Installation and Intervention in the Public Realm

For this module, we are have to create an experience in public places. We are assigned Fort Amherst in Chatham as our venue. At the first meeting of this module, the whole class has agreed on one theme that is “Secret”. Because the theme itself is so vast and general, we decided to narrow a few area down to get a clear picture of what everyone needs to do. 

Basically, each one of us need to pick a topic within the theme for our installation. The area that I was interested in and did so much research on was secret place. To me, secret place can mean so many things. It can mean a physical space where you can hide or go to. It can also be strictly platonic like a secret place in your mind where your thoughts and intentions are safely stored and the only one who get to access it is you. Ultimately, it is a place where you put everything that you are ashamed of, your darkest memories, your dark intentions, your deepest, darkest secrets.

This installation is titled "The One That Got Away". It is a replication of an evidence room that holds together all the possessions of crimes that has never been found. These evidence were used in crimes but since they were never found, the criminals got away with it. This place exist because of our conscience. People tend to go to the secret place when specific situations happened or occurred to their lives for them to recollect their thoughts. It is a safe place where anonymity at its best with no one is judging, where truth is mutable, and the only place where your voice is heard.

My installation was placed at the barrel storage cellar because I really think it could give the atmosphere that I was going for. The space has a cave-like quality that goes so well with the idea of having a secret place that no one knows about. I filled the space by installing structures to create  a box that holds all the secrets together. This project involves the installation of five square timber frames, each side measuring two meter. Inside each frame, three evidence bags of different dimensions and secret possessions are held in position by strings tied to the top part of the frames. The evidence bag contained tools belonging to a crime scene and every timber frames is unique as it portrays different crime story.

In addition to the sensation of discovering and experiencing this space, still based on the true stories, I put together an audio of interviews I did of people confessing to their dirty deepest secrets that they have been keeping for years on tape and played it during the installation takes place. The idea was to lead the viewer through the space by the eerie music on the audio to give them a sense of suspense. Finally, I emphasized the space with a spotlight with red filters mounted to it to give off a warm fiery feel projected from the front of the square structures.