the challenge
The Seed we are playing with today is partly a Seed and partly a Prism. It has an inherent constraint, but with it a great opportunity — an invitation to change your perspective.
With the Eye in the Sky Seed we should look for an Insight from high above — a perspective we are not normally using when looking around us.
Ready to explore?
my insight
I found this Insight in a small café in Tel-Aviv. Little black tables were neatly arranged on the pavement outside, and on each of them there was a small vase with flowers and an ashtray.
Looking at the table from above changed the perspective completely. The vase was no longer visible, and the ashtray looked like a glass flower — as if it was part of the bouquet. Together with the black table, the visual created was beautiful.
I should note that while some ashtrays were empty, I deliberately chose one with used cigarette in it. I love the contrast they give to the perfect flowers.
reflection
The ability to change your perspective is essential to creativity. The problem is our mind loves the things it already knows, so changing perspectives is not the default. With the right triggers we can remind our brain the benefits of looking at things differently.
One of the great things about changing perspectives is that certain things can get out of context, and by that they get a new meaning and even a new life.
When I looked at the table from above, it ceased to be a table. Suddenly it became a black background for the flowers. The vase was gone, and the ashtray became part of the bouquet. And all it took was a change in my physical position.
Mental or abstract change of perspective can be more difficult, of course. But in many occasions an external change can help. Taking a walk in a new place, literally changing the position of the pieces of the problem you are looking at, or just describing the problem using a new medium — all these are external changes that can help you change your cognitive perspective.
mental notes
- Change your perspective physically to trigger a cognitive change of perspective.
now it is your turn… be creative!