Drawing Connections
Erasmus exchange project
Isolation is an issue that can affect anybody in their life, and with the growing dependency on social media this lack of physical connection continues to evolve, often leaving people feeling alone even when surrounded by people. Drawing Connections is an interactive installation with a short drawing activity involving two people that encourages playful interaction between strangers breaking the barriers around talking to someone you do not know. First the pair answer a mixture of six questions about themselves, then draw anything that comes to mind from the answers given by their partners, after they lift their own drawing to project alongside the community before them.
Three levels of interaction are made, starting with the pilot getting two individuals involved, secondly with the pair completing the drawing activity, lastly with them projecting their work talking about what others have done. The raw visible nature of the construction reflects the nature of being human, where imperfections are present but not important, rather focusing on being present and aware of others. Inspired by Faith Wilding, crochet has been used with a variety of colours and textures intending to celebrate the differences between people. Changing sizes of gaps in the fabric shows the varying degree of transparency people have within themselves. Starting with darker tones moving through bright colour towards white, reflects the mind with it’s sometimes chaotic nature towards clarity, the best position for communication. Drawing Connections is created hoping that people will be more likely to approach strangers in the future, as even small moments of intimacy can drastically improve a person’s mood and more often than not, the connection is welcomed. If small interactions are practiced more often and on a bigger scale, picture the impact it would have on creating a more connected society.