Ensō
A light and sound installation exploring the meditative concept of 'being in the moment'.
Project Information
Staging - Experience Design Project
Project Mentor
Dr. Jignesh Khakhar,
Suvani Suri
Role
Research
Design
Prototyping
Medium
Light, Sound, Ice, water, Electroluminescent wire, clutch cable, metal vessel
Dimensions variable
Special Thanks
Ranjeet Singh Solanki
Exhibited at Annual Design Show 2020
Being in the present moment, or the “here and now,” means that we are aware and mindful of what is happening at this very moment.
This installation explores the meditative concept of emptiness or fullness, presence or absence.
An attempt to help us ‘be’ in the moment.
How it works
One can stand in its presence and focus on the falling drops of water.
As the ice melts, the falling drops hit the resonating surface of the vessel below. These melting droplets create a rhythmic sound that captures the viewer’s attention and makes them feel aware and present. In the end, all that remains is light.
Both light and water are profound elements found in nature. These elements compose the Installation.
Material: Ice
Ice; frozen water.
Water is fluid and has endless possibilities but when crystallized, those possibilities become limited.
The Installation explores the concept of different states of water.
Material: Electroluminiscent wire
Light as a metaphor.
It engages the viewer's perception while being suspended in the air holding the ice together.
Sound
The falling droplets create a rhythmic sound.
Material: Stainless steel
The Installation explores the sound quality of water droplets when they fall onto a metal receptacle.
Metal vessel of the right resonance to create a rhythmic sound was chosen to simulate the sound experience.
* Due to time and manufacturing limitations, a smaller vessel with the correct resonance was used.
Research
Understanding the concept of meditation followed by literature study and precedents study.
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Secondary Research
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Literature Review
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Primary Research
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Personal Interviews
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Behavioral Observations
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Lived Experience
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Ideation
Few ideas were taken forward and prototyped before finalising.
Concept Development
After ideating and prototyping different concepts, the idea of using ice as metaphor was explored and taken further.
Making
Material and form explorations. Prototyping and installing the final prototype.
