Follow
the Flow
An Interactive Experimental Installation
This project is trying to explore the bullying in schools from the perspective of bystanders.
I tried to enlarge the "Bystander Effect" in bully through the interaction with the audience.
2019
crepe paper and textile (linen, cotton, gauze...)
I displayed the finished work in a primary school corridor and quietly told several kids that the small elements in this work is free to be taken, then I waited to see what would happen.
Thankfully, there were still a few children raised questions and did not participate in the destruction. I Asked them the reason, they said: "The producer worked for a long time to finish this work, it must be very hard. I don't have the heart to destroy."
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However, most children pulled down a small structure, thinking that their bad influences were minimal. But in fact, everyone contributed to the results. All the destroyers were involved in the creation of the final form of the installation without knowing it.
The Metaphors
This weak, curled up fetus represents the victim of bullying, whose mind is immature and easily influenced by the opinions of others.
The color changes of the small elements represent bystanders' psychological changes in bullying incidents. At the beginning, people have their own opinions on the victims, but then they are biased by the evil words of some bullies. Finally, the vanishing colorful elements represent that people’s gradually dead conscience. The color of dark blue extends a feeling of indifference and darkness, in stark contrast to the warm, lively fetus.
About the materials, a fact which is common in victims is that they are too weak to rebel, so I used the softest materials for the victim (fetus) part - stockings wrapped with shredded hairy balls and cotton.
Besides, a variety of materials were applied for the external part to represent different people, some of which are harder, such as rolls of papers in the shape of firecrackers, suggesting people's inner malicious thoughts.
