LT Ranch Summer Session 2013
2009 Anna Parfirenko Yi-chuan Lui Yu-ting Wang w/Ken
Wilder
2011 Ami Kanki Changda Wu Dayea Park Georgina Walker Hyunsuk Park Lewis Barton Sofia Anastasiou Sylvia Yebing yuan w/Rob
Nice
2012 Chris Humphrey Enzo Guida Kenun hye Lee John Wo min kang Mamo Juelin he Marcus Boyle Max Thomson Mo Ja Neda Kahooker Patrick Yi-wei chen Paresh Parmar Recy Shao Sam Lo ming shum w/ Emma
Hunter & Stasys Skliaustis
2013 Abdulbari Jacqueline Jialing Mengjie Mirella Sang kyong Wan-yun Xin Ya Yang w/ Janice
Kutubi Hu Li Liu Dourampei Jeong Tsai Wan Gao Bai
Shales Jiri Hanzlik Stasys Skliaustis
Site The extensive mappings of projects which dispersed beyond the footprint of the Ranch site near Utena, Northeast Lithuania.
Van's door site 1
Van's door site 1
Yun's bicycle route
Van's door site 3
Lake Tauragnas
| Van’s door: final site tent: material/saw cellar
| Yang’s tree house stonehenge
| Ling’s light holders gravel mound (for stair)
| Bari’s stones the house
| Mengjie’s white lines
| Ya’s path
(barn 2 dismantled) outdoor shower camping hotel (barn 1)
| Yun’s survey of narrative: bicycle route THE STAIR: Mirella, Bari, Stasys, Martynas, Jiri, Edvinas, Ieva... | Jerry & Jackie’s immaterial tectonics site 1 outhouse
felled trees
| Ya’s path
| Jerry & Jackie’s immaterial tectonics site 2 (barn 2 B)
bridge sauna
| Jackie’s picture frames (various sites)
| Yun’s survey of narrative: bicycle route
The intensive mappings of projects which contained themselves within the Ranch site.
Introduction This is catalogue of the Ranch Summer Session 2013 compiled by participants, from an archive of images and films. The notion of catalogue and what it may be was much discussed. With people or without? None of these images would exist without the group members. The activity that ensued throughout the session layers into this selection of images and texts. The language more or less was left to retain the multi-lingual sounds mingling around the site; voices, tools, crickets, and our beloved mosquitoes. The images and film links attempt to capture the spontaneity, immense energy, and humour of this 7 day, 24 hr experience; socially, conceptually, materially and environmentally.
The landscape and its secrets continuously offered moments to interpret, make personal readings and translations of temporal responses to the idea of making and being. From small gestures to the larger; mechanical devices, the found random objects, an abundance of willow, surveillance from a tree house to observe our behaviour and body language, captured intimate, gestural as well as mute, moments of contemplation. The everyday was as loud as as some of these images are silent. After this temporary occupation of the site the environment continues on its own unpredictable course.
SURVEY OF NARRATIVE
WAN-YUN TSAI
07 JUL 2013 I LOST MY CAMERA. On the first day. I can remember the fantastic sunlight and landscape, but I just can not remember where I lost it. I can remember the route we had walked and the taste of lovely wild strawberries, but I couldn't remember when I lost it. I do not know if I can find it or not, but I can feel it is somewhere.
words
The journey began with seeking. I sought my lens, my trail, and myself. 07 JULY 2013 The fist survey (thanks Jiri and Jerry!) Nothing. The second survey (thanks Janice, Jiri and the friendly neighbor!) Nothing again. 09 JULY 2013 The third survey (thanks Jerry, Jackie, and everyone's blessing!) We found my camera!!!
The concept is developed from surveying of the routes to look for my camera with a moveable device. I repaired the incomplete bicycle found in the barn. The aim of the project is to record the route positioning the camera to record the ground search and side views.
I designed a timber camera support connected to the bike. Two parallel boards were fixed between the seatpost and front fork. The parallel boards clipped to a T shape bar: the horizontal board is longer than vertical board. By drilling a hole in the front of the horizontal board in order to fix the camera downward, I am able to record the ground survey. On the other side, there is a hole for the lens on the vertical board as well. I can put my camera on the side when the T shape bar is upside- down. Spacer adjustments could be made to accept the change of orientation of the camera. Furthermore, I used carpet material between the surface and my camera to reduce the damage of friction. There are three directions that I can film: down, left hand side, and right hand side. I rode the bike around our site and filmed the path at the same time. On the same pathway, I can see forward, recording down, left, and right. In other words, when we see the film, we can see the side views, the view down, but are never shown where we are going.
https://vimeo.com/72296963
The journey ends with gratitude. Thanks for this opportunity to be here, Ranch, Lithuania. Thanks for everyone's help and pardon. I re-survey myself during this experience, and treasure the memories that I have.
