Not Here, Not There是一个沉思性的声音装置，旨在从本体论层面探索沉浸式体验，灵感来源于罗兰-巴特在他文章《离开电影院》中提出的 "两个身体 "的概念。罗兰将第一个身体描述为自恋的，它迷失在沉浸式媒介中；第二个身体则感知到其周围的环境。在该作品中，观众被邀请接触并沉浸在他们的 “声音自我”及其带来的声音互动中；通过这些互动，他们将探索“两个身体”的边界，带来一个沉思自省的体验。

从词源上看，沉浸描述的是较为深入的精神上的参与。然而，随着数字技术的发展及其相应的行话，人们对沉浸的看法似乎更多在于数字性在大规模商业作品上的应用，而不是他们在该环境中的实际感受。秉持罗兰对电影中沉浸式体验的解构精神，这个项目试图打破数字化和沉浸式体验的关联，让观众参与到沉浸式的本体论探讨中。

该作品为一个空间构成：观众、光影和单通道声音相互作用，相辅相成。声景和灯光与空间中观众的直觉动作交织在一起，创造出一种存在实体的声音化。影子的持续变化给予观众视觉上的反馈，使他们主导着与另一个“自己”的对话，鼓励观众对自身和空间之间的相互联系进行实际性探索，突出了个人在塑造沉浸式体验中的作用。


Not Here, Not There is a contemplative sound installation that explores the ontological dimension of immersion, drawing inspiration from Roland Barthes’s notion of  “two bodies” in his essay Leaving the Movie Theatre. Roland describes the first body as a narcissistic entity that becomes absorbed in the immersive medium, while the second one fetishizes its surroundings. In this sonic experience, the audience is invited to encounter and immerse themselves in their “sonic self” and all its sonic affordances; Through a series of interactions, they will be led on a journey across the boundary between the two bodies, ultimately engaging in an introspective conversation with themselves.

Etymologically, immersion describes a deep mental involvement. However, with the advancement of digital technology and its corresponding jargon, people’s perception of immersion seems to have fixated on the ways in which digitality, particularly on a grander scale, moulds immersion rather than one’s actual feeling within that given environment. In the vein of Roland’s deconstruction of the immersive experience in cinema, this project seeks to dismantle this newly formed associations of digitalisation and immersiveness, and engage the audience in a discussion about the essential constituents of immersion.

This work comprises a spatial composition that emerges from an interplay between the audience, the stage light, the shadow, and the mono sound system. The soundscape and lighting are intricately intertwined with the intuitive movements of each individual in the space, creating a sonification of their presence. The constant visual feedback of the shadow stimulates a dialogic engagement with the self, empowering the audience to play an active role in shaping their experience. In this way, the work encourages an embodied exploration of the interconnection between the audience and the space, foregrounding the role of the individual in shaping this immersive encounter.

Not Here, Not There