SHIFTING INTIMACIES
FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE
Participants taking part in Shifting Intimacies at the ICA were asked (via questionnaires) to offer feedback on their experience. We asked them
1) What their initial feelings and thoughts on entering the work were
2) What their thoughts/ feelings / experience/ memories were once they had
exited the space
3) Thoughts on their interactive experiences with the work
4) To try to describe their emotional journey within the work.
5) To reflect specifically on the Audio Environment
6) To comment on any other ideas, suggestions or reflections
Here are some of their responses
PARTICIPANT 1
1) I was frightened
2) I felt relief
3) I enjoyed touching the sand and feeling as part of the work
4) It was like interior journey as I was all alone thinking about my life
and my thoughts. I felt really alone there.
5) Frightening – scary – deep
6) I really enjoyed it and it made me feel lots of feelings and sensations.
I seemed like the birth, from the Earth’s womb
PARTICIPANT 2
1) Felt weird. Wondering what I was about to see.
2) The work left me a filling of mystery. Something dark as the place as
the work was in. Thought it was less than 10 minutes.
3) Just standing there and watching and trying to figure out what was it
about, Was it about the beginning and end of life (the 1 st video), and
about being trapped (2 nd one, with the dust, or maybe both were about being
trapped???
4) Nice mystery, atmosphere, kind of being in another world for a few minutes
–disconnected from the outside world, think puts you on the same spot
like the person in the video. So if that was to achieve well done!
5) It was very nice and nicely accompanied the videos
6) Would be nice if accompanied buy voice over saying few words relevant
to the concept of the videos, like I don’t know…’escape’
freedom’
PARTICIPANT 3
1) Good entry had no idea what to expect until the very last minute. Discs
or light in a darkened room was very shaking. Exiting, nervous
2) Loved the feeling of being in a big dark space alone.
3) Enjoyed it but didn’t feel that my movement changed the thing that
much. I loved being alone with the sounds and darkness.
4) Went from not understanding and then wanting to explore and then disappointment
that running around didn’t seem to make it change that much. Then
tried to move near far wall because seemed to produce changes. And then
the end when the sand changed picture- beautiful.
5) Liked the sounds. Thought there would be more variation though.
6) Maybe experiment with the colours of the discs depending on the speed
of movement? Eg. Red=fast?
PARTICIPANT 4
1) Immense dark space overwhelming. You are drowning to the hub of the light.
2) Throwing the sand made you feel a part of the work, seeing the light
shine through was magical. Eyes were tingling.
3) –
4) Felt uneasy walking between the two projectors, darkness of space made
you feel wary. Images themselves opposed this was comforting.
5) Comforting sounds.
6) –
PARTICIPANT 5
1) It was a bit scary!
2) It is a totally exclusive exhibition for an audience. I wanted to move
around more, but I couldn’t. Because of scary!
3) mysterious, scary
4) It is hard to explain, but I felt like in a different world.
5) I couldn’t know well.
7) I would like to jump more on the circle, if I were a child.
PARTICIPANT 6
1) I was scared at first.
2) Sense of immortality
3) Standing in the dark space alone made me feel crazy!
4) I thought about life and death. Where are we from? Where will we go?
5) When I pay attention to one screen I am concerned about another screen,
I heard sounds from many different directions, which was mysterious to me.
6) –
PARTICIPANT 7
1) O gosh another “digital art installation”
2) Yep, impression confirmed.
3) If there was any it’s very difficult to pinpoint. The throwing
of the dust CANNOT BE CALLED INTERACTIVE.
4) I have always loved naked woman and their bodies depicted in pretty esthetical
ways.
5) Slightly confusing. Well mixed.
6) –
PARTICIPANT 8
1) Internal – designed to make you focus on the space and be aware
of your senses.
2) Throwing the dust created interesting effects settles your mind –
calming.
3) Mysterious, I was unsure how I was affecting the work and if the images
in were responding to me.
4) Curiosity at first, unsure what to expect. The time there was interesting,
puzzling
5) Soothing, calming primarily. Some sounds were alarming at one point-
sounded as if someone was approaching from behind the curtain.
6) Should be more clear HOW you are affecting the environment so that it
is a, more beneficial experience. Art should be more two- way beneficial
Experience. The spectator should be able to respond with informed judgement.
