Sensing Spaces

Sensing Spaces

Sensing Spaces

This was a fascinating exibition transforming some of the RA galleries to explore the interaction between the nature of physical spaces, our perception of them and their evocative power.

 As expected I was most interested in the spaces that used light as a key element of space - such as this collection of spaces by Li Xiaodong.

I spent a long time sitting in the Grafton Architects rooms.  They created two spaces - one dark & heavy and the other light & airy.

The dark room had a real sense of weight - dark blocks suspended overhead, shafts of light shining indirectly through the vertical walls & ledges, both natural and artificial light emulating daylight.

The darkness of this gallery was accentuated by the adjacent light space.

In this gallery the daylight directly from the skylight into the space - softened & diffused by bouncing off the light high vertical walls.

Walking through the two spaces resulted in a very real change in mood - from dark to light, heaviness to lightness.

Unfortunately the exhibition finishes on sunday - but well worth a visit.