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TIME IN TIME, Moving image 2023

Maybe this is a boundless wandering of the soul
In the thin life, every subtle trace
Flows in the ripples of the air
Becoming hazy, blurred, like bubbles that inflate
Slowly spinning, rolling, swelling, growing
Ring-shaped fragments of language scatter in the void
Every long self-reflection and recall
Bring a flood of memories in the tremor
Reminiscences interweave, cluttered together
Like a fragment machine, or a carousel shadow
Repeating, folding, and reflecting the faces
They overlap each other and flicker and fade away
The long melody washes down and slides away
Time no longer flows linearly forward
Past and present, future and now will meet
We merge into one again

Time, as a philosophical concept, is an indispensable part of daily life and has profound internal complexity. In this section, we will explore Henri Bergson's concept of "duration" and Lisa Baraitser's notion of "enduring time" to understand the nature of time and its manifestation in our lives. Additionally, I will reflect on how slow time experiences in my life influence introspection and contemplation.

Henri Bergson's concept of "la durée," presented in "Matter and Memory," is a core idea in the philosophy of time. Bergson posits that time is not merely an external, objective measure but an internal, subjective experience. This experience is continuous, indivisible, and filled with qualitative differences rather than quantitative ones. For Bergson, real-time experience is a sustained flow that cannot be segmented into discrete parts. Each moment is closely connected with the past and future, giving time a unique texture and depth. Unlike mechanical clock time, the experience of duration is part of an inner life flow, emphasizing the fluidity and continuity of time.

Lisa Baraitser, in her book "Enduring Time," further explores the pauses and extensions of time. She focuses on seemingly stagnant time segments such as waiting, delay, repetition, and maintenance. Baraitser argues that these forms of time reveal the essence of care, especially in contemporary capitalist society, offering an alternative time experience that resists productivity and exchange value. She highlights how, in these pauses, we can deeply experience the viscosity and lag of time. These times are not merely boring or monotonous but subtly oppose the capitalist structure of time. By exploring these "enduring times," Baraitser unveils the complexity of care and the role of time in the psychological analysis of contemporary capitalist society.

Combining Bergson's and Baraitser's perspectives, I also experience this slow, prolonged sense of time in my life. My lifestyle is accustomed to slowness, where I find deeper introspection and contemplation within this extended duration. In this indivisible, continuous, heterogeneous, and subjective flow of time, I feel that time is no longer a source of pressure and anxiety but an inner peace and tranquility. This slow time experience harbors a lasting, profound sense of consciousness balance.

TIME IN TIME, Moving image 2023

Within these invisible boundaries, time quietly changes its pace

The city's heart beats slowly, streets remain silent

Homes become shelters of refuge, day and night flowing as one

In solitude, we learn to listen

To those overlooked details, the subtle rhythms of life

The world outside slows but remains as vivid as ever

Day by day, people spin in repetitive cycles

Our thoughts wander within four walls

searching past shadows, anticipating future light

Time is no longer a passerby but a long-term friend

Accompanying us on this unknown journey

In this quiet era, we reshape the contours of life

In the context of rapid economic development and technological advancement, the demand for productivity and technological progress continues to expand, gradually changing people's imagination, perception, and experience of time through segmented time blocks. Especially in the post-pandemic era, the flow of public time further compresses personal time experiences and relational space, with people's life rhythms still spiraling upward.

​Public health events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to prolonged isolation and social distancing worldwide. In this context, people have begun to reassess and reflect on the meaning of time. During this period, the nonlinear, indivisible, and continuously flowing nature of time has become increasingly evident, affecting individuals' time perception and expression concerning themselves, others, nature, and space.

​This control of time results in a one-dimensional existence, preventing people from truly experiencing the richness and diversity of time. With the development of capitalism, public time gradually compresses private time, making individual time experiences and social interactions mechanical and alienated. This contradiction has become more pronounced under the influence of the pandemic, forcing people to rearrange and adjust their time within limited private spaces, experiencing unprecedented time pressure and anxiety.

​In the post-pandemic era, long-ignored time experiences are stretched into a nonlinear, indivisible, and continuously flowing state. People begin to rethink time not just as a tool for production and efficiency but as a profound personal experience and relational bond. We will explore how individuals rediscover themselves in this new normal, finding new connections with others, nature, and space in the extended state of time.

TIME IN TIME, Moving image 2023

The preface of returning home slid past the window, falling into the light breeze
The train replaces the footsteps, tumbling from dawn to dusk
In a moment of rest, chasing the waves of the shadows, flattening the time of narration
Wait a little longer, on the lake at the end of the sight, in the water marks that are diffused with mist, stay here
In the hinterland of all memories, stay here

I am waiting
I am still waiting in the developing time, decoding beyond the boundary
Under the footnotes of the micro-things, I see the shadow of time
In the tentacles of memory, shadows entwine with shadows
On the broken face, there are remnants of the fallen wall, ancient fingerprints engraved in the blank eye sockets
I stare at time, time stares at me
The train flies on the rails, spinning continuously and repeatedly
In the endless echo, the familiar names gradually fade away
The cracks of the partition, the interlaced tree patterns, the debris of the container.
Is this another symbol and cause in the endless sequence
I repeat and depict the ripples of memory over and over again, in the random and disorderly branches
The intermittent halo is projected in the morning, folded in the evening
The skin and hair are fused, weak under the dilution of the taste buds
The outlines born in consciousness disappear under the ticking
like water dissolving in water

Individual time experience and emotional memory of extended time are unique and subjective. These experiences and memories may manifest in vastly different forms and changes in different individuals. When exploring the emotional memory of time, nonlinear narratives of time and the emotional presentation of memories become key focuses.

