Amy Holway Jorgensen Installation Art
After doing extensive research on near-death experience, inspired by the Project X collaboration with Hand2Mouth Theater and my own curiosity, I discovered many strong motifs in each account of near-death. So many that the stories started to seem like fact. In this installation, I attempted to create a physical version of this mysterious non-physical phenomenon.
I built a 25 foot long tunnel, completely darkened by black theater curtains attached to an infrastructure built from 3/4” PVC pipe. To recreate the feeling of fear and uncertainty, the tunnel curved in multiple directions and the ceiling lowered in areas, requiring the participants to crawl and feel their way through. The tunnel was wired with speakers playing a recording of a person inhaling and exhaling slowly, simulating the experience of taking the last breathe.
When the participants made it to the end of the tunnel, they entered a bright white room where a video of the sky and the universe was being projected onto one of the walls. An ethereal soundtrack surrounded everyone in heaven and there was ample space to lie down in comfort and reflect.
Sound design by Mike Hallenbeck and production by Nghiem Lam.
Top view
heaven
Drawings
fabric, video projection, PVC pipe, spotlights
12’w. 8’h. 20’d.
PROJECT GOAL: to provide a space to reflect on the life lived