Brief:
Your challenge is to communicate the ideas and aesthetics within ‘The World of Anna Sui' exhibition in a way that will engage the target audience.
You are asked to design a site-specific time-based media work, which could be - but is not limited to – a performance, projected or screen-based moving image, light, sound, or an installation.
You need to create two moving images (i.e. videos), one for Instagram and one for the museum's website, that address the communication objectives as stated above.
Target Audience: Young people, roughly between the ages of 15-25, who are interested in art, fashion and culture. Your outcomes should also be accessible to a wider audience.
Installation
In today’s vivid and high-resolution world and in the pursuit of this Anna Sui retrospective, it is critical to unearth that nostalgic essence of her inspirations. She always looked back to plot the course forward. This defines the complexion of the work.
Musing on her Muses is a light and sound installation, presenting visitors with a retro-challenge of trying to make sense of blurry imagery. It employs a wide pixel pitch LED grid, which projects a video compilation of Anna Sui’s myriad of references on to the wall. The montage edits feature a variety - movie scenes, concert clips, and artist videos. In between the grid of hardware, you see the light bouncing off the wall’s surface, essentially projecting a hazy version of the video being played. In contrast, the low-res approach strips away fine details of the moving image. It’s designed to lure you into a dance with movement, emerging shapes and unmistakeable forms. Unwittingly, the viewer is invited to simulate a playback of a memory, etched in one’s mind. One is able to grasp the feeling, perhaps even vaguely glimpse a shape of in the projection - but the detail is delightfully elusive.
The installation will be set in the hallway before the exhibition. It seeks to establish the desired mood and atmosphere. It is short, even ephemeral but sufficient to linger.
Social Amplification
Instagram
For Anna’s Fall 2016 Collection, she coined the term pop-sydelic, a mix of Pop and Psychedelic. She referenced the work of Japanese artist Tadanori Yokoo. His work is vibrant, bewitching, and full of eye-pleasing symmetry - exactly the elements needed for an Instagram post. The concept for the Instagram gif is a recreation of Yokoo’s Ringing Bells poster, using imagery from Anna’s mood boards.
Website
The concept for the website video continues to explore Anna’s muses. The video tells the story of an androgens boy who wants to be free like the rockstars he idolises - Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix. The video is is composed of analogue footage of the androgens boy juxtaposed with his idols and then overlayed on to clips of flowers. Set to the song, Hero by Family of the Year, it evoked a bittersweet longing sentiment. The video has a purple hue to keep in line with the Anna Sui branding.