The Ultimate Liminal spaces in the brain...

Some of the thoughts around creating a symbolic representational sculpture of a brain synapse led me to explore in much further detail, the real research currently available.

Image by by LadyofHats [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The components of the brain I hadn't quite got correct, as I would need to firstly represent not just the neurone cells of the Synapse, but possibly more importantly, the Axion.

Image from http://www.enchantedlearning.com
/subjects/anatomy/brain/Neuron.shtml

This is the vital channel that links the cells together, and which (when they carry an excited electrical signal) provide the energisation of the synapse itself. (The Axion, is in effect, the synaptic nerve that makes links with each neurone).   So my mental image of representing the synaptic gap needed to be slightly adjusted.

Image from http://happypeopleteamblog.ru/
wp-content/uploads/2013/07/01_neurons_lg.jpg

The prototype sculpture I have started to form from a simple papier mache form, requires some adaptation.


 Currently, the representation of the synapse surface seems comparatively large and only illustrates the area of the synaptic gap itself.  I think it would be useful to make a more stretched Axion, maybe even putting a few Axions and neurone together to form a more life like representation?  A sketch shows the thoughts I have been developing.

Physical representations of liminal spaces - "Replugged"

Taking the photo's of liminal spaces I researched last week, I tried to explore a subset of my current thinking threads (by temporarily moving off the neurone and synapse idea).  As an alternative thread I decided to explore reducing the photo views of liminal spaces to minimalist drawings... I think this area can be further explored particularly well by limiting the colours of drawings to just black and white, for example. The juxtaposition of black lines of the marks made against the white background of the paper, I felt could be "tested".  Arguably, a pencil drawing can be interpreted as liminal to some degree, as there is an innate capacity to render many differing shades of light grey through to dark black.  There is liminality in the marks of a pencil, but when using an ink pen however, there is ONLY a binary transition, i.e. there is no greyness, or threshold as such, the colours are only black or white, there is no in between-ness in the drawing process itself... (May be I'm on tangent boulevard with my thoughts about this? - Or is that in itself, a liminal space too perhaps... heh heh heh).

So this is how I got on....

 


 Ian M. suggested that some further exploration of this could be made by stripping out even more detail, and allowing myself to play more with the representation.

 How much do we need to delineate in order for an image to be recognisable as a form?

Mid stage assessment of Liminality

I've continued developing my ideas about using the synapse of a brain neurone as a possible target for a final work piece over the last few days.  My curiosity has been suitably triggered to challenge how I could represent it in a 3D model.  Currently, I'm of the opinion that in order to show liminality, I feel that each of the four attributes outlined by Gennep's definition, must be satisfied.  Therefore, if we are to apply this into an artistic concept (as opposed to an anthropological paradigm, from whence the application and usage of the word derives), then I can validate it through a neurone signal working it's way across the synapse as follows;

1. Pre-liminal - The brain impulse travels in electrical form along the input to the neurone or cell.
2. Liminal, the electrical impulse reaches the edge of the synaptic bridge. at this point, the cells of the synapse convert the electrical impulse into a chemical response, which it ejects into the synaptic gap.  Within this so called gap, there is a number of other "chemical solutions" as amino acids, hormones and proteins, peculiar to the brain in particular.  The most portentious combinations or solutions are more commonly known as hormones, and include, amongst others, Noradrenaline,  Serotonin and dopamine.  It is this synaptic gap that I consider as the ultimate liminal space.  The specific chemical response produced by the "transmitter" side of the synapse is dependent on a number of factors, which I would assume includes the strength of the electrical signal reaching the nerve ending. The resulting conversion to a chemical messenger suggests that there is liminality within the synaptic gap; The electrical impulse has been stripped away.  Unless the corresponding wall of the neurone to which the chemical message is intended (the receiver, or more correctly, the receptor) for is "set" to receive it, then the strength of the transfer will alter.  Not only is the transference affected by the state of the receptors being set in readiness, but they are also set to receive only certain types of the hormones described earlier.  The speed at which those chemical messengers are then re-absorbed back into the pool of the transmitter will also effect the vigour of the brain cell firing.  The way these chemical messengers affects the qualities of the brain impulse seem to relate to Dopamine being a "motivator" or an "Exciter", Serotonin being a "feel-good" or "happy" element, and Noradrenalyne seems to be related to the management of moods too. 
3. So, once the impulse has reached the other side of the synapse and continues it's journey, the post liminal state has been satisfied.
4. The "conductor" or MC for the synaptic event is the person to whom the neurone, and brain belong.

