For project 1a, titled “Time Map”, I decided to spend some time in the hotel lobby of The Carlyle, and a quiet spot in Central Park, just before the day began. This was interesting because in the lobby, a majority of thought is based on the future. What will the stay be like? Where will I eat dinner tonight? How much longer will I have to wait before my room is ready? Instead of observing an environment, people tend to focus on what is yet to come. Although the lobby I spent time in was sleek, charming and comfortable, a lobby is inclined to be busy, loud and chaotic. On the other hand, while sitting in Central Park, it was obvious to realise what was going through the minds of the people who were there. I noticed myself thinking about the past, the present, and the future. The peacefulness and calmness of the greenery and mirror-like water sparked thought from all direction.
After observing for more than 30 minutes, the next task was to create an abstract interpretation of the relationship between time and distance the way that I perceived it. This was done by comparing nature and greenery between the lobby and the park. A pot plant is seen in the lobby but this could be seen as superficial as it was placed there by a human instead of allowing plants to grow naturally. Secondly, although the lobby had a polished and glossy effect, including the addition of a mirror and a smooth gleaming floor, the park seemed to have the same effect. this can be seen in both the photograph and the drawing. In conclusion, even though there were some similarities about being sleek and busy, the two locations were completely contrasting. One focused more on the future, which again seemed to be a little superficial, like the pot plant in the lobby, whereas the other focused on all three, which seemed completely natural to reality, like the surroundings of the park.
