Images As Transitional Spaces

My work examines the role of images as transitional spaces, exploring how they mediate between the internal realm of memory and the external reality of collective experience. The concept of transitional space, drawn from the relational dynamic between an infant and their mother, serves as a starting point. In this context, transitional objects, such as a blanket or toy, allow the infant to bridge their inner emotions with the external world. Similarly, images operate as tools through which we continuously navigate the boundaries of self and reality.

The invention of photography has positioned images as essential to how we perceive and interpret the world. Over time, they have become not just representations but frameworks for understanding reality. Like infants with their transitional objects, we engage with images to comprehend our place in the broader context. However, like objects, the images are also not purely mimetic. The transitional nature of images lies in their capacity to embody a distinct kind of truth—one that arises from their fluidity and openness to interpretation.

In my practice, I employ the slide projector as both a medium and a methodology. The slide projector’s inherent characteristics—its rhythm of interruption and continuity—place images in a liminal state between stillness and motion. Each pause between frames introduces a “hiccpu,” affirming us to participate in the narrative. These breaths are not ruptures but spaces for connection and creation. They resemble the intervals in Manga, where meaning is constructed not solely within the frames but also in the silent spaces between them. Through this structure, images cease to be passive objects and become active participants in dialogue.

The current flood of images challenges traditional modes of perception. My work seeks to counter this saturation by proposing moments of pause and suspension. These moments are opportunities to reconnect the body with images, calling us to experience layered temporality and the fluidity of memory. The transitional quality of images emerges most clearly in their refusal to be “complete.” Instead, they emphasize the interplay between past and present, offering a dynamic space where meanings are in flux.

For me, the value of images lies in their ability to create spaces of engagement rather than resolution. The ruptures introduced by the slide projector dissolve the linear trajectory of time, enabling the past and present to diffuse. This practice opens a fluid, non-linear approach to history and memory, encouraging us to reconsider how we relate to the world and ourselves. Through this approach, images transcend their immediate visual impact and become vessels for shared experience and ongoing exploration.