Therefore, all four of Genneps criteria have been satisfied.  Voila!... The perfect liminal space.

Some further research into the meaning of Liminality

Having spent some time reflecting on the spaces chosen to represent liminal exploration, from the micro level to the macro level, I wanted to probe  further into the real meaning of liminality, the liminal and the roots of the word's usage.

Initial research shows that it was originally used in an anthropological context, to signify a particular period during some form of cultural, or social, or status transformation as it a right of passage.  The first person to use the word in an academic sense appears to be attributed to the anthropologist Arnold van Gennep, in an article published around 1909.

(Reference; Les rites de passage (The Rites of Passage), A.van Geneep, 1909).

In Gennep's book, "Les Rites de Passage", he outlined a regular, and what appears to be, a reoccurring process, that can be considered in many if not most traditional "human" rites of passage, such as University Graduation, of coming of age, marriage ceremonies, and so on.  This schema does not only appear to apply to western cultures, it also appears in many others, for example; African maturity rites of passage ceremonies, Ndembu tribal coronation (Crowning of a new King), ceremonies,
(Reference; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Turner).

1. Pre-liminal.  Removal of the 'candidate' from their normal or daily environment / separation
2. liminal period.  A state where not much happens at all, where previous accutriments are often stripped, an in-betweeness, like a kind of power-less / status-less, almost state-less "limbo", literally, "the threashold", before which is where the transition or transformation starts.
3. Post-Liminal; This phase can be described as the transition, rebirth, regeneration, transformation or reassimilation of the "candidate" either into the environment from which they came, but with an altered status, or into a new (to them) environment all together.
4. The one constant theme that also seems to appear is that there must be some sort of universal controller of the process, like a master of ceremonies or conductor of some sort.( Reference XX)

(According to Belmont, Nicole. - Arnold van Gennep: The Creator of French Ethnography Derek Coltman trans. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979).

- (Arnold van Gennep, was an early 20th century, German/French, mostly self educated Anthropology Ethnographer and philosopher. He never held an accademic post as such, but continued his research and quest for learning for most of his life.  His work was later built upon by Anthropologist Victor Turner in the late 20th Century, which is cited above).

Considering the concept of the join between the leaf of a tree and the branch and twig to which it is joined, I studied a Horse Chestnut leaf that I had collected a few days before.  The leaf of a horse chestnut tree is described as a palmate leaf, which consists of 5 sub-leaves arranged from a central stalk.  There is a minute cleft between the points where the tree's fabric of wood stops and the green shoot or stem of the leaf starts. It is at this point, through osmosis, that water and nutrients pass from the roots of the tree to nourish the leaf growth during the spring and summer.  In return, the leaf produces the complex sugars or starch to sustain the wood of the tree through it's own growth.  So a transference takes place at this point. It is "managed" by nature itself, so that can be the reference to a controller or master of ceremonies, as per the definition of liminality from Arnold Van Gennep.  So this junction is a true liminal space!

Experimental drawing with Liminal Space

As a reflection on the experimental drawing session today, we had a great tutorial which took place in the university gymnasium. Powerful lamp projectors were used in the darkened hall to create liminary space through projected light. 

I tried to make referencial links to Proff. Victor Turner, regarding his own defiunitions of the liminal from his anthropological studies. It was possible to achieve this as there were three parts to thhe whole liminal process in the temporal sequence; that being the pre-liminal, liminal and post-liminal.  These can also be applied to the borders of transitions with movement between light and dark, forest to city, head to mind etc. 

Earlier it had been suggested to find links in work by Joale Kasinski, which provide an exploration from the seen to the unseen. - Pictures of motion, but then frozen or made static can have tthe same affect. (See Frederick Frank's book, "the Zen of Seeing"). - Trying to capture a sense of a pathway to another place or even to another dimension....

