"𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆: 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆"

"𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑬𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆: 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆" 

When you hear the word "shadow," what comes to mind first? When the word "shadow" is uttered, the mind instinctively conjures a play of contrasts and reflections. Shadows evoke the interplay of light and darkness, a dance that mirrors the passage of time. They symbolize the hidden aspects of reality, sometimes veiling, sometimes revealing. Shadows hold a poetic resonance, embodying both the seen and the unseen. Whether cast by the sun's gentle glow or the artificial luminescence of man-made sources, shadows become silent storytellers, tracing the contours of the world around us.

In the workshop, I experimented with the old furniture to transform it into something new, approaching my furniture in the same manner that I will approach Wymering Manor. Although I had no idea how to assemble the disassembled portion of the antique table, I started by building the platform out of frames and then added the suspended square blocks to make the artefact represent some of the characteristics  of Wymering Manor. In an attempt to give the model some life, I decided to turn it into a craddle by adding a curved form to the bottom ends.

I took care to ensure that my artefact captures the significance of Wymering Manor's existence in its most pristine state. The main source of inspiration for creating my object was the beautiful contrast of light and shadow found throughout Wymering Manor. I was looking for an artist or a piece of art that I could tie my idea to, and I eventually found a stunning piece of literature that fully captured my theme.

"The traditional Japanese art thrived in the shade and that the glaring light of the 20th century is destroying them" is a famous sentence from the book "In praise of Shadows" published in 1934, written by the author Junichiro Tanizaki. 

                                                                            fig:1

Tanizaki contrasts the aesthetics of light and shadow, celebrating the beauty found in the muted, dimly lit spaces of traditional Japanese architecture and art. He expresses a longing for the subtle, nuanced qualities of darkness, which he perceives as fading in the wake of Westernization and modernization. The essay reflects on the impact of electric light, Western-style architecture, and changing cultural values on the traditional Japanese sense of beauty.

Tanizaki beautifully narrated the feel of winter as "Yet without the red glow of the coals, the whole mood of winter is lost and with it the pleasure of family gatherings round the fire".

Beauty is derived from the lessons of the past and the reality of lives. Every single item within the Wymering Manor has a unique tale to tell. The manor is cheerfully awakened by the morning light streaming in through the window. The natural air that circulates throughout the entire house helps the Wymering house breathe in and out. Wymering Manor is kept alive by the shadows cast by various items, the long chimney, the old timber ceiling, and the typewriter.

"We find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates were it not for shadows, there would be no beauty"

These sentences did a beautiful job of explaining how important natural light is to the body and structure.These make it evident that no beautiful light fixture can evoke a sense of existence or life.

      fig:2 Image showing the density of shadows of the objects in different level in day light

             fig:3 Image showing the density of shadows of the object in different level in artificial light

It is clear from these pictures that modern architecture will never be able to replicate the sensory richness of ancient designs or buildings, the cultural significance of shadows, or the play of light and shade. 

This video demonstrates why Wymering Manor Preservation is so important. If the genuine essence of Wymering is preserved, the manor's significance and worth will invariably increase. Gradually, the true spirit of the manor will disappear if we attempt to bring in the bright lights of the contemporary era. It will continue to function as a typical residence.

"Wymering Manor is a live, breathing archive of secrets and tales- A historical landmark."

Reference: https://mariaakhtar.com/in-praise-of-shadows-book-review-and-summary/