#17: The Library of Meaning – Feedback
This weekend I staged the first proper intervention for my project: The Library of Meaning. It was held at a scratch afternoon in a woodland owned by my friends. The attendees were a mix of people I know and some strangers who had come for a day out to support local artists showcasing their work in progress.
I was really encouraged by the response, I got some very useful feedback and I could envisage how the project will progress in the future. Here is a short video I made of the event…
” Ooh that was rich. I was surprised how easily some of the archetypes jumped out, how familiar and resonant the explanations felt, and how mournful the shadow elements felt. It’s a really beautiful little check in with oneself, which might be more profound if the space was protected a bit more, perhaps a librarian to ‘Shh!’ the noisy chatters!”
“It helps you to take time to evolve into something else, to evoke a different sensation and let the change help you grow, secure in who you are.”
It was gratifying to discover that the library succeeded in creating a distinctive world that people could enter, even though it was just three shelves with 49 books on them. The participants fell in to a reverent hush as soon as they began. I realised quickly that some gentle atmospheric music was needed. The tone inside the library was at risk of being a little stuffy and oppressive, one participant even commented that she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to speak, she wanted to be able to share her experience with others as it was happening.
I realised that we recognise a sacred space when we enter into one, even without the mention of reverence or ritual or doctrine, I think people fall into a natural hush when they come into the presence of something meaningful. This is really useful to learn. So much can be communicated to the participants by the way they interact with the space and by the inherent language of the objects that they come into contact with.
It has been a valuable experience to learn what is needed from the space in which the library will be housed. A few participants commented on wanting a more private space so they can go deeper into reflection, others wanted the opportunity to share or celebrate their experience, one commented on his desire for a bit of storytelling to be involved. I have a much clearer idea now how the construction of the space can help to guide people into a state that is optimal for introspection, that takes them on a journey through a private space into a more open area to encourage the celebration of a shared experience. I can also begin to envisage the potential to take the participants on more of a narrative journey with the archetypes they have chosen.
I am now full of inspiration for the next iteration of the project. I plan to make contact with a few more groups to present the library as it is. I will be contacting support groups who are focussed on mental health to try out the library with a group of stakeholders which are slightly more targeted. This will also help to build a base of people who may be interested in following the project as it develops and get involved with future iterations. In the meantime I will also be planning and starting to build the next iteration of the library: the structure and the narrative journey.