PATH OF ILLUSION
Path of Illusion, 2002-2004, Fiberglass, aluminum pipes, LED, motor, computer keyboard and electronic control system. Five different sizes of lamp posts: 100 x 28 x 28, 85 x 24 x 24, 70 x 20 x 20, 55 x 16 x 16, 40 x 12 x 12 inches.
Path of Illusion (Detail of Computer Keyboard in English and Thai), 2002-2004.
Path of Illusion (Project Plan), 2002, Digital drawing. 8.25 x 11.75 inches (each).
A series of five sets of lamp posts at varied heights are set in a tapered line; and virtual digital messages appear in the lamp bulbs in English or Thai, exploring the definition of ‘illusion.’ The project also examines the notion of ‘virtual’ in the history of art, using multiple sculptures, moving images, and digital media.
Path of Illusion was inspired by the lamp posts that stand in Sa-Nam-Luang, the most significant open field and historical public space located near the Grand Palace of Bangkok—a gathering place for all social classes in Thailand. In the work, a series of five lamp posts of varied heights are set in a tapered line, creating a skewed perspective while leading the viewer to another space. The tapering off effect of the lamp posts suggests the distortions and mass production inherent in the commercial and materialistic world. A computer keyboard is incorporated into the base of each lamp post, allowing the viewer to type out messages which are then conveyed in the lamp bulb in English or Thai, imitating moving advertisement text messages. While lamps are meant to illuminate the night, in this piece they serve to criticize the commercial world. The work represents the idealistic meanings of the word “light” under the influence of commercial advertising in consumerism.