one place, the other place, the in-between
One place, the other place, the in-between looks into the state of feeling socially isolated and alone within a restrictive, bleak environment. After relocating to London I have been living in a communal accommodation, yet I have never felt more socially isolated. In my room the window faces multiple brick walls, lacking a natural view and daylight. I intend to address the stigma often associated with isolation and loneliness as many choose to avoid talking about it. There is also a misconception about loneliness only striking older people, but in fact statistics show that it is present amongst the younger age group of 15-34 year olds. People often feel lonely when there is a lack of companionship or when they are feeling left out. In this day and age, many people often communicate with family and friends over social media and FaceTime resulting in a lack of human contact.
I investigate and experiment with various mindfulness techniques in order to find my own strategy to deal with these emotions. I seek to contextualise my understanding of solitude, the environment and landscape. A technique which is frequently used by people who practice mindfulness involves noticing the beautiful mundane aspects on a day to day basis. This inspired me to represent the beauty through landscapes which I felt were spacious, open and beautiful.
My only access to nature within my room is the five minutes when the sunlight leaks through my window. The importance of working within the space is crucial as a means of learning to accept my living arrangement and creating something positive out of it.
