Mizzonk's exhibition view of participatory art A Journey Within exhibition in a 1500 square feet gallery, inviting contemplation on how personal stories shape our collective understanding.

A Journey Within – Defining Moments

A Journey Within – Defining Moments is a participatory public art project and exhibition that explores the pivotal experiences shaping individual life. Initiated in July 2016, the project invited anonymous public participation by posing a simple yet meaningful question: “What moments have shaped you into you?” By May 15, 2017, 271 responses had been received—many deeply moving—revealing a shared human inclination to reflect on transformation. Even after the official conclusion, submissions continued to arrive until the project website was eventually closed.

As noted in the gallery’s press release by curator Barbara Duncan, “An initial encounter with the exhibition evokes a sense of purity and reserve. However, upon deeper engagement, it becomes clear that the responses stem from a place of profound personal reflection and authenticity. The stories, though brief, are strangely all-encompassing, often carrying the imprint of loss, grief, or a defining realization.” These collected narratives serve as evidence of our unique yet interconnected experiences, illuminating the unseen forces that shape personal growth. Moments of clarity—whether joyful, painful, or revelatory—act as turning points that transform our understanding of self and others. In recognizing this, the journey of navigating life becomes a little more legible.

The exhibition manifests these themes through a series of interconnected artworks. Central to the exhibition is the Archive that honours each submitted story, housed within eight viewing structures. This evolving display of mounted narratives underscores the ongoing nature of self-discovery—a process that, much like the project itself, remains open-ended.

A Journey Within – Defining Moments was jointly funded by the Maple Ridge Public Art Steering Committee and The ACT Arts Council.

Other artworks in the project exhibition: Paper Trail, Charcoal, Hidden Clock, Behind the Scene Documentary

Press:

Mizzonk's public participatory project A Journey Within's participatory question card for anonymous paricipation.
Mizzonk's A Journey Within-Defining Moments participatory drop-off box installed in the community.
Mizzonk's Archive installation from A Journey Within showcasing mounted narratives that reflect personal defining moments shared by participants.
Wide shot of Mizzonk's A Journey Within installation, featuring the eight wooden Archive structures containing the public's personal stories, and a projected clock on a wall with ticking sound.
Personal stories illuminated by soft lighting in Mizzonk's A Journey Within, emphasizing the anonymity and honesty of each response.
Close-up of Mizzonk's Archive structure in which an innovated design of a rail to allow each story be pulled out for viewing in A Journey Within Exhibition. Sturcture designed and built by Roger Chen of Mizzonk duo.
Mounted narrative in Mizzonk's A Journey Within showing a powerful moment of clarity, loss, or realization that shaped the submitter's life.
Curator Barbara Duncan's quote describing the deep emotional layers of the responses in Mizzonk's A Journey Within, accompanying the exhibit.
A child participant’s story displayed in Mizzonk's A Journey Within, reflecting a moment of transformation and self-reflection..
A participant’s handwritten story displayed in Mizzonk A Journey Within, reflecting a moment of transformation and self-reflection.
Close-up of handwritten responses displayed in the Archive, revealing intimate moments that shape identity in Mizzonk's A Journey Within.
Participants’ anonymous responses in Mizzonk's A Journey Within captured in the Archive’s wooden structures, forming a powerful collective narrative.
Close-up of the filing system inside Mizzonk's A Journey Within archival box, designed to