How do we leverage technology for slow practice to provide calm amidst chaos? On Point interrogates humanity’s urge to make things immediately intelligible. In complex situations like today’s polycrises, we often oversimplify and overcategorize—approaches that work against deeper understanding and problem-solving. These impulses are rooted in uncertainty, and can lead to panic and desire for control that ultimately “miss the point.”
Curated by Shireen Marican with producer Mary Ann Ng, On Point features lightmode by artist Victoria Hertel with engineer Justin Ong, affixed within a modular terrain. Vessels embedded within the terrain emit programmed and sensor-based light that respond to audiences around the installation, creating a visual symphony. The irregular flickering patterns resist predictable rhythms echoing the often unseen interconnectedness of crisis in today’s world. Just as the full communicative pattern of the vessels reveal themselves over time, complex global problems require patient observation of relationships over quick fixes or expectations of immediate understanding.
On Point is an invitation to pause. Like a flickering lightbulb, the rhythmic pulses of the vessels reveal a web of connections powered by interdependent presence and actions. This dynamic contrasts society’s fixation on fragmented elements that may miss the broader picture and hopes to nurture sensitivity to critical signals that can guide us through an increasingly complex future.
