In 2007, William Feuerman suffered an acute isolated stroke that affected the coordination of his eyes resulting in a dramatic shift in his visual perception. His partial blindness led to more awareness of the space around him. New things came into focus, leading to a body of work that develops interactive relationships between our senses and the built environment. The Test Sites project at the Melbourne Innovation District (MID) is an exploration into visual perception and spatial distortion of urban space into a full-scale inhabitable experience.

DOUBLE VISION is an installation made from a series of vertical mirrored elements that distort and recondition the visual experience of the city. Each vertical mirrored ‘blade’ is specifically orientated to different points in the city. Its exact width, height and form and is therefore amorphous depending on its location. Using the city of Melbourne as a laboratory, to recondition, de-familiarise our surroundings in a playful and engaging way, DOUBLE VISION enables users to see the world through a new set of eyes, while also bringing about a new visual awareness of their surrounding environments.

William’s design and research investigates technological blindness caused by our ubiquitous reliance on mobile technologies to speak on ideas of public space and ideas of visual perception in our cities.

DOUBLE VISION is an immersive visual “machine”, temporarily transporting the pedestrian from their everyday environment, into one that is unfamiliar. The installation produces kaleidoscopic and distorted reflections of the Queen Victoria Markets surroundings. The effects produce a new awareness of users’ surroundings and encourages them to look up from their mobile screens and engage with their city.
Members of the public will experience DOUBLE VISION in different ways, depending on their position in relation to the installation.

For example, located in the classic Melbourne laneway, DOUBLE VISION runs parallel to the entrance, reflecting the surrounding walls, giving the illusion of a ‘no-through’ access. However, on closer inspection, the mirrored members are spaced to allow visitors to meander amongst the artwork. In another siting in Lincoln Square, DOUBLE VISION is aligned to specific landmarks such as a tree or park bench, creating a semi-enclosed setting, while also producing kaleidoscopic effects of locals jogging by, or families picnicking on the grass.