Tashlich - Solitude and Solidarity
Rachel Max & Hannah Weisz 

The digital rendering of our piece lacks the complexity captured by its physical counterpart. One of our central ideas for the project was that nothing is identical nor perfect, just as it is in nature. The decision was made because the box is a representation of a place of self-reflection, and just as nature is imperfectly perfect, so too are people. The rough, blocky, and symmetrical pieces of the digital model fail to capture the beauty of the asymmetry of nature. Through the change in setting, the entire experience is altered, though not necessarily transformed into a worse version. As one views the project, they are transported to a world where nothing is perfect yet still holds beauty, putting them in a mindset to view themselves in the same light. Because the best self-reflection is achieved when you recognize that you have flaws and work to improve rather than pretend to be perfect. However, through the lens of a perfect idyllic world like the one imagined in the digital rendering, when you look inside, you find a serene and perfect place within yourself to view yourself. Which, while entirely different from what we are going for, can also provide a great place to reflect. A place where you are left alone, unbothered by anything other than your own thoughts. The digital rendering is also unable to capture the soft and fuzzy texture of our project. The plushness helps solidify it as a place that does not truly exist; it is simply a fictional world to which you can retreat and reflect. Without the softness, it seems like woods. Which, while calm and relaxing, are still connected with the real world, rather than connected with just the person and their inner self.