​French philosopher Henri Bergson emphasized that time is not just physical but psychological. He believed that memory and emotion are crucial components of time experience, with the concept of duration representing an internal, subjective experience of time. Bergson noted that memory is a continuous phenomenon, blending past, present, and future into an indivisible whole.

​Psychologist Daniel Kahneman distinguished between the "experiencing self" and the "remembering self." The experiencing self focuses on present sensations, while the remembering self reflects and summarizes past experiences. Kahneman argued that the remembering self often has a greater impact on an individual's life satisfaction, as it constructs our overall impression and emotional experience of life.

​Combining these theories, we can understand that individual time experience and emotional memory are complex, nonlinear phenomena. This nonlinear narrative is reflected not only in personal inner experiences but also in their artistic expressions of time and memory. In such narratives, time is not a linear progression but a multi-layered, multidimensional flow of emotions. Memories and emotions intertwine, forming a unique, subjective time experience.

TIME IN TIME, Moving image 2023

A grain of sand, or a tiny pebble, remembers this lake
In the long time, it sinks down, slowly falling, deep into the thick rock layer
The curled waves knock on the piled stones, remembering this lake
The stones on the beach are still sunbathing, standing sideways in the wind
The long lake channel narrows, narrows, becoming a thin waterline
Can you hear the faint wind passing through the gravel on your body

I am picked up layer by layer, repeated and overlapped
I draw the shape of the water waves in the air
Peeling off the skin of the dust, the dividing line on my skin is the trace of the water level
I sleep here, sleep here—
Until the tiny water peeks at the star map on the inner wall
I set foot on the wandering road again, until I reach the land of sinking sand
I see footprints, footprints—
The traces on this weak waterline, our common footprints
The former lake surface turned into sand, we quietly display
Down, down
Close to that tiny waterline
We listen quietly
Walking, walking
Walking on the fine waterline
In the cracks of the dried soil, under the gaps of the dense withered grass
I wait for the fine empty sound
The water disperses in the waterline, and flows back in the staggered

Relational space is the link between the individual and themselves, others, and nature. It is constructed and represented through social interactions, personal experiences, and connections with the natural world. This space typically reflects the interaction between individuals and their environment, shaping our perception of time and space.

​The concept of social production of space suggests that space is not merely a physical existence but also a result of social activities, cultural practices, and political forces. This perspective emphasizes that space is dynamically generated and closely linked with time, reflecting changes in social structures and individual behaviors. It highlights how the spaces we inhabit are continuously shaped and reshaped by our interactions and societal norms, making space a living, evolving entity rather than a static backdrop.

​The idea of the "Third Space" builds on this by suggesting that individuals' social practices and spatial experiences transcend traditional binaries, such as public and private or work and life. This concept introduces the notion of hybrid spaces where new possibilities and identities can emerge. The "Third Space" is where conventional boundaries blur, allowing for innovative interactions and experiences that redefine our understanding of space and time.

​Using these theoretical frameworks, we will explore how relational space is constructed in daily life and how it influences our connections with ourselves, others, and nature. Relational space is not merely a physical attribute but also a crucial factor in forming individual time consciousness and collective memory. It plays a significant role in how we experience and interpret our lives, shaping our emotional and social landscapes.

TIME IN TIME, Moving image 2023

Within a single leaf, time interweaves like a spider’s web
Forest light and shadow like ancient weavings, the murmuring stream akin to ancient whispers
Every raindrop’s slight tremor is nature’s pulse
Air flows quietly, sketching the tides of seasons
Our footsteps sink into the sand, synchronizing with the breath of shells
Years layer in the soil, moss climbs slowly on rocks
Clouds at the horizon, eternal wanderers, guardians of time
In this intersecting space, even the sun weeps
Echoes intertwine in the valleys, carrying ancient vows
Tree rings record storm traces like spirals
Here, past and present entwine
Every corner of nature holds branches of time
The night sky, like a shattered mirror, reflects the horizon’s glow
Dew on the grass condenses before dawn, reflecting the light of daybreak
In this intersecting space-time, we seek the shadows of time
Each journey is a heartfelt resonance between time and nature

Natural space serves as the connection point in our relationship with nature and is the carrier of spatial perception. There is a profound connection between space and existence, where space is not merely a physical presence but a way of being. The true meaning of space lies not in its physical "where," but in how it integrates with the mode of existence of beings, encompassing the relationship between time and existence. From this perspective, natural space becomes a venue for experiencing the depth of time, where time is not simply a passage but a state closely linked with existence.

The relationship between time, nature, and space is multilayered and complex. Time and space are not pre-given entities but are continuously generated through events and experiences. Nature and space are dynamically intertwined, with time being a force of flow and change. These elements find expression in artistic creation, such as through the overlay of images and visual layers that showcase the fluidity of time and the depth of space.

These ideas help us understand how natural space becomes a field for experiencing time and how individuals perceive and experience the flow and changes of time within these spaces. Through this theoretical framework, we can delve deeper into the interaction between natural space and relational space and consider how these spaces together shape our perception of time.

TIME IN TIME, Moving image 2023

Time waits for time

In the moment of nature's flow

Past and future are all continuous

Following the discussion on the close link between natural space and temporal experience, this chapter delves deeper into the dynamic interaction and connection between time philosophy and nature. From the enduring philosophy of time to the perception of time in social contexts, from the construction of relational space to the temporal links with nature.

Extended time is seen as a form of human consciousness, shaping our understanding and experience of nature. Nature is perceived as a direct manifestation of will, and we experience nature's endless unfoldment through the dimension of time.

Similarly, time perception is considered a part of subjective consciousness, closely related to an individual's emotional state. This perception's impact on our relationship with nature is also worth exploring.