THE FACE OF UOWCIII
“It all began where scrolls led us across hundreds of pieces of paper. Searching subconsciously, I navigated through climbing figures balancing perfectly like circus performers. And then, amongst the many faces, I drew one continuous line, a sweeping, gliding path that became the Face that stood out among them all. I never knew this Face would ever exist or radiate with significance like it did, but it did. I watched it, as it looked into the distance with the quietest act of curiosity.”
“The Face was an outline, but it was almost like a circuit, everything connected and there was a bright light drawing all ethereal energy within. With my pen, I began to fill in the Face, as every path drew me deeper into the enigmatic world held within. The features were striking, a delicate side profile that would glow with an untold story.”
“I opened a small red storage box which contained an accumulation of scribbled paper, and then I looked back at the Face trying to understand why this moment felt so surreal. I was confused and excited. Where had this Face come from? And with each question, all I could think of was a fairground, a circus, skyscrapers set against a blue sky, hundreds of people rushing around in a bustling city, and the shiny pathways of intrigue below that were glistening in the sun. The Face looked on with expectancy, as if we had already met, as the familiar sense of presence was transported from the shadows of a dream. A dream that I could not entirely remember, yet I could feel so profoundly.”
“Setting down my pen, I stared at the dark sky through a nearby window, trying to understand. Inside the warm orange ambient lighting comforted all suspending mystery, and as conversations carried on as normal around me, I felt a pause, as all of this earthly energy stirred with life. It occurred to me that perhaps this Face sought more than just answers - but worlds yet to unfold.”
“I cut out the Face from the paper, and with each glance, it struck me, the Face morphed in my mind, becoming a catalyst for a narrative beyond a mere drawing. Imagined storylines wove themselves into the fragile fabric of the Face’s captivated expression.”
“The Face looked on at something we could not yet see. I could not dispel the feeling that this article would steer us into uncharted territories, both in a visual sense, and in a deeper context.”
“With excitement, anticipation, and suspense, I took a deep breath. I softly blinked. And then watched everything around us, as everything smiled. The Face had almost awoken something - an energy that demanded exploration. It wasn’t just a Face anymore, it was the doorway, unlocked to an odyssey, the first steps towards revelations waiting in a queue to the circus from the bottom of the skyscraper, luring us in with a quiet promise of the unknown.”
A MAGICAL AURA
“I stuck the cut-out Face onto the wall beside a giant polystyrene aeroplane suspended by pieces of blue yarn. I would walk past this every day. The Face was an inanimate “Object”, but the “Ideas” that emanated from its paused expression struck me every time. With my hands, I raised the Face to the sky with enthusiasm and almost entered into the ‘distortions’ of an optical illusion. I began to realise that what we can’t immediately 'see’ has greater power than the original trigger. Yet, when both elements fuse harmoniously, it is fascinating to see the final creation - it is almost as if anything is possible from a single combination in the ‘right’ order, for the ‘right’ outcome - it is like seeing for the first time, followed by all our other senses swooping around us in a magical aura of enlightenment. And to me, that is exciting.”
“WHERE THE TOY’S STILL FLYING!”
“I now became familiar with this Face, yet I did not know it by a name.”
“It felt like it would bring luck - and all of a sudden, it became something of a mascot. It would represent something greater than a single identity - but the spirit of a prospective world, almost based on the “illogical” realms of the imagination.”
“And then, it was as if a captivated audience of universal anticipation was ascending the ambitions of the brightest blue sky, as white clouds pleasingly floated by.”
“What if we could imagine the spectacular scenes the face could see?”
“And, for what we couldn't see, we imagined; we imagined throwing a Paper Aeroplane into the sky, and softly it swooped away. From the warm green grass below, we watched the sky with child-like fascination, as a tear of overwhelm took a new path towards a Clown’s amused grin, silently masked in the humour of the present, amongst an immersive realm of perpetual performance.”
“Suddenly, we realised. The Paper Aeroplane had magically vanished from our hands, as the wonder of the world in front of us entered our minds as a new smile of the purest excitement.”
“We wonder where the aeroplane went. And we’re still imagining.”
“The Face we are now so familiar with adopts a name inspired by Where The Toy’s Still Flying — A Universe Of Wonder, Curiosity, Ideas, Imagination & Infinity (UOWCIII).”
