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Evaluation of FMP



The topic I set is to compare the definitions of nothingness in physics, Taoist and Buddhist philosophy, which was quite challenging to add the physics that I was not familiar at all. Although some perspectives were not excavated deep enough, I had pushed myself to study more in the primary and secondary researches. For expanding my limits, I stepped up the standard of each process to make it precise. For instance, I used tables to organise the information and tried many ways and times to draw the outcome. Therefore, I would say my target has achieved, and I could see my growth in this project.


Luckily, I found the right direction at the beginning of the project, so I kept looking into the topic. For the expression of the concept, I admit that there is a space for improvements, such as that video section and background sound that I had not to install on the outcome because of the limitation of the time. In the installing process, I found that most of the viewers were attracted by the light effect instead of the meaning of them. At that moment, I realised that I was still boxed up by the “definition.” It meant that I paid to much attention to the thing that I want to express, without considering whether the viewers had the prepared knowledge.


In the pitch and Pecha Kucha, I received mostly the similar feedbacks somehow. At the beginning of the project, my peers were generally encouraging me while worrying about whether I can make out what I want. I was pretty inspired by the feedbacks in Pecha Kucha; everyone suggested to do more experiment in the process. Hence, after I received the materials, I tried to do some comparison experiments to test the adhesives and cleaning methods. Meanwhile, my friends gave me abundant ideas and help; I felt deeply thankful to everyone and every discussion with a different person, which always energises me to keep progressing.


The obstacles were mainly occurring when I began to sketch the outcome. Firstly, in the planning process, I needed to precisely calculate the size of each plastic piece and also consider the distance of each section. It took me some times to draw the layout and turn the pictures into data. However, I still could not prevent the mistakes of calculation, especially with calculating the different thicknesses. On account of this error, the chain reaction led to further difficulties. In the assembling stage, the pieces sometimes did not match up. I truly learned that the practice is always harder than plan. Fortunately, I met the technical manager of Precision Unit, Andy Lumber. He patiently helped me to solve the problems of materials, regardless if I found the sizes were not correct or I need to remake some parts. Secondly, when I got all the elements that I need, the next obstacle was glueing the large pieces. On account of they were heavy and bent, I could not bond them together with only one glue. I experimented many types of adhesives of different brands, such as superglue, hot glue, and silicone glue. Finally, I found a considerably right combination of them, which can firmly set them in position.


The final major project was tremendously influenced by the techniques that I had tried in the previous projects. For example, the idea of using the mirror plastic was derived from my Dada project as well as the design of the periscope, and I think the interest of using the electronic devices were originated from the group activity. I want to use the reflection as one of the central ideas in this project; therefore, I was profoundly inspired by the artists that I researched, like Olafur Eliasson’s Day and Night Lava and Kohei Nawa’s works. I learned a lot on how did they use the materials to express. I believed that every part of the project was crucial because it was a process of accumulation to achieve the final success. How much I did would directly affect the final result. Hence, I told myself to throw my whole heart and treat every part equally. I think the peephole was one of the most effective components in the project, not only its figure remarkably fitted the design of mirror box, but also the concept it conveyed, that we were looking at the world with restricted horizons. Meanwhile, the wormhole-like panel which took me a great effort to make was also a bright spot. Some small defects were existing in this project. Firstly, in the research, I had not researched enough information in physics, but just based on Frank Close’s book, and I did not compare the idea of emptiness in different sects of Buddhism. Secondly, the selection of material also needs to be adjusted. For the outer box, due to the plastic sheets were too long, the middle part of them was not flat, so in the next time, I could try the glass mirror or find the better quality one. Referring to the “wormhole”, due to the limitation of budget, I did not use the excellent material, so the surface was not smooth enough. Last but not least, I will try to step out from the circle of a subject, without considering whether it is Buddhist, Taoist or physics. In general, I would improve the standard of material if I got enough fund next time and also try to bring a more summary sense in work.

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