PAINTING: 'CARD PLAYERS IN A SUNLIT ROOM' by PIETER de HOOCH 1658, OIL ON CANVAS, 76.2 x 66.1 cm NARRATIVE: AN ELABORATE FACADE OF LIGHT TO CONCEAL THE CHARLATAN'S LAIR
SPACES: FACADE + LAIR traversed via the TRANSITION
SETTING: TUSCANY, ITALY + RICH IN CULTURE, SAID BIRTHPLACE OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE + HOME TO NUMEROUS INFLUENTIAL HISTORICAL FIGURES + HILLY REGION DOTTED WITH VILLAS + CHARACTERISTIC WARM LIGHT
INSPIRATION TAKEN FROM THE PAINTING: + DE HOOCH'S USE OFDOORKIJKJE, WHERE HE ESTABLISHES A SENSE OF DEPTH IN THE ARTWORK + SINGLE-POINT PERSPECTIVE TO EXAGGERATE THE FEELING OF LARGE SPACE + USE OF LIGHT TO REVEAL SPATIAL VOLUME
KEY IDEAS BEHIND THE DESIGN: + LIGHT, NOT AS A REVEALER OF 'TRUTH,' BUT AS A GUISE FOR IT + FILTERING AND FUNNELING LIGHT SYMBOLISING THE MANIPULATION OF 'TRUTH' + LITERAL & FIGURATIVE DISTORTION OF PERSPECTIVE
AN ELABORATE FACADE OF LIGHT TO CONCEAL THE CHARLATAN'S LAIR
HERE, THE ROLE OF THE SWINDLER IS PLAYED BY THE MAN IN THE FEATHERED HAT. HE HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT, LIVING AMONG AND AS THE WEALTHY BOURGEOIS HE CONS.
TWO SPACES, A FAÇADE AND A LAIR, CONNECTED BY A TRANSITIONAL SPACE.
THE FAÇADE – EXTERIOR, FRONT, FRONTAGE, SAID TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BUILDING AS IT SETS ITS TONE. HERE THE FAÇADE IS A DECEIVING SPACE, APPEARING TRANSPARENT BUT MERELY EXISTING AS A FRONT FOR THE CONARTIST’S LAIR.
THE LAIR – ‘UNTOUCHABLE’ BASE, NORMALLY AN OPENING IN OR THROUGH A SURFACE. EVERY VILLAIN (AND HERO HAS ONE). IT TYPICALLY ALLUDES TO SECRECY AND MYSTERY. HERE IS WHERE THE CHARLATAN SCHEMES AND HIDES HIS ILL-ACQUIRED WEALTH.
THE TRANSITION – TURNING POINT, PASSAGE, CHANGE. INSPIRED BY A MAZE, AS WELL AS THE TRADITIONAL CHINESE SERIES OF COURTYARDS, WHICH ESTABLISH LAYERS OF PRIVACY. THIS IS AN ELABORATE NETWORK ONE MUST UNCOVER TO TRAVERSE THE TWO SPACES.
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LIGHT ANALOGY
TRADITIONALLY, LIGHT IS ANALOGOUS TO TRUTH AND THE REVELATION OF IT. HERE, IT IS USED TO AS A GUISE TO GIVE THE ILLUSION OF TRUTH.
LIGHT CHARACTERIZES THE DIFFERENT ROOMS IN THIS PROJECT. ONE WILL INITIALLY ENCOUNTER THE MOST VOLUME OF LIGHT AT THE FAÇADE. THE EXPERIENCE OF LIGHT IS LIMITED AND CONTROLLED AS ONE GOES THROUGH THE TRANSITION LEADING UP TO THE LAIR, WHERE LIGHT IS CONSTRICTED, ALMOST NON-EXISTENT, CONVEYING THE ROOM WHERE THE CHARLATAN’S SINISTER IS AT ITS SO-CALLED PUREST.
PLAN
INSPIRED BY THE USE OF PERSPECTIVE IN THE PAINTING ITSELF, THE PLAN RESEMBLES A PROJECTION OF LINES THAT APPEAR TO CONVERGE AT A POINT – THE ENTRANCE TO THE LIAR. THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE WALLS WILL BE AN ATTEMPT AT CREATING THE EFFECT OF DIMINISHING PERSPECTIVE TO MIRROR THE SENSE OF DEPTH IN THE PAINTING.
