Kenna Lau: "For Vanessa"

In this interview, we speak to Kenna Lau,she creates work within the 4D department of Fine Art.

What is the title of your work?

"For Vanessa".

Summarise the work in 5 words

Still image or moving image?

Talk us through the process of creating your work

In this 1 minute video, you only look at one scene in the park, a pillar that has words “For Vanessa” on it. In this minute, you will seem to be looking at a still image but you are actually looking at a moving image, filmed in the same place but in 3 different time periods in the same day. By still/moving image, I can be able to manipulate time which 1 minute will feel much longer than you thought it would be. I want you the audience to think about their relationship between themselves and Vanessa, think about who is Vanessa ,think about did they feel spending a minute with something that they are not familiar with.

I was trying to discover the relationship between memories and time. I wanted to discover how can images trigger memories and challenge the relationship between still image and moving images, I think still images can be a moving image at the same time. Just like how memories seems still but they are still living(moving) in your mind.I was thinking what kind of relationship have I developed with these words? What is going on? Who is Vanessa? What was the story?How can I reveal something that is hidden through manipulating time?

I asked my friends about who they think Vanessa is and what was her story, everyone gave me a different idea. Some believed that she's still alive and some think she passed away. My thought is, I think every one of them is correct. Looking at the unknown makes you to imagine a reality and make up your own story or memory, I believe everyone has their own Vanessa. No one knows who is she but there is still that Vanessa that you think that existed in your mind. But how will your impression towards Vanessa change over time? In a minute, it seems like nothing has changed in the park, but you don't step into a same place the same time, how can things be changing and still the same time, does memories work the same? How can I represent time?

How is the work site-specific?

I found “For Vanessa” in one of the pavilions in Waterlow Park, I find it really interesting while the person who wrote the words did not decide to own one of the memorial benches in the park but wrote on the pillars instead.

You can follow Kenna Lau on instagram at @kennalau