Graphite stick & Charcoal, with erased lines

We used inflated gymnasium exercise balls placed in the beams of the projectors to create interesting effects, for example, the lettering of the projector's manufacturer being distorted against a divergent surface, gave a subtle surrealist view...

Project 3 Liminal Spaces

Monday 18th November 2013.  The start of week 8, - marks the beginning of our 3rd and final project for this particular 12 week semester, prior to the Christmas break.  Over the next four weeks we will be creating a body of work that focuses upon the concept of the 'Liminal'... The Latin translation being the 'Threshold'...

  

 

I spent a little time savoring the spaces blocked off to general access of pedestrians, especially where building work is being carried out around the campus.  I considered this to fit the criteria for Liminal Spaces.

New Extension being built to the University

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Researching others work; 
There are a number of current contemporary artists who are referencing liminal spaces in their work.  One artist who was part of the YBA (Young British Artists - A group originally of students who were supported by Charles Sattchi the advertising mogul, during the lat 1990s, who included Tracey Emins and Damien Hirst, amongst others), has recently been brought to my attention is Rachel Whiteread CBE (Born 1963). Rachel uses a variety of materials such as the discarded items often disposed of in day to day living  ( -This raises the value of the disposed items into a completely new dimension, as part of her art in itself).  I chose to look further at Rachel's work through her listing on the Tate website;  Reference; http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/rachel-whiteread-2319

Rachel Whiteread, Untitled (Stairs), 2001

Rachel Whiteread, Bookshelves, 1997

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On my journey to work at the University the following day, I was walking through a wooded lane when a rather epiphanal moment struck me.

There had been a heavy frost the evening before, and a horse chestnut tree was just beginning to thaw from it's nightly slumber.  The tree was in the process of shedding it's leaves from the summer growth and this process has been accelerated by the ice forming at the synapse to each leaf.  Clumps of the palmate leaves were actually falling everywhere, in what I could almost describe as a deluge.  I imagined the falling leaves like the tears of grief from the tree, after the loss of the summer sun.  ...Winter was with us again.

I chose to spend time later that morning in the studio drawing trees loosing their leaves, the action caught me as a good example of a way to capture the liminal space between the branch twig-lets and the mounds of leaves on the earth.   Tracing the concept of where the true liminal space existed, but now on a micro level, I considered the leaf being adjoined to the shoot or twig and what the mechanism was that held it together.

The junction and threshold concept can be taken further in an electrical (electronic) sense too.  The electronic component that comes to mind here is the capacitor.  (I learned about this passive little component some 35 years ago, whilst undertaking a Certificate of Secondary Education in Electronics).  This is essentially, two metal plates, face to face separated by a gap, that can be an air gap, or an insulator such as paper, a ceramic material or other sandwich of materials. In fact, what is called an electrolytic capacitor in particular, can be used as an allegory for a liminal space, particularly for electrons.  I choose an electrolytic capacitor in particular as these devices are usually polarised (which means electrons will only behave as anticipated if they are allowed to flow in a specific direction as designed. Reversing the polarity of an electrolytic capacitor can cause it to short-circuit or malfunction). Capacitors exhibit a property of temporarily storing an electrical charge, the larger surface area of the plate and type and surface area of the electrolyte determines how much.  The space in between the separated plates together with the electrolyte form a liminal space to electrons.   The fact that the electrons are stored up on one side (i.e. in one plate) of the capacitor, then rush across the other side through the liminal space (which then becomes empty again), serves as a great example of the concept we are studying.

The symbol of an electrolytic capacitor is to two parallel lines, separated with space, with one opposing conductor emanating from the centre of each line at the perpendicular... An Electrolytic capacitor is distinguished by on of the plates being boxed. Thus...

International Standards Organisation (ISO) Symbol of an Electrolytic Capacitor
Thinking further about the synapse, in it's more usual setting, - for describing the junctions of the brain neurons, I realized that the human brain synapse is the ultimate liminal space.  Transitions across them are both electrical and chemical, and the very activity in a collection of synapses is the threshold to our whole imagination, understanding, views, beliefs and all human thought.  Without those liminal transitions within the synapses, there would be no sense of liminality nor capability to visualise nor represent the same.

