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Presented by:
Amid our everyday grind it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the endless juggle of “to-dos.” This installation asks you to slow down, take a moment to reflect on where you are, and consider where your fellow neighbors see themselves. In terms of time, money, work and play, do I feel balanced? Do we feel balanced?
This interactive installation pulls from individual participation through the physical input of answers into a series of frames using strings of colored hemp to designate age groups. The more people answer the prompts, the more the installation starts to transform into a living graph – a 3D representation of how balanced our community feels in the context of daily life. An opportunity for multi-faceted interactions occurs between individuals as people of all ages and backgrounds reflect on the same questions, at the same time, and in the same place. The prompts aim to ask individuals how they feel about their community (safety, affordability), their time (at work/school and in play), their health (mentally and physically) and their money (ability to save/spend).
Each topic section offers a value scale for users to answer questions related to aspects of life that we balance. The colored hemp string is pulled through one of a set of designated numerical holes at each post to denote how balanced one feels with respect to each question. After threading the final post, the user may tie their string to a provided tie-off dowel or may have an installation volunteer assist to complete their series. The resulting hemp path is now a single set of data reflecting one person’s perception of personal balance. At the close of the Block Party the installation will be a snapshot of a self-perceived balance within the Seattle community. This final snapshot may reveal trends across groups of people that may lead to further discussion on how we can better serve our friends, our family, our neighbors, our community, and ourselves.
The construction considers waste reduction and sustainably sourced materials including salvaged lumber, reusable screen materials, and compostable hemp. Our mission is to use only salvaged or donated materials that can be recycled or reused within the local community. We are coordinating with local gardening organizations to reuse most of the installation materials for gardening with the remaining materials being recycled or composted.