Curiosity & Possibility
“I placed two hands out together, as UOWCIII mirrored my actions, creating a centre stage which lured us in. We had reached out towards something unquantifiable. I felt an overwhelming sense of spirit, wondering how we were able to explore the transformations of the products of the imagination and their reality in the "Objects" of the "Real" - how they blur the boundaries between curiosity and possibility. How does the innovation of the object's definition create prompts that stimulate the mind to cultivate optimum thought signals and maze-like patterns with immediate reactions to the "Object" of familiarity? How does this convert the things we interact with every day into exciting "Ideas", floating in the air like a toy - a miniature "make-believe" building block quietly playing amongst a playground we’re yet to walk through - a playground we're yet to touch.”
“For a moment, we pause again. We imagine standing from a viewpoint of walls that tower before us - we see transparent partitions, as more city buildings and towering skyscrapers are raised to the sky, as we watch and wonder how the instant moment is defined.”
“Glass-fronted stores and random imposing structures gather where automobile showrooms, art galleries, and corporate meeting venues merge; we watch on as colourfully conspicuous digital advertising boards serve as anticipation fuel stations. We watch the colours bounce off our eyes. We can almost see the path of possibility held within the tiny pixels that glisten with optimism.”
THE JELLY BOWL
“My mind carried on flying as I saw hundreds of "Objects". I wondered how these things, touchable, on the tip of our fingers, co-exist with "Ideas" relayed through perceptible channels and abstract modifiable concepts.”
“It was as if we were in an experimental sphere visualising the boundaries of quixotism and utopianism through the loop of “Objects” & “Ideas” and their fabrication, where consciousness meets with our physical tangibility of reality, validity, and overall perception, somehow defined by the colours and clarity of our senses.”
“And then, it was is if we were there.”
“I think of things possibly experimental and potentially developable, like happiness on a conveyor belt or tiny strings of toys amusingly hanging from the ceiling of a sweet shop or a futuristic doughnut emporium.”
“Visualisation mode struck like the flash of a camera, I held the scene strongly in my sight - it was as if we were there: We stood at The Jelly Bowl - I could see its luminescence shining through the front cladding - I was immersed by its cheerful grandeur. The towering structure was looming over the blue sky - as it displayed a roundish and glossy appearance, almost like it was not ‘real’.”
“A small turf area at the front featured vibrant green grass, with a tiny railing that extended a pleasant invitation.”
“The façade of the structure was immediately noticeable in the open expanse, with a substantial Doughnut in full view and illuminated signage for UOWCIII and The Jelly Bowl, confirming our arrival. And then, situated atop the structure, we saw a helipad-style landing area for aerial conveyance.”
“We stepped inside to discover a spectacular scene of strawberry rain. We looked down, only to see our own reflection in the most delightful, shiny jelly puddles.”
“We saw ourselves standing and gently smiling, immersed in an expansive interior. It almost resembled a gallery - open, like an airport - seamless, like an automobile showroom - clean, sharp, smooth edges that stood the equal distance between the “Objects" we saw and ‘Ideas’ we ‘believed’.”
“The colours I saw caught my attention, as the excitement mirrored the familiarity of allure, this time into an enchanting sweet shop. Unusually shaped doors and curiously coloured floors, confectionery and doughnut slides, sloping down from the ceiling, and "brochure" vending machines with colourful buttons.”
“There was grass inside and there were vivid worlds that you could walk through or carefully skip through - like playgrounds on a roundabout.”
“I became so dizzy that I could see the ceiling in the ground, before entering a high-speed elevation unit destined to the ground floor. We arrived at the ceiling. People walked upside-down, then turned the other way and sipped Soft Ice through a zig-zag straw, with a doughnut in one hand and the “face” in another.”
“The glaze from our eyes was as thick as the doughnut topping, and as the glaze gradually disappeared, we thought, "how do we initiate this rather illogical endeavour?" We considered the scenario of a brochure eagerly collected, for one day you may visit, or you may simply imagine your visitation.”
“This brings us to wonder how the robust presence of 'Objects' stimulates the imagination, whilst 'Ideas' possess a timeless quality; we considered the analogy of the Paper Aeroplane that is thrown into the sky and remains unfound, maybe never to return, but still alive, still afloat, symbolising the longevity and enduring nature of ‘Ideas’.”
“Now, the Jelly Bowl becomes a question of how the "Object" can pose as a house for the greatest "Ideas" or the tiniest "Ideas” - the greatest aspirations - the happiest feelings - and the most authentic portals of reality re-imagined.”
“Whether the story of the “Jelly Bowl" or the story of the “Face” embodies a mere metaphor, an audacious "dream", or a tangible possibility of reality, or perhaps a fusion of all these elements, remains an enigma yet to be unravelled...”