Beta Fish
What would life be like in a fish bowl? Sure many can say metaphorically we do live in a fishbowl at times, our moves always watched and monitored by our peers and families, but what if we could see those eyes magnified almost 24/7. This is the type of thinking I have been doing when observing my houses pet Betta Fish named P.diddy. P. Diddy has been in our little Isla Vista family for over a month now and it’s a nightly routine for us to sit around the table together and eat food, talk about random things and most of the time there is always someone touching the glass of P.Diddys tank. After Barbara Janelle’s talk I did a sit down meditation with P.diddy, trying to put myself in his place and I could sense an overwhelming feeling of anxiety, for the small limited space and the added pressure of a magnified gaze. I hope to in this project give somewhat of an insight for people to realize how they affect fish and their temperament.
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Comment by LisaJ (05/02/10 08:09:58):
How are you making us understand how he feels? If through sculptural objects (as you talked about) please upload sketches of it as you start to develop them.
I like to imagine you all sitting around the table including your fish in your conversations and once in a while acknowledging his presence by touching the tank. Maybe there is another way you can honor his presence at every meal. You can take turns asking him a question (and record the Q/A here with text, sound, images, video) about anything, himself, you, the universe....
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[Write Comment]
Comment by LisaJ (05/02/10 08:09:58):
How are you making us understand how he feels? If through sculptural objects (as you talked about) please upload sketches of it as you start to develop them.
I like to imagine you all sitting around the table including your fish in your conversations and once in a while acknowledging his presence by touching the tank. Maybe there is another way you can honor his presence at every meal. You can take turns asking him a question (and record the Q/A here with text, sound, images, video) about anything, himself, you, the universe....
Project Updates
05/02/10 21:38:24 - Kitchen Conversations
Today: 1 p.m.
Hanna: Mehhh guys I forgot to reserve my spot for the graduation ceremony.
Me: Wait what do you mean?
H: Like I declared but I didn’t realize that you had to scroll down and reserve a spot! Bahhhhh!! (Hanna walks away to the back of the house frustrated)
( I sit and am next to P. diddy as he is hidden in the leaves of his tank, almost unseen).
Me: oh diddy, the end of the year is getting so stressful, can you tell?
(Pdiddy moves a little out of the leaves so he is more easily seen but still stays hidden)
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Today: 1 p.m.
Hanna: Mehhh guys I forgot to reserve my spot for the graduation ceremony.
Me: Wait what do you mean?
H: Like I declared but I didn’t realize that you had to scroll down and reserve a spot! Bahhhhh!! (Hanna walks away to the back of the house frustrated)
( I sit and am next to P. diddy as he is hidden in the leaves of his tank, almost unseen).
Me: oh diddy, the end of the year is getting so stressful, can you tell?
(Pdiddy moves a little out of the leaves so he is more easily seen but still stays hidden)
[Write Comment]
05/11/10 20:21:27 - Changing the bowls position
After observing P.diddy for the past few weeks I decided I would try changing his bowls position. As he was sitting before his bowl (which is flat on one side) was up against the wall, therefore one side blocked with the other 3 open to my roommates and my glances. In our open living we have a coffee table which is positioned in the center of the room with 2 couches on 2 sides and the other side the main walkway going to the kitchen, front door and back to the bedrooms. I decided this would be a great new place to observe P.Diddy’s change in demeanor in an open space, and from his reaction try to learn more of how to represent his feelings as a fish. I noticed right away a difference in P.diddy’s actions, he seemed to me much more flighty and when I sat with him as I had numerous times before I could feel his apprehension and nervousness. I’m going to keep him in this position for the next couple of days and see if he becomes more comfortable or if this opening of every side of his bowl to observers serves as a constant almost paranoia.
[Write Comment]
After observing P.diddy for the past few weeks I decided I would try changing his bowls position. As he was sitting before his bowl (which is flat on one side) was up against the wall, therefore one side blocked with the other 3 open to my roommates and my glances. In our open living we have a coffee table which is positioned in the center of the room with 2 couches on 2 sides and the other side the main walkway going to the kitchen, front door and back to the bedrooms. I decided this would be a great new place to observe P.Diddy’s change in demeanor in an open space, and from his reaction try to learn more of how to represent his feelings as a fish. I noticed right away a difference in P.diddy’s actions, he seemed to me much more flighty and when I sat with him as I had numerous times before I could feel his apprehension and nervousness. I’m going to keep him in this position for the next couple of days and see if he becomes more comfortable or if this opening of every side of his bowl to observers serves as a constant almost paranoia.
[Write Comment]
06/03/10 15:47:28 - The End
The project has finally come to fruition. I found that the best way that I could really communicate to people how my connection with P diddy has been over the past few weeks was to try to put people in his position. I'll be attaching a new image with this project after the show tomorrow.
[Write Comment]
The project has finally come to fruition. I found that the best way that I could really communicate to people how my connection with P diddy has been over the past few weeks was to try to put people in his position. I'll be attaching a new image with this project after the show tomorrow.
[Write Comment]
06/06/10 19:36:22 - Connection with P-diddy
Me and my roomates decided to share our roomates special day with Pdiddy, making it a full family event
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Me and my roomates decided to share our roomates special day with Pdiddy, making it a full family event
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