Haze State is a project that proposes an alternative way of re-imagining historical and anthropological contexts in urban settings. A public interactive installation that stages atmospheric representations evoking sensations, recollecting the past and restoring subliminal artifacts: in its own becoming a responsive environment. Inserting a strategy in contemporary architecture called “cross-atmosphering” where a coalition of incompatible functions causing a contradictory connection between actions and spaces, the project seeks to turn art audiences into active contributors of the newly mapped experience. Each installation involves digital and scientific interfaces within sustainable environments that mimics natural phenomena.


Audience
The installation will evoke visceral feelings and the experience from one person to another person will be different as far as if the scent/smell triggers past memories, fantasy, present emotional feeling, etc. Anyone who are interested in the ephemeral experience is encouraged to try the installation.

User Scenario
Viewers/visitors will walk into the installation space and have the freedom to sniff the various scents in display. it is hoped that this scenario will inspire dialogue or a conversation around where the scents/aroma are distilled from (the raw materials) and the process of distilling these raw materials. Since these raw materials are collected as a symbol to speaks about the history or sociology of specific urban sites, the conversations reflect the imagination of those content (--referring to the idea of re-imagining history/sociology without the present of actual historical artifacts).

Implementation
Various raw materials from a specific site, Bushwick and Dumbo, were sampled (dirt, licorice, chamomile, potato chips, tofu, poultry feather, mushroom, etc). From these materials, hydrosol (perfume water) will be created in-house resulting in a custom-blend, home-made mix "cabinets of hydrosol (each hydrosol is placed in a small bottle/esssential oil bottles). These bottle will be in display in the installation.

These hydrosol will be the fuel/material that will be evaporated (using motor and sensor) inside a custom-made plexi box that's the size of human's head (the box is like a headspace). People will walk into the headspace to experience the olfactory sensation.