Panorama Class

11th October 2022

Panorama Class was listed among a list of extracurricular activities, from which I had to select two. Panorama Class was the second choice after picking out the Architectural Representation class.

Attending the Panorama Class was nothing short of inspiring, informative, and overall a fantastic learning experience. With no expectations for the class and no prior knowledge of the medium, I was overwhelmed during the first hour of the introduction presentation.

The well-planned, busy day exceeded not only my expectations, but also my two other colleagues who joined. Mr Heil, the co-ordinator and lecturer, explained the various types of panoramas before visiting the panorama museum and experiencing (rather than viewing) the main panorama artwork, while also allowing time for debate. Further interesting discussions arose during our cycle journey from one spot to another.

The museum visit was enjoyable and allowed for a build-up of anticipation for the final artwork that would be the 'Panorama Mesdag'. With our well-informed, cordial tour guide, we navigated through each gallery space until we reached a dark tunnel that marked the entryway to the Mesdag Panorama exhibition space. This also marked the start to a stimulating architecture experience that I have seldom felt within museums in a long time. The dark tunnel was lit with guiding rope lights fitted on the ceiling, while also having two small 'viewing' holes, varying in height, allowing for light to filter through the tunnel, inviting you to look in ( very similar to the stimulating technique experienced at the birds nest). At the end of the tunnel marked a circular tight wooden staircase, that led us to a lit circular space, elevated and flood-ed with natural light, confined by the panorama at its circular periphery. The compressed, dark space and disorienting narrow staircase allowed for a mesmerizing, somewhat overwhelming and confusing experience atop the staircase, as one feels they are outdoors, overlooking Scheveningen beach and its dunes. This was further aided with external features such as audio of crashing waves and other extremely clever and elaborate architecture features, subtle and unnoticeable to the viewer if not pointed out by our tour guide. The first feature we were introduced to was the draped fabric, extending downwards from the centre of the space. This allowed for a visual block for the edges of the extremely large painting, having its canvas stretched on a steel skeleton.

The textile also allowed for visual continuity and sunlight to be directed on certain parts of the painting, which corresponded to the same angle of the sun that is currently present at that location at the same particular time as the painting. Well though-out spatial design and attention to detail also allowed for warped perception but was also well informed. Wooden slates making up the floor were circularly placed around the circular viewing platform, having the grouted tile edges aligned with perceptive nodes on the painting, oriented through the cardinal points (north-south-east-west). That said, the viewing platform was also tilted as to mimic the topography of the dune, which was informed with the irregular extents of the painting, informed through on-site drawing and measuring of the dune blocking the panoramic view, which was all drawn and painted within four- five months. This tilt instructed, unconsciously, the viewer to lean at certain points against the handrail, and grab onto it at opposing points. Upon close inspection of the painting, we were made to locate 'comical' features and hidden 'east-er eggs', such as the painters wife on the beach painting boats, spirit figures around doorways and painted stories littered throughout, capturing a moment in time in the 19th century.

We were then led down to the bottom of the structure (closed off for visitors). This was a whole different experi-ence altogether, as we walked past numerous, thin wooden columns, varying in height supporting the tilted viewing platform. As we walked under the enormous painting, following a wooden path one really gets to appreciate and experience the scale and difficulty of painting such a panorama. Panorama Class11th October 2022 From the viewing platform, the perspective is warped in such a way that one perceives the paint-ing as a whole, having a uniform scale and normal perspective. At a closer glance, the painting and its figures in particular are much larger than perceived, and are painted in a distorted manner as to give off such a clear exact image from afar. The overall experience can be compared to that of a well composed, well balanced musical piece, composed in harmony amongst the various moving parts, giving a sense of harmony, tranquillity and stimulating series of events.

The class continued with a visit to the dunes, as to experience the panorama in 'real- life', an update on the captured moment in time, after finally returning to the academy and carrying out an exercise whereby we were given as much creative freedom as desired. Collectively, we came up with a thirty-minute exercise whereby we would draw what was perceived by us on a paper stuck at eye- level. The three- of us, back to back, drew and tilted clockwise slowly, drawing in different colours, overlapping each other's work. This allowed for a brief discussion on how we perceive differently and how to capture moments in time, as well as being extremely enjoyable.