Quotidian rhythms

• Main Author: Ng, Debbie Sok Wai
• Other Authors: Ina Conradi Chavez
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Visual communication
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/78088
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

There is an ancient philosophical concept originated by the Greek philosopher Pythagoras called “Musica Universalis” (or Music of the Spheres). He claimed that the planets in space moved in proportion to one another, producing a mathematical harmony of music. Applying this philosophy to the human condition, how much of our everyday lives are made up of co-existing rhythms? After all, just like planets, we are all made of stars. Quotidian Rhythms1 is an exploration of repetitive rhythms in daily tasks, in an attempt to reframe the idea of mundanity and routines. Here, the concept of rhythm takes on multiple meanings, breaking away from its traditional function in music. Rhythms exist everywhere, from the repeated action of teeth brushing, to the myriad of environmental sounds heard from a room window, to the vibrations in all things. In the face of increasing unpredictability and stresses in the modern world, Quotidian Rhythms seeks to serve as a gentle reminder to slow down, observe the world in rhythm, and ride the grooves as they come. Organic happenstances and harmonious rhythms are present in the everyday, if we pay attention. While mundanity is often viewed with a negative lens, it is these effortless, everyday routines which prepare us for the day’s challenges, or quietly comfort us from the harshness of our realities.