LIGHT HOLDER Jialing Li
It was a special experience and I was happy to work at the Ranch. There were various original materials which inspired me to create something unrestrained. In this project, I made three kinds of light holders. There were combinations of various different materials such as wood pieces, metal, willow bark, clay and so on. These little thing were great fun!
Made of local red clay. From smoothing to firing, I selected three kinds of patterns which were drawn, pressed and imprinted on the clay.
Combined wood pieces with a bicycle chain, this light container could be installed vertically or horizontally.
Made from willow bark, metal and a mayonnaise bottle. It can be used for decoration or as a lantern.
Video links: https://vimeo.com/71026877 https://vimeo.com/71050634 https://vimeo.com/70927043
Immaterial Tectonics Jerry Sang Kyong Jeong Jackie Chia-Chen Hu
The willows were collected from the upper part of the site, with the collaboration of 4 people, cut and moved. The willows were cut into proper sizes as a source fragment to be made into a modular component that could form into changeable figures. The made modular formed figures in spaces which became ephemeral places in the site.
1. 2. 3. 4.
Collecting Materials 07.07.13 .primary combination 07.07.14-16 .First Structure 07.07.17 Moved structure
a. b. c. d. e. f. g.
Outdoor shower Barn House Tree sculpture Tree swing Wooden bridge Sauna
Day 1. Material collected cut into pieces and tied into a triangular module First combination
The modules are easily carried, produced, dismantled, and moved around the site. The gaps and edges of the particles enable the willows to stand and support together as a structure.The form is ephemeral as the shape can be easily changeable.
Day 2. Assembled at first site
Right and opposite above Photograph by Kristina Opposite below Photograph by Van
We see, we hear, and we rest in the nature. By combining natural elements collected from the very site, a natural shelter was made which guided the ways, connecting the ways, moving around the sites, and bringing a momentary place in the nature. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you dream in the shelter?
Day 3. Moved to another site Between the tree swing and the wooden bridge to the sauna.
The particles can be infinitely moved around the site, dismantled, and maybe changed to another form by someone. A way of making and assembling (methodology) can be shared made and developed by others. We expect these particles and constructed spaces to be developed and further added onto by other people over time. These immaterial tectonics, which creates material space can be assembled in various sites and forms. Further particles and forms would expand the scale and ephemerality of a momentary places in the landscape.
Opposite below Photograph by Yun
Frame
Jackie Chia-Chen Hu
Frame Frame is a boundary to limit and focus our viewing range. People use their camera to record the moment. For me, this frame is just like a camera lens or a painting canvas to catch this extra-ordinary site. The scencery of the site is different and stunning every day, hour, and second. I want to use the picture frame to record this unusual experience and unlikely landscape.
Moving and setting the frame in the long grass and taking photos.
Pictures I wanted to film not only the still life or the landscapes surrounding our barn, but also my lovely team mates. They played important roles during this time. We worked, helped each other and had a great time together. They were the main part of my life in this period of time. Hence, I wanted to document everything around me and will use these photos to share with others.
The scenes are changing in time and weather. The photos are of the projects of the summer school and the scenery of the surrounding views.
Memorial Door Xin Wan
The flowers in front of the graves are in memory of those heroes who protected the land, and the abandoned brick barn left along the road, itself a memory of former uses. Even though I have not experienced these events, I can still trace them from the fragments left behind in this landscape and hope to understand how it passed through a dark time. This mark is a door connecting two worlds, a present world and a historical world, we currently enter the other one through tracing the marks, as well as through other people telling us stories. Things happened in the world, and then disappear in the air, but they never disappear in our minds, we will always remember how those things affected us, and we memorialise them as they are passing through our lives.
2
4
3 1 TOP OF THE HILL 3 LAKE CAMP SITE
Clockwise from left: Abandoned Barn An Un-Named Grave Materials for the door making Door Frame making Site Map
2 THE ABANDONED BARN 4 RANCH SITE
1
Site 1 The Door on the top of the hill Site 2 The Door in the Abandoned Barn Site 3 The door takes the boat Final resting place The Door being Burned (the handle is retained)
Negotiate -The defining feature of humanity is the abillity to put things to use, as well as putting useful things in useless placesEnvironment, Obstacles, Features; Adapt your lifestyle to conserve resources and share opportunities.
Rocks: Artificial Topography, un-intentionally directing movement and invoking interesting responses by inhabitants. In other words, the changes we make to a landscape are just as much a causality as the landscape itself.
Modes of Operation Abdulbari Kutbi
Positive
Construct -Possible courses of navigation are irrelavent when we consider efficient movement of people and goods, all that matters then is the resources to make it happenTools, Furniture, Functions and Environments; Acts of joining create intelligence, embodied in collectivities we call objects. These constructs are the essence of Techne.
Steps: Archaic and intimidating, though useful and stable, the beautiful is born from the ugly, and the useful from the scattered. Collectivity is the key to meaning, floating fragments can make no function, only together do they flourish.
Negative
Discuss
-Good thinking happens in groupsIdeas, Options, Routes and Courses of Action; the ultimate goal is common, the motives are individual, the results are shared.
