EXERCISE 1 - Obstruction

In this exercise you are asked to choose a passage or a threshold within a domestic or private space in which you will set up an installation that operates as an obstruction. Installations can lead you to redefine known spaces and generate fresh possibilities for how they are used and experienced.

• Choose a passage or a threshold within a domestic or private space to work with for this exercise. Give some thought to the choice of space and consider a number of different possibilities before making a final decision. You may use spaces such as a doorway, passage, corridor, window, vents, etc.
• Brainstorm the word obstruction in your visual diary and write a number of related words that describe the idea i.e., what does an obstruction mean to you and what can create/cause an obstruction? It is important for you to consider what kind of sensation you want to create in your space, for example your obstruction may create a sense of frustration, helplessness, claustrophobia, or other. Consider the idea of an obstruction from a physical, social and psychological perspective.
• Think about how an obstruction may be created in your chosen space and again use your visual diary to plan different options and explore various ideas. 
• Consider what materials you can use to create the obstruction in the space- these may be things like bricks, rope, panels, boards, lengths of timber, found objects such as wardrobes, chairs, tables, car parts etc. Be selective and consider what the inherent qualities of the materials will bring to the meaning of your installation.
• Start bringing different objects/materials into the space and experiment with various configurations. Think about how you fill the space and consider the use of floor, wall and ceiling space. Document your progress photographically. For instance your approach may involve placing a stack of chairs from floor to ceiling in a doorway, layering sheets of suspended carpet through a passage way, building a brick wall across an access way, lining a corridor with mattresses, etc.
• As you work towards resolving your installation, ask yourself how the space has changed, how a viewer engages with the space, what sensation is generated from your intervention in the space and how the work looks visually and aesthetically. Invite other people to interact with your work and ask for some feedback. Use the feedback to assist you in arriving at a final outcome for this exercise.
• Finalise your installation and document the completed work. Provide between 5 & 8 images showing an overall view of the piece plus some detail shots.

Things to consider
Be lateral in your approach to this exercise and ensure that you try a number of different possibilities before deciding on a final outcome. Be inventive in your approach and consider the many different ways of interpreting the idea of obstruction through your work.