Later rumination on the subject of liminal spaces led me to think of how I used to spend a great deal of time commuting long distances in my past roles.  I have already captured a contemporary view of the commuters waiting in a station, and my imagination turned to the new commute I take each day via local public transport.  I was particularly thinking about the bus station as a liminal, transitional space, particularly the threshold between walking and being carried by a bus...

Two points of view... They are both right!

In reflecting on the work we collaborated upon, which was an experience for the first time for many of the students, I was very keen to not take charge nor try to control the group's objectives, aims and working structure.   This would have been very easy for me to do, having been in management and in particular Project management roles for most of my working life.

I thought it best therefore for the students in our team to go through this collaborative learning excercise for themselves, whilst for me, to give them full encouraging support, but not to take over, nor run the project which I would naturally do.  Had I done so, I think the learning experience of the students would almost certainly have suffered, as it's possible, in fact highly probable, that the aims, objectives, formats and other project start-up criteria would have been formally established early (as would be usual, even in a small, but fully managed project of this type). It was very hard for me to keep very quiet and not automatically produce a work break-down structure, product and sub-product lists, bill of materials, task assessment plans, task & event timescales, milestone and go-no-go gates, even at a minimum, a gannt chart / task assessment etc.

Whilst it has been hard for me not take control,  I am glad that I was able to justifiably remove myself from (what I would consider as the mid-stage assement phase at prototype completion) during the last week (Week 3 from a total of 4). as I was simply uncontactable during that week's pre-booked vacation.

This meant that, in my opinion when I returned, the students have had a chance to of learned so much more by finding out the pitfalls for themselves, what worked, what doesn't / didn't work, who or what is reliable, who/ what is not, (i.e. group dynamics, general collaboration rules) and so on.

This may all sound a little patronising or 'smart' from me, but as I say, having been a project manager in many different sorts of business over the last 25 years, it was important (and even though it was hard for me to bite my tongue, see some failures looming and allow them to materialize), to let the team experience the reality of what it`s like to collaborate, see what would be needed to be done, (to individually take responsibility in a collaborative way etc), rather than simply providing them with a pre-defined formal operating framework and hence provide all the answers without learning from the experience.

So, from a more practical point of view, there have been many lessons learned by the group which as an observer in a sense,  I will suggest a few here to summarize conclude;

1. Set the goals and aims of the project in a start up or kick off meeting,  when it is essential that all the stakeholders, which means the person (or persons) providing the breif; the people responsible for the design, production and technical capabilities, together with someone who can represent the end user (or customer, or viewer or reader etc. It doesn't need to be an actual customer or reader or user, but someone who is as well informed about that group at least). * This didnt really happen.  
2. Agree all of the requirements and record any representations or special requests. Consider and agree collaboratively if they are achievable within the resources (cost, time, quality) constraints.
     Try to come out of that first meeting with as much agreement as possible, over the format, tasks needed, people responsibilities for what and when and so on.
3.  Try and establish very basic risk management and contingencies. i.e. ask 'what if this or that, goes wrong / isnt done or whatever, to cover the immidiate possibilities.   
4. A rough plan with timescales and milestones should be able to be created from all of this and it's important to make sure it is in writing as soon as possible and distributed to the whole team.
   
   All this might sound like overkill, but if you adopt these simple first steps, there is less likely-hood for things to go wrong later. It also means people know what is expected from them, and by when, and this stops (or at least reduces)  people from going off and doing their own thing.
5. If necessary, appoint a suitable project manager (someone from the team who will document the above), and who'll be the central point of contact for control.
6. if the project is big enough, write a project charter document!  What the aims are, how you will work together, when you will regularly meet at compulsory breifing meetings, how you will communicate, (i.e by what means). This should be the backbone document to further planning as it stops the team from loosing site of the goals and objectives.
7. Make sure a prototype can be completed well in advance of production.  It is vital that when this is agreed, and the final prototype should be formally accepted by the whole group, (obviously, it can change, but again this must be managed in good time), then a total CHANGE FREEZE is put into place to stop any further development.  Production can then start properly, with less likelyhood of wastage, failure or late delivery.

