What is that entity that reigns behind the myriad of masks that makes up this world? Is this the ultimate observer? The one which is in every single being - and yet is just one being - or just … one. And what is the role of technology? Is it another mask or the tool to train our brain and find the ultimate observer within us?
The artwork “Formless” is a reflection (at best) of this intrinsic nature, this formless entity. The artwork has two of the masks of this world immersed in this reality, looking at each other in an act of contemplation. A ring of separation keeps them differentiated from one another. Yet, the eyes that looks through these masks are but one single connected being. And this being, through these various masks, is looking at itself.
Let us do a thought experiment. We can easily imagine ourselves in another person’s body. But can we imagine ourselves in two bodies at the same time? The intrinsic nature of differentiation that comes with an untrained brain keeps us from imagining ourselves in two bodies/places/forms at the same time. Transcending this differentiation is where the journey finally takes us.
We value individuality above all but we excel in our best and worst times only as a collective. And there are so many moments in our lives where we get a glimpse of the formless behind the mask, overcoming an impossible obstacle together or in the eyes of our loved ones.
Let us also talk about technology. Nature being fractal repeats its qualia through its parts, technology being one of them. A 3D virtual reality world is a fractal version of the current reality. Multiple camera viewpoints represent human forms through which we observe virtual objects and interact with it. While at its root is but the 3D engine. Being immersed in such a world means dissociation from reality, to a point where we begin to believe the virtual world is real. But everything that has a beginning has an end, and we will eventually take off the VR headset. Can we then, in this reality, take off the headset that limits us to the world of forms? Would we then realize… the formless?
Formless is a collaboration between George Boya and Fabin Rasheed.
