The Experience Enhancer

What I perceive is a much more intimate experience with each work. There seems to be this opportunity to actually become one and or to go within the subject. Every detail is heightened... as if looking through a magnifying glass. I’m actually more in tune with how I might experience this through other senses… touch, for example, through my visual perception. 2D pieces become more 3D & 3D pieces become more like a painting. I detect more movement & am more aware of the weight & the mass of what I’m observing. Definitely more clarity & far less noise of any kind.

The enhancer narrows your perspective and allows you to focus more closely on one area, one moment, one sound, one view. Even though I am looking at a large rock, if you take it at face value, the experience enhancer makes it seem small. I have isolated the outside world and concentrated my path to what is in front of me. Standing for a moment with the hot sun shining down, I almost start to feel dreamy and relaxed. You forget for a moment where you are because all I see, feel and smell is this big rock. I isolate myself outside of the busy city of LA.

Here are my perceptions. Without the Experience Enhancer, I was looking at a photograph of two women. Descriptive words that came to mind were twins, pale skin, unity, togetherness. With the Experience Enhancer, my point of view was narrowed, and I saw more clearly the connection of the skin touching and the negative space around the subject. The connection and negative space became very clear to me and the fact that there were two bodies went by the wayside. I also noticed that the surrounding noises became muffled so my focus on the subject became more intense.

Visit of Hauser & Wirth Gallery Guillermo Kuitca. While visiting the exhibition ‘normally’ and enjoying the art piece by Guillermo Kuitca, the gallery was quite empty but you could still hear some noise due to some works being done in the next building. By engaging with the art piece and the overall exhibition, the rooms in itself and the museum as well as ‘clinical’ stereotype of gallery made the piece feel very important and myself somehow part of an exclusive journey. While visiting the exhibition ‘with the experience enhancer’ immediately I felt a much greater intimacy between the art piece and myself– the notion of sophistication arriving from the museum and impressive rooms and space was eliminated. While enjoying that time, I felt less related to the space, the people and noise around and more connected to the painting. More focused with the experience enhancer. Felt more ‘private’ with the enhancer.

It was clear where I wanted to go. I chose a pretty place, which is already magical. On the edge of a stream, which forms a small basin and then flows into a larger waterfall. Equipped with an appropriate matching cloth – I wanted to go to the water, so it had to be indigo blue. The place was very very noisy because of all the water and I was a little irritated about it. The experience with the cloth was extraordinary. First it became quiet – almost ritualistic. My experience changed from total presence outside and focus on single leaves, bushes, bee to completely inside. I was outside in the world, in this place and then again completely in the inner space – my secret me-space. All became slow-motion, more silent, peaceful. Very comparable to meditation. It really alternated again and again and back again. Inside and outside merge, no more separation. Totally in the here and now. In combination with focused and concentrated. All my senses were intensified, ‘only’ because of this little piece of cloth. A very special experience – which I will be happy to repeat. Thanks so much for a little great miracle.