PARTICIPANT 9I was feeling very uncomfortable, like poisoned! I wanted
my freedom! I like to be in a nightmare.
1) Dark, not my kind of thing
1) Interesting, still not my kind of thing
2) Nonexistent as far as I can think
3) None
4) Didn’t notice it
5) NO.
PARTICIPANT 10–
1) -
2) My presence had no impact on the work, it was impossible to work out
how the work was ‘responding’ or’ interacting’ although
the images, surfaces were very beautiful –I left before the end, and
does a dark space mean intimacy?
3) Curiosity
4) Wondering if my movement would change the patterns in the second ring.
If the projectors were being affected.
5) Became calmer.
PARTICIPANT 11
1) Wondering, what will happen, will anything “react” to me.
2) 3D= real, and 2D image looking 3D, love footprints in the room, need
for exit lights- such a shame!
3) Didn’t feel ‘inter’ active, just free to roam. Throwing
flour at height was a nice effect but didn’t feel related as it was
prompted.
4) Reluctant, then looking.
5) No. Wish the sound had the ability to tell me the shape of the room the
way my eyes can.
PARTICIPANT 12
1) Bewildered, insecure because of the darkness
2) Fascinating rather than exciting- watching evolution- a life and death
experience.
3) The interaction was thought.
4) Not emotional just very thought provoking.
5) Great contrast: light, movement, darkness- conscious much more of the
visual- just me! - too much capture of the sounds that influence me.
6) Black and white contrast good. I loved the fluid movement- everything
flowed to me an interesting reflection on fleeting life!
PARTICIPANT 13
1) I liked the idea of darkness and the only light being this women inside
the bubble naked. It made me think of a full-grown women inside a kind of
womb. The sounds coming from different directions made me feel circled.
I did allow have the feeling I was being watched.
2) I was confused by the flower/sand. I was not quite sure on what I was
supposed to do and how, But decided in the end to just put it naturally
where the rest was (the second circle).
3) It was all a guess and it was strange, but I found it fascinating.
4) It felt wild, I think it releases you after a while, you come in stiff,
you relax and enjoy and leave confused.
5) The audio was great without the sounds it would not be as good, I think
the sounds make it as powerful as the moving image.
PARTICIPANT 14
1) Good impact, strongly welcoming.
2) Reminded me of works by Studio Azzurro in Milan, Italy. You must know
of them.
3) Maybe a little to subtle?
4) I particularly liked the hypnotical quality to it.
5) The audio I would have preferred more motion- sensitive.
PARTICIANT 15
1) Birth, eggs, peace, timeless, female, alone.
2) Made me feel like I was at the beach, submersion. Than when the dust
covers the figure I felt like ‘a clean slate’, “clear
thought’- renewed!
3) Shadowed, breath awareness; peaceful.
4) Birth…evolved. Than renewed in a Zen like way, with the knowledge
of a clean canvas to being again.
5) Reminded me to focus on breath made me feel at peace.
6) Hmm, maybe small floor lights that interact with the person; drawing
them to use the space- the whole space.
PARTICPANT 16
1) Dark
2) Weird sounds
3) Odd
4) Bewildered
5) tappy
–
PARTICIPANT 17
1) Looks a bit scary.
2) I had bean with my own thoughts, not enough to engage me.
3) Couldn’t see the relationship.
4) Thought someone breathing behind me. So I’m paranoid.
5) Not clear relationship between action / reaction.
6) Less white noise. More interpretation. All seemed a bit random.
PARTICIPANT 18
1) Nice to see a new installation here in ICA, hope not to stumble in the
dark.
2) Darkness all right no worries about that, associations fates in womb,
that is back to birth of mankind.
3) Very good dancer who could do all this movements.
4) I may be very rational and so, I did not feel so much. But I feel this
was about the origin of life and then there are the insects- crabs which
came curly in creation and will be left when mankind is extinct.
5) Noises. I did not reflect on.
PARTICIPANT 19
1) Bit apprehensive
2) Relaxed!
3) Very nice. Like having a shower.
4) Calm
5) A little less calming than videos – but nice.
6) Needn’t be quite as long /if There were more people quicker input
would allow them through- best to be solitary.
PARTICIPANT 20
1) I believed I was in a circus.
