Glare

Sumeyye Ozelci

 

 

 

When I looked at the exhibited objects within the museum space, what I saw was more than just the exhibited object itself. I, the space, the windows—they all seemed to merge with the exhibited object I was trying to see. Initially, I found this glare unsettling. But this overlap, creating a more playful exhibition, eventually turned into fun. At the same time, I was the exhibition, the exhibition was the space, and the exhibition was the exhibited object itself. I could change my exhibited object by focusing on what I wanted to see. The constant change of light within the space created a new game on the exhibition. A kind of chaos brought about by the variety created by change.

 

The variables in this play unfolding on the glass display cases were the exhibited objects, the objects that made up the space, and the light intensity. As I walked through, I was the only constant in experiencing the exhibition. But from the visitors' perspective, each new visitor was a new reflection included in the exhibition. In this sense, I, as a new visitor, was also the variable. The light falling on the polished wooden floor allowed the play to continue on the floor as well. Like images reflected from a small puddle, the reflections of the elements of the space on the floor felt like they were suddenly thrusting you outside. The child within you wanted to jump and get wet in this accumulation of dazzling light.

 

Another dazzling spectacle that caught my attention was the giant reflection of the chess pieces in the glass display cases. The ghostly pieces seemed to be flying across the glass, appearing so abstract that they were indistinguishable from reality, defying gravity and giving the feeling of being in a dream. At times they deepened and lined up one after another, while at other times they suddenly appeared unexpectedly on the exhibited objects.

 

Another element, the interesting play of light created by the windows, can be captivating. The glass panels suspended in the middle of the corridor create a sense of transition to another dimension in the space. At times, the windows deepen so much on the surfaces they reflect that the exhibited objects seem to belong outside. The successive images give the impression of frames extending infinitely, far more impressive than chess pieces. Thus, the exhibited objects are reproduced at different times of the day and at different points in the space through images flowing over one another.

 

The playful exhibition experience created by the dazzling light brings to mind four different rules. These rules can vary depending on the effect of the light, the number of visitors, and each visitor's experience along their viewing route.

 

RULE 1 OF THE GAME: The exhibited object is undefinable, variable, and left to the viewer's interpretation. Elements of the space are simultaneously reflected on the glass display surfaces.

 

RULE 2 OF THE GAME: The number of chess pieces in the space is uncertain and can be recreated through reflection. The space can be re-imagined. Windows can increase in number, their location is uncertain. They can be displayed. Glare can be everywhere in the space. It can be experienced sometimes on the floor, sometimes on the glass display surfaces.

 

RULE 3 OF THE GAME: Visitors may encounter mirrored images of the exhibited objects. Their reflected image may touch the pieces, creating the impression of virtual chess.

 

RULE 4 OF THE GAME: The space is holistic, encompassing both interior and exterior elements. You are wherever you want to be. Glass display cases can reflect windows and the view outside on surfaces with a wall as a background.