Cat's Cradle: Fred Sandback & Spatial Stories

Source: Cat's Cradle

1) In what way does cat's cradle create "a little place" as Sandback describes? Consider notions of space and place defined by de Certeau in "Spatial Stories."

I feel as if the “places” cat’s cradle creates is not a place, but more of a “space” based on De Certeau’s description of the distinction between space and place. In “Spatial Stories,” De Certeau emphasizes that a “place” is stagnant compared to a “space,” which is interchangeable at all times. Throughout the game, each player changes the space through different combinations, thus resulting in the creation of a whole new space. Because each space is entirely interchangeable, it is clear that it has created new space and not a new place. Through the act of manipulating the strings, space is consistently changed.

2) Experiment: Learn how to play cat's cradle if you don't already know. Practice playing cat's cradle in different environments and document the events in photographs or video. Post to your blog and explain--in a single sentence--the way that this small action involving string produces space (or in Sandback's terms, "a little place"). In what way does the site become part of the game? How does the game interact with a particular site, and a particular moment?

Through different environments, we feel challenged and uneasy, due to particular circumstances.

3) Experiment: In Sandback's "Remarks on my sculpture" he says that "Having these seven huge rooms to work in was a small revelation, in that I was able for the first time to see how these pieces acted together and to work with them simultaneously."  Experiment with using yarn to explore and analyze the circulation of space and the relationship in and between rooms--Run a continuous loop of yarn through the space of the room and notice how it must behave to link the spaces together. Run yarn between rooms to see how they relate--their flow, interruptions, shapes of movement.

I think the most interesting part of this assignment is the fact that it creates new space based on the existing space. The spatial relationship between the existing spaces is intriguing in the sense that it creates sub division of spaces and although each space is different, it is derived from the same material. Depending on its variation, this new space can be inviting or uninviting.

4) How does "play" function in Sandback's approach to his work and materials? Was play an element of your Sandback assignment? How does play function in your own design practices?

I think it’s important to incorporate “play” into work. Inspirations that result in the greater things in life rarely come from one’s static interpretations on what to do. Experimentations that derive from one’s static interpretation can be felt through the work. Similarly if one incorporates “play,” the result will have a sense of playfulness that can be felt by others. “Play” was definitely involved in our design in the sense that we go by our initial instincts. The resulting work is more natural because it is not overanalyzed. Although it is completely natural, under analyzed work is not perfect, either. This calls for a review of the work completed to “round off the edges” to perfection.