Yuanying He · CLIENT: K3ntiv3
Constructing the Intangible explores memory as a process of reconstruction rather than preservation. Inspired by the ephemeral scent of childhood pomelo flowers, the work employs architectural elements such as cranes, grids, and misaligned stairs to visualize the structure of recollection. Memory is presented as an active act of assembling fragments of the past to construct present identity. Through a restrained structural language, the piece transforms an intangible sensory experience into a visible spatial form.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Constructing the Intangible explores the architecture of memory. This artwork examines how sensory fragments, specifically the ephemeral scent of the past, are reorganized. Memory is presented not as static preservation, but as an active secondary rendering shaped by narrative coherence. Utilizing a structural language bridging nature and architecture, the design transforms intangible sensory experiences into visible forms. Past fragments serve as scaffolding to support selfhood.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- High-resolution digital artwork.
Dimensions: 3600 x 3600 pixels.
Color space: RGB.
Format: Digital illustration suitable for print and screen display. - Tags
- memory reconstruction, olfactory memory, architectural metaphor, narrative identity, secondary construction, spatial abstraction, sensory memory, autobiographical memory
- Production Technology
- The artwork was created using digital illustration techniques. A structured grid-based composition system was applied to organize spatial elements. Layered vector and raster rendering methods were combined to achieve depth and architectural precision. The visual system references drafting language and construction schematics to reinforce the conceptual framework.
- Design Challenge
- The primary challenge was translating an invisible and ephemeral sensory experience into a coherent spatial structure. The work avoids literal representation of scent and instead constructs a layered architectural system to express memory reconstruction. Balancing structural precision with emotional ambiguity required careful control of composition, grid systems, and visual hierarchy.
- Project Duration
- The project was conceptualized and completed in February 2026 in Shenzhen, China.
- Operation Flow
- The viewer engages with the artwork through visual navigation. Misaligned staircases, cranes, and grid structures guide the eye toward a central focal point, mirroring the cognitive process of memory reconstruction. The interaction is interpretive rather than functional, inviting reflection rather than instruction.
- Research
- This project explores autobiographical memory reconstruction through visual metaphor. Drawing from narrative identity theory and cognitive psychology, it investigates how memory is not a fixed recording but an active reconstruction shaped by perception and storytelling. Olfactory memory, particularly childhood scent associations, serves as an anchoring mechanism to translate intangible sensory recall into spatial and architectural language.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration originated from a simple observation: describing a dream after waking is already an act of secondary representation and reconstruction. The cool scent of pomelo blossoms from childhood serves as a sensory anchor. This fleeting memory is deconstructed into an orderly “construction site”. Cranes, grids, and misaligned staircases symbolize the subtle imperfections and ongoing rebuilding inherent in human recollection.
- Image Credits
- All visual elements, illustrations, and conceptual content in this project are original works created solely by the artist. No third-party materials, stock images, templates, or external visual assets were used in the creation of this work.
- Patents
- This project is an original conceptual artwork created by the artist. It is not associated with any registered patents or trademarks. All intellectual property rights belong solely to the artist.
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