The Familiarity of Strangeness
| THE FAMILIARITY OF STRANGENESS. Most activities in our daily routine rely on our familiarity with specific, or similarly functioning objects and environments. An unfamiliar face will appear to be a familiar object; most new buildings will appear to be familiar frameworks of spaces. Bertrand Russel claimed familiarity as a continuous and constant feeling when encountering familiar objects. Wittgenstien believed it to be the absence of astonishment or doubt, familiarity as a non-feeling. When something looks or behaves not as we expect, we are struck by the feeling of strangeness, or unfamiliarity. These moments serve as catalysts for suspicion; less assumptive behaviour; and a heightened sensitivity to surroundings. It follows that inevitably there are changes to our familiar environment that we do not perceive because we have prematurely assumed that our expectation have been gratified. ROOM 203B: THE FAMILIARITY OF FREQUENTED SPACE. A false door is transplanted overnight into the familiar surroundings of a Bartlett School corridor. Some reactions of Bartlett staff frequently using the corridor: “Is there a room behind that?” “After I noticed it, I actually felt physically sick” “What is this? Bloody Aline in Wonderland?” “I felt very uncomfortable”…”You should play an audio recording of a girl crying from behind the door” “Dizzy” “Disorientated, I had to go sit down for a moment” The door has also been featured in a Masters Degree project named ‘Unit 13′, videos of the project can be viewed on the following links: ‘Unit 13′ video featuring ROOM 203B The making of ‘Unit 13′ video featuring ROOM 203B The Familiarity of Strangeness blog |