Exhanges: Trading methods and ideas, likes and dislikes to arrive at an ideal. Compromises. Even these functions require environment, i.e. table and chairs. The existence of people is a precursor to creativity, environment becomes oppurtunity.
Collective
Experience -It is the folly of modernity that work equals riches that lead to comfort, comfort is the anaesthetic of lifeDifficulty, Struggle and Hardship; through which joy ensues. The most vital functions of daily life become experiences, that exist beyond functions. Life evolves into stories and growth.
Dwelling: Residing in the middle of the landscape, the sky and earth open up to contemplation. Time and Space are slowed to calm momentum; the interchange of night and day signals patterns of work that are vital to progress. It is in the landscape that daily change is so visible due to the unravelling of process in time.
Solitary
THE STAIRCASE This project was initiated by Mirella in collaberation with nearly everyone involved in the Summer Session. Sam's stair (2012) had weathered beyond use, nimble and nearly invisible in the lanscape as it had become, it had not survived the harsh winter. The discussed iterations by far outnumbered the drawn. Habits of walking were ad justed, through, rather than around, speeds altered, the robustness offering a hopefully longer life span.
Mirella Dourampei Wan-Yun Tsai Abdulbari Kutubi Stasys Skliaustis Martynas Remeisis Jiri Hanzlik Edvinas Klimas & Ieva
TREE HOUSE
|
YANG BAI
INTRODUCTION My research is an attempt to analyze the relationship between public space and human behavior, discuss how people hint at their personality and response to the space. To be more specific, the research is concentrated on developing the relationship between space and human through observing and analyzing human behavior and body language. The project in Lithuania is related with my project at Chelsea MA ISD, I made this tree house and turned it into a site to observe human behavior, the aim is continuing to observe the relationship between people and space.
WORKING PROCESS
The Observer's TREE HOUSE
VIDEOS OF OBSERVATION from the tree house
PATH YA GAO
The writer Lu Xun once said, "Actually there was no road in the world, until people walked, then there was a road." There is Tauragnas Lake near Utena, and you can see a road along this lake. In the daytime, you will find this road, which connects every village, paved with white sand and gravel. Not only does it connect the spaces, but also changes villagers' life. I want to bring the white road along the Tauragnas Lake to our farm and connect our projects with local residents. We will be just like the villagers along Tauragnas Lake linked by this white road, connecting everyone's space together. In my mind, what this route connects is more than the projects, but the whole environmental place. Meanwhile, this route also shows and records my changing connections of this condition.
In my work, the projects of several people on the farm will intersect with the route that I make, and their projects. The line that I make will leave different traces in everyone's mind, creating considered and possibly spontaneous responses.
A line appears and enters a space with its own personality, its position in space and time influences place. It joins spaces and places and influences the audience's actions in the space. It can measure the time of these traces and record moments when they collide. The atmosphere of the space hereby will change. Anyone who is inhabiting this route will experience different atmospheres and emotions along this route after I experienced the extensive spatial environment. Afterwards, anyone who inhabits or experiences this line creates difference in the surrounding space.
House Ling's Light Holder Mirella's Staircase
Jerry&Jackie's Immaterial Tectonics
Yang's Tree House Yun's Bicycle Van's Door
Mengjie's Line
WHITE LINE Nicole Mengjie LIU
A seemingly chaotic natural condition has numerous invisible borders and relationships. My project focuses on the relationship between different trees (living, dead and artificial) and the spaces between. A series of white lines and surfaces were built and rearranged over time to impel the concealed edge to be visible, and thus further extending these connections.
The frames with the space and the thread achieved a combination of 3 dimensions and 2 dimensions configurations.
The 5 meter timber white line, developed into furniture. Straw filled hessian bags, doubled, formed rocking seats for 2 along its length. By softening the surface, it enabled the seating for 10-15 people, inhabiting the visible edge.
Crossing the white lines: Van, Bari, Janice, Kristina, Ling, Ya, Yang, Stasys, Mengjie, Jiri, Jerry, Jackie, Yun, Mirella
This may be one of the few moments we managed to be all together in the same place at the same time. Undoubtedly there are a few missing who made this year's session such a resounding success, Martynas, Monika, Antanas, Brone, the barn cleaning crew, Edvinas, Ieva etc. In the UK, Ken Wilder, MA ISD Course Leader UAL Chelsea College of Art & Design, UCA Canterbury School of Architecture. A special thank you to Janice, Jiri and Stasys for their tireless energy and humour Thank you all.
Kristina Kotov dir. LT Ranch Project Space www.ltranchspace.blogspot.co.uk FB: the Ranch: Lithuania LT
Š LT Ranch, and 2013 Summer Session members. The catalogue has been edited by Mengjie Liu & Kristina Kotov, layouts by individual project authors. Cameras changed hands regularly, image copyright is therefore held by the Ranch Archive on behalf of the camera owners.