Like I suggested earlier, these might seem like overkill steps, but should, in the very least, be considered. - You don`t have to implement every suggestion or step, but in reality, in a real project for production, especially in a commercial setting, or when arranging an exhibition (or any other event which is going to cost money) there can in fact be a whole lot more steps, depending on the aims, size and effects (or repercussion)  of the project, and this is often a full time job for a project manager.  

Anyway, I hope this post is useful for my peer students. I also really do hope that one massive lesson learned, (and it always is in a collaborative project), is that everyone has very unique skills, we all work differently to one another, its really fun and interesting to find out 'who' is suited to doing 'what' specific roles; where they excel and where they prefer not to do certain tasks.  It's always important to make sure people don't try to take on too much too, as whilst they mean well, and want to be heros, it can be extremely stressful for them at times and can even lead to fallings out, if timescale deadlines are missed and so on.

Co - labor -ation...  We are all (working) in it together and we must look after each other (share the load equally).

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On a lighter note, I also found whilst doing some other research for the Contemporary Art in Context - theoretical  studies, this interesting snippet from around 2007 (I think, judging by Mr Paxman's hair colour and style, it was of this period).
It is a classical situation when two people have very specific beliefs (in reality, these could be almost anything, like football teams or favourite restaurants etc), and poopr Jeremy was trying to arbitrate between two contemporary artists.

Jeremy Paxman with two contemporary artists

Dialogue Project progress

Finished my sketches for the dialogue project today, and just working out the text to add to the images that will establish or provoke some kind of dialoge or questions or other actions from the reader.  I've thought hard about he types of sentences to use to 'hook' the reader or view into looking a little longer at the background images...  I have had a number of options that spring to mind, such as;

• simple titles
• some dream related text
• some explanatory text of the image
• some unconnected references that might make the reader question relationships
• some kind of riddle buried in the text
• and last (but not least as I know there are many other variants), perhaps I can combine some sort of (what appears to be non sensical if viewed superficially) plays with words...

So I need to choose some form of text from the options above... I need to be mindful that as the theme of the publication has been decided by the group to consider 'dreams' then the relevent choice ought to be connected to that.

My best option I believe will be to make some kind of playful statement, using word play that is both relevent to the image on a deeper level, and which will entertain the viewer to help them more likely to engage with the rest of the booklet.  So with this combination coupled with a sence of playfulness, I am considering using some of the wonderful quotes left to us from comedy.  As the audience is likely to be unlimited nor age restrficted, these quotes must be suitable for delicate sensibilities, yet provide conundrums, paradoxes or riddles that are appealing to a wide audience, both mature and young. 

In our Art in Context and theoretical studies,  we have also been spending a fair bit of focus on Carl Marx and the hypothesis he developed with Engels in 1850... So in playful acknowledgement of this, I have decided to use some quotes from Marx...  That is Groucho Marx And his brothers Harpo and Loui from the 1940s and 1950s comedy films... (I hope this is taken by the viewers in good light, it is not meant to mock the academic importance of our research, but just make a playful connection for the purpose of entertaining and thought provocation).

So my final 6 pieces, based on 5 text and image sketches and on of pure text is as follows;

Back in the saddle again after a week's vacation...

Back in to the swing of University life again today, after taking a pre-booked week out with my wife for her to have a really well deserved holiday.  (I also used the sojourn to take some study photos that I can add to my Project 1 Identities portfolio too).

The team that I am attached to have started some really creative work to include in our assignment for a text and image publication.  It's been agreed that there will be around 30 pages consisting of 5 drawings and one page of text from each of the five team members.  We still have some production to do and the deadline is moving ever nearer.  I'm a bit concerned that there will be a really heavy day on Friday this week to get two assignments completed and finished off.  However I'm really grateful for some skilled footwork by team member Daisy, during our evaluation of work so far by our course tutor, in her deft negotiation to get an extension over the weekend, ready for a proposed mini-exhibition on Monday.  (Nice one Daisy)!

So, whilst I think my illustrations relating to dreams are a useful addition to the publication, I'm also blown away by the creativity of some of the other work the team has done.  I'm keen to try some new but simple and elegant methods that they have come up with, not of course to plagiarise anything, but to add and adapt, which I am learning is a kind of post-modern mantra...