Julia Kan


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2020   Sin Sin Fine Art - exhibition installation


exhibition design    installation
    1 week    Hong Kong

Breathe - installation for Dwi Setianto


I was tasked with designing and constructing an installation space to display two of our artist’s digital video works. The decision to include the two works were made last-minute, with only a week left before the exhibition opening.

For this installation, we had to confront several obstacles: short time-frame, limited budget, and no gallery space. Most of the gallery space was already occupied with other artworks with no way of rearranging that would allow for two additional works to be projected on the walls. I decided to use the gallery’s storage space instead to create an immersive installation that would match the subject and theme of the works.

Dwi Setianto’s videos, like his body of work, are grounded in his connection with nature and the utilization of found materials. The first video is of leaves he collected while working as a park cleaner, blowing in a perpetual wind. The second is a compilation of water puddles, and its reflection of leaves, birds, and other subjects in motion.

I wanted to create a tactile, tunnel-like experience for visitors, which at the same time would serve to hide the contents of the storage room. I hung large swathes of fabric from the ceiling, then draping and anchoring it in various points to create folds emulate movement. With the random movement of natural life in mind, I pinned the fabric to create dynamic shapes. as the videos play, the moving leaves and birds would interact with the ripples of the fabric.



Unfortunately, the gallery lacked a floor plan with measurements of the space, and given the irregular shape of the shelving and various furniture and objects placed in storage, it was difficult to take accurate measurements of the space. On top of designing the installation, I was essentially reorganizing the art storage space. 

I took advantage for the two larger pockets of space after clearing out some of the sculptures stored there. The projectors will project the video image through the fabric. 

The installation was most definitely a fire safety hazard as I ended up attaching the fabric to some ceiling pipes.



After drawing a rough sketch of the space, I determined that two bolts of canvas were needed from which 17 pieces, each 7 meters long, were cut. These pieces were sewn together lengthwise. 

The fabric had to be seamless from floor to ceiling to look more like a tunnel. I also wanted it to pool at the bottom rather than be completely taut. With the doorway as a guide, I also accounted for excess fabric for the effect. The crosses here mark where the jute was sewn onto the fabric.




This installation required fabric that was thick enough to be opaque, but light enough to be hung securely. I decided on plain canvas to be hung up with jute strings. Not only did canvas satisfy the requirements, but its coarse nature and wide fibers worked to invite touch. 

Hanging the fabric required a whole team as it was quite heavy to wield by myself. Using jute strings that were sewn into the fabric, and safety pins, I utilized the room’s existing furniture and shelving to secure the fabric. I added fans behind the fabric to create more movement, breathing life into the tunnel. 

The end product was a dark, moving tunnel that was only lit by the videos. The space was small enough to echo the sounds of the videos, and for a brief few moments, the visitor would be immersed in the natural world of constant motion and the quiet chaos that Setianto has created in his two works.