[Last modified: November, 29 2024 12:57 AM]
Our group’s project focused on a offline space—a park. On the day we visited, the weather was perfect: clear sky and bright sunlight. A number of students and residents were sitting on benches, engaging in casual conversations. The lawn was scattered with fallen leaves, and squirrels could be seen darting up and down the trees. The atmosphere was peaceful, and it felt as though time had slowed down in this quiet corner of the city. The sound of birds chirping from nearby trees, mixed with the distant hum of passing cars and the occasional chatter of people walking by, added to the calm ambiance. The entire scene was one of tranquility, beauty, and a subtle connection with nature.
To capture the essence of this moment, we used a variety of recording methods. First, we decided to use our phones to record the park’s ambient sounds. We aimed to capture the rustling of the leaves underfoot, the occasional chirping of birds, and the murmur of conversations drifting by. These sounds were an essential part of the experience, as they helped convey the park’s atmosphere. Next, we took photographs and videos to document the visual aspects of the park. We hoped to capture the sunlight filtering through the trees, the golden hue of the leaves, and the peaceful expressions of the people around us. While the photos were beautiful, they fell short of truly conveying the essence of the moment. The video recordings, on the other hand, managed to capture the movement and liveliness of the scene, but even they could not fully express the subtle changes in light, temperature, or the feeling of the breeze on our skin.
Despite the limitations of photography and video, these methods still offer a relatively faithful reproduction of the environment. With today’s technology, video, sound, and photography are able to preserve and present a scene in a way that is more authentic than written descriptions or drawings. However, as Walter Benjamin pointed out, written words and drawings hold a unique power—what he called an “aura.” This aura allows readers or viewers to engage their imagination, drawing them into a deeper connection with the work. In a way, text and art enable the audience to feel the experience not just through a literal recording of events, but through a more abstract, emotional process. They invite the reader to interpret and fill in the gaps, creating a personal experience of the space or moment that is different from what a photo or video can achieve.