Gravity is quiet: an immersive multiimage video installation

This paper presents research related to an immersive installation that explores the possibility of creating a portrait of a particular state of mind. This optimal state of consciousness, called flow and coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi reveals a subtle and hidden world of true presence and untapped potential. Entitled Gravity is quiet, this 3-channel audio visual installation examines the world of highline as a walking meditation and mines the introspections of various flow practitioners through a singular, yet symphonically built voiceover. The documented individuals push the perceived boundaries of their own mental and physical capacities, illustrating their acceptance of the culture of risk, and the possibility of harnessing fear, discomfort, creativity and joy through the world of movement. Subjects were filmed in Canyon Sainte-Anne and Kamouraska, Quebec in the late summer of 2015. The installation is based on data collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and visual content analysis of sportfocused media.