Installation View
Dimensions variable, and can be adapted according to space.
In this installation (2020 Taiwan Biennial), the map of Breda was designed and printed on the floor. Videos of the production/collection process in Breda are located and placed on the map. The map's orientation was calibrated to align with the real world.
The testing expedition in the Arctic, as well as the jacket and sensor data, are installed on the walls. Not shown in this installation view are the thermal video (in a smaller screen) and experimentation photographs on the other two walls.
Goose feather collected in Wilhelminapark, Breda (2017)
Down (project trailer)
Down Feather Harvest Locations in Breda
Survey route (GPS record in red) of potential harvest locations near my house in Breda, The Netherlands.
September, 2017
Escaped geese from farms near Kapittelweg, Breda.
September, 2017
Feather Collecting, Kapitalweg, Breda #1
Downy feather collecting at Kapitalweg, Breda, The Netherlands; Sep. 1st, 2017. The goal is to collect 200-300 feathers per harvest.
The geese were extremely loud; the neighborhood sent their kids to check what were going on.
Trailer - Downy feather collecting from July-September, 2017. In Breda area, the Netherlands.
Main locations:
- Wilhelminapark, near city center.
- Markdal, the Mastbos.
- Kapittelweg.
Video still -
Filling, sewing and making the down jacket with collected goose feathers (80g, about 50% of what I planned for).
Shell used: NH100 from Decathlon (synthetic materials removed).
Zodiac ride before Ymerbukta Landing, Spitsbergen.
78°17,9' N, 013°56,4' E, 3rd Oct., 2017
Sailing/landing route in the Arctic (Spitsbergen), Oct., 2017.
From 78°17,9' N, 013°56,4' E to 80°02,2' N, 014°33,1' E.
Detailed map of the Norwegian archipelago here.
Bockfjorden landing. Evaluating the effectiveness of the jacket.
79°27,7' N, 013°12,3' E; 8th Oct., 2017.
Thermal Analysis, Fjortende Julibukta
At the Southern shore of Fjortende Julibukta, Svalbard. By comparing the surface temperature (T1, red) under the jacket, before and after putting it on for 30 seconds. T1 rose by more than 3 degrees Celsius.
79°6'0" N, 11°48'0" E; 5th Oct.
Bockfjorden landing, 79°27,7' N, 013°12,3' E. Near by we spot a polar bear.
8th Oct., 2017.
Trollkjeldene, 18km hike, near the Mars rovers testing site. Oct. 9th, 2017. 79.39°N, 13.44°E
Location, route, chest surface temperature sensor readings of the Trollkjeldene hike - Oct. 9th. 79.39°N, 13.44°E.
Landings (video stills)
- Martøya, 79°19,8' N, 11°00' E, 4th Oct.
- Fjortende Julibukta northern shore, 79°07' N, 11°52' E, 5th Oct.
- Smeerenburg, 79°41,7' N, 010°58,7' E, 6th Oct.
- Ytre Norskøya, mountain to Utkiken, 79°51,2' N, 11°37,8' E, 11th October
Landing card. "X"s indicate completed landings.
"A Step by Step Guide for Making Your Own Down Jacket"
Manual Booklet (A6, sample spread)
Read online here.
This is a 'manual' accompanying the project, which empowers anyone who wish to directly experience the process by making his/her own down jacket. The first person who complete the jacket by following the manual may claim a plane ticket to Spitsbergen in High Arctic from the author (please contact beforehand for contract).
Concept by Sheng-Wen Lo
Designed by Yi-Hsien Hung
Flip video: https://vimeo.com/303001517
Down
羽絨 2017 - 2018
On view: Taiwan Biennial, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan (17 Oct.-28 Feb.)
- Handmade down jacket, photographs, videos, thermal imageries and sensor readouts; dimensions variable.
- 自製羽絨衣、照片、錄像、熱感影像、傳感器測資
While shopping for winter jackets, I realised that it is impossible for me to tell where exactly the feathers of mass-produced down jackets came from [1]. Therefore, I attempted making my own down jacket in a relatively harmless way: by manually collecting the goose feathers on the grounds in the parks [2], riverbanks, and forests near my house in Breda, the Netherlands.
After two months of collecting [3], cleaning, filling and sewing, the jacket was put to test in the High Arctic (Spitsbergen archipelago) for three weeks to see if I can survive [4]. During this sailing expedition of The Arctic Circle Residency [5], I made 21 landings and glacier hikes between 78°17'N-80°02'N, wearing only this jacket and minimum base layers. A guide booklet “A Step by Step Guide for Making Your Own Down Jacket” was designed based on my experiences to allow everyone to make a down jacket from where they live.
[1] Despite recent regulations, there are debates about the percentage of down production that still involves animal-cruelty.
[2] These parks are common habitats for escaped farm geese, and migrating Canadian geese.
[3] Approximately 3000 feathers collected, 80 grams (50% of what I initially aimed for).
[4] Body condition was monitored with temperature sensors, thermal camera and heart-rate sensors.
[5] 1st-19th October, 2017, right before polar winter.
在選購冬季外套時，我發現很難確認市售羽絨外套的鵝毛來源[1]。因此，我試以相對無害的方式自製羽絨衣：手動撿拾掉在住處（荷蘭布雷達市）附近公園、河堤、森林邊[2]的鵝絨。
經兩個月的蒐集[3]、清理與縫製，我到北極（斯瓦巴群島）試穿外套三週看看能否存活[4]。在北極圈駐村[5]（78°17'N-80°02'N）21次登陸、攀登冰川全程，我穿了此外套與少量底層衣。另依經驗設計了「自製你的羽絨外套手冊」，讓大家都可自製羽絨外套。
[1] 縱使現有來源認證，產品中以殘酷方式取得的絨毛有多少，仍具爭議。
[2] 水域常有農場逃出的白鵝、遷徙中的加拿大雁。
[3] 共撿拾約3000根絨毛（80克），為目標量一半。
[4] 由熱感相機、溫度、心率傳感器量測身體狀態。
[5] 2017年10月1至19日，永夜前。
中文訪談：VICE創想計劃
Graphic design & illustration by Yi-Hsien Hung