World of Ideas and Imaginations, Week 1 Phenomenology — AY25.26 WOII
For this week’s activity, I focused on small, everyday moments that we usually notice but rarely stop to think about. I wanted to show that time and light, especially shadows, are not just abstract ideas. They are real, physical elements that shape the spaces we move through every day.
During my trip to Melbourne, I came across a classic photo booth on Flinders Street. At first, it appeared to be just an old machine, but as I observed it, it revealed layers of human interaction and the passage of time. The slightly worn exterior, scuffed edges, and faded signage spoke of countless people who had used it over the years. Inside, the small stool and curtained space created a private, intimate environment, a temporary world where strangers paused, posed, and left behind traces of themselves in black and white prints.
The soft glow of the overhead light illuminated the interior just enough to highlight subtle textures such as the scratches on the walls, the worn seat, and the faint residue of fingerprints. Each imperfection was a physical record of presence, of moments captured in an instant yet meant to last forever. Outside, the busy street moved on, indifferent, while the booth held a quiet tension between public and private, between fleeting time and preserved memory.
Set against the urban backdrop of Melbourne, the photo booth felt like a miniature archive of everyday life, a place where human gestures, expressions, and laughter were condensed into a tangible artifact, bridging the ephemeral nature of experience with the permanence of photographic memory.
I combined photography and pencil sketches to explore different ways of seeing. Photography allowed me to capture reality as it exists in a single moment, while sketching showed how the same reality changes when it passes through my hand and thoughts. This helped me move from simply observing objects to interpreting them in a more personal way.
I explored time through flow, growth, and change.
The staircase represents straight, forward moving time. The repeated yellow lines create a steady rhythm, similar to steps on a timeline or stages in life.
The plants represent natural or biological time. The change in leaf color from green to yellow and orange shows aging, seasonal change, and the slow passing of time in living things.
The tap represents continuous time. The flowing water never stays the same, which reflects how time and thoughts are always moving forward.
The record player sketch represents cyclical time. The circular motion of the vinyl suggests memories and experiences that repeat, especially through music and art.
In the staircase and sink photographs, the deep shadows add depth and weight to the objects. Without these shadows, the spaces would feel flat and less real.
In the sketches, I used heavy pencil shading to represent how shadows also exist in the mind. These darker areas show that our understanding of objects is shaped not only by what we see clearly, but also by what is hidden or unclear.
This activity pushed me to slow down and observe more carefully. Instead of immediately labeling objects as “a sink” or “stairs,” I paid attention to how light reflected off surfaces and how shadows stretched and changed in the space.
I learned that time can actually be seen. Through flowing water and changing leaves, time becomes something visible and tangible.
I also learned that shadows are essential in helping us understand form and space. They are not just areas without light, but tools that help our eyes and brains read depth.
By sketching as well as photographing, I realised that different mediums capture time differently. A photograph freezes a single moment, while a sketch records the time spent observing and drawing.
Through this series, I now see time and shadows as quiet forces that shape how we experience everyday life. They are always present, even when we don’t consciously notice them.
References: Jidouhanbaiki: Photo series that explores Japan's obsession with vending machines