2) Lot’s of questions. Destibilizating. Strange.
3) ?
4) Incomprehensive
5) Incomprehensive.
PARTICIPANT 21
1) The experience starts in the foyer- the usher was obviously not clearly
instructed and there was a lot of radio contact happening affecting the
mood. Consider how much the usher tells audience.
2) I didn’t want to be told the light would come on. I was waiting
for this the whole time- which made for a LONG ten Minutes. I felt I shouldn’t
move to the other image until than.
3) The sand was a good idea and worked beautifully. But I don’t think
the usher should tell the audience about this before. I was wondering when
I was meant to throw sand, where was it etc? Maybe a sign on the box instead?
4) I was impatient. Waiting for the light and unsure about the sand. I did
focus on the birth and death concept for a while, when I wasn’t feeling
impatient and a ‘Bit Bored”.
5) Very good- really effective.
6) There was no real sense of journey. Perhaps another screen? Also there
was too much use of one image. It needed more. Think more about the audience
experience. However the sound was great and the images were good. This could
be developed into something successful.
PARTICIPANT 22
1) Initially daunting, exciting – anticipation of walking into unknown
dark room, not knowing what to expect. New images, sounds – large
space.
2) Quite relaxed and calm on leaving – meditative experience, 10 mins
long enough to focus on images/ sound, without being able to drag up memories/
associations- No, preoccupied by the new experience.
3) My movements didn’t seem to correspond with the visual/ audio changes.
Didn’t understand relationship between my use of space and resulting
image/ sound.
4) Not dark enough to be very meditative, also very aware of someone else
being in room- quite self- conscious. Didn’t use the space in the
same way as if I’d been completely alone (running, experimenting more)
. However, still able to get lost in the work- constantly changing visual/
audio= hypnotic, engaging.
5) Sound very important in creating necessary isolated atmosphere- helps
prevent the perception of the actual gallery space –allows you to
get lost/ forget where you are.
PARTICIPANT 23
1) Tranquil sound
2) Calm. Impressive interaction of video with where you are around circle
3) Took a little while to work out at start, but it was amazing to see how
body shapes changed with position around the circle.
4) Calm – but inquisitive – to see what happened
5) Liked this particulary since calm and mellow
PARTICIPANT 24
1) Excitement going through the unknown. Felt a bit uneasy while was in
there as not shore what to do. The theory was good.
2) Free. But work was great
3) Couldn’t interact much as it hard to feel comfortable.
4) Unsure how act as the work was long time. Felt uncomfortable because
someone was waiting you in the dark but you were being expose.
5) Like the sound go well with the video
6) Maybe include in movement in to the surrounding.
7) Interesting – atmospheric – curious, anticipating the “platform
lighting up” as per instructions
PARTICIPANT 25
1) Curious to read the blurb about the installation.
2) Did the foetuses start moving more rapidly as I approached them? It felt
as though I was in a sci_ fi world?
3) Curiosity – interest – enjoyable touching the flour –loving
throwing it – sensation of rebellion.
4) Sounds were quite alien.
PARTICIPANT 26
1) The image floating created an interesting sense of space. Sounds seemed
heavier than the images
2) I would like to be there with other people.
3) I was not so aware- would preffere not to know. I move around. I was
changing sounds. I think I made an image on the ground cut to new sequences
, I did not like this aesthetic.
4) I formed the quality of the image evocative. But the sounds where in
a different world so emotional confusing
5) The images felt like they could have smaller palet or a larger one, the
pixilation did not take me on a journey. Similar less or more circles of
the image, there seem like there should be a comparison or interplay. Three/one/or
5
PARTICIPANT 27
1) Instead of a piece of paper w/ instructions I wanted an earpiece or
something that offered me an intimate relationship to entry. An invitation
, a seduction not an instruction. In the way women can be inviting without
telling men what they want. Also more gradual sink from light into the darkness.
2) Feminine, ambient, voyeuristic.
3) I was unsure about my role in work
4) Drew me to being with it slowly
5) The spatiality of both the work and the music were significant but in
the space their relationship was somehow separate. The audio moved around
the space , I moved around the visual circles, but the sound had a similar
sphere, no mater what of the physical spheres I occupied. I wanted a whisper,
an intimate female voice to offer the work to me
