ANAMORPHOSIS

THE MACHINE OF PERCEPTION

University of Utah
Plywood
8’x8’x16’
Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah | 2010

Partners: Liz Yonashiro & Luis Eduardo

Anamorphosis is a distorted projection that appears normal when viewed from a particular point. Similarly the installation we designed examines the viewer's relationship with objects and their context. Our site was the Bonneville Salt Flats, an alien landscape with a thick crust of salty soil spanning over 30,000 acres. Void of color and any type of landmarks, the Salt Flats are so large and empty it warps your perceptions of distance and space. Playing with this idea, on approach the object appeared to be a bright orange cube set against the vast open whiteness of the Salt Flats.

Upon closer examination, the project is an open slanted box providing reprieve from the harsh desert environment while creating a space to enjoy the view of the landscape. The tunnel narrows from one end to the other causing someone walking through the piece to crouch as they exit. This is used as a way to adjust their perspective. Both openings work as apertures focusing on unique landforms in the distance mountain range bordering the Salt Flats. It acts as both a frame for the Salt Flats and an object within it.