being reflected to show the interdependence of Nature and Humans.
Documentary
Video documentation as a medium was used to collect stories of three people Rushan, Arash and Mahima, who shared and narrated their stories of growth, transformation and change. Stories that made them strong and confident about themselves. The idea behind documenting their stories was to make them self-reflect, appreciate and self-express who they are. As the director of the documentary what I wanted to understand was their imperfect journey and how were they able to grow with their imperfections.
Lights
Camera
Action
Rolling...
Photographs
When I tell people that I am a photographer, they usually respond with: So, what do you like to take pictures of? While it seems like a simple question, I’ve never had a simple answer. However, while revisiting some of my recent writing, photographs, and general thoughts I started to notice a common thread that connected everything. I am drawn to the nature that exists all around us. So, the simple answer to that initial question is: I like to photograph the beauty in imperfection, the beauty in Nature.
Fabrication Process
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The experience portrays two 8’ by 3’ broken mirror installations. The design of the broken mirror is inspired by wabi-sabi, where you can see a leaf within a leaf, portraying the feeling of depth and creating an illusion through the positive and negative spaces.
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The design is created in such a way that through one frame you can see yourself and through the other frame, Nature is made visible. The design tries to show the interdependence of Nature and Humans and as well as create an interesting line of design.
Installation
Cost Structure
Material
Amount
Perfection without Perfection
In an age that worships youth perfection and the new, the art of Kintsugi that is repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted and mixed with gold, an art of particular wisdom is as clickable to our lives as it is to pots. The love and the care extended on these shattered pieces should also encourage us to respect what is Damaged and Scare, Vulnerable and Imperfect, starting with ourselves and those around us.
My body give me an opportunity to demonstrate Grace and make Peace with my imperfections, everytime I see myself in the Broken Mirror.
Way Forward
Exhibiting mirror art installation “Perfection without Perfection” at Sahara Star for
“The Edutainment Show”.
Imperfection begin at HOME
