{ Disco Booth, Anyone? }

Initially what drew me to the Trans-Cool TOKYO exhibition at 8Q SAM was Yoshitomo Nara's paintings. But after my visit, what really "wowed" me was Kiichiro Adachi's e.e.no.24, a disco booth installation.

e.e.no.24, a Museum of Comtemporary Art Tokyo collection, was a converted telephone booth serves as a one-man disco for those self-conscious of their body in public. The mirrored interior of the booth reassures (albeit falsely) the person inside that he/she is not exposed to the outside world, when in reality this is so.

Exploring concepts of society's gaze and its reflection, Adachi heightens one's perception and sensitivity to the immediate society and community one is living in. The work in particular comments on the supposed anonymity that technology such as the Internet gives people today, but this anonymity is in reality a false one.

The exhibit features a projection video (shown above) and the actual disco booth, visitors are encouraged to experience dancing to one's heart content inside. As expected, Singaporeans being Singaporeans were shy about stepping into the lighted booth. All those that I've encountered just stood there watching the video.

Experiencing dancing to my heart's content :P

As a curious cat, I went into the booth, closed the door and put on the headphones. Nope, I didn't dance (too self-conscious to do that!) but I managed to experience what it is like. And I must said I totally understand why people in the video can dance their hearts out inside.....it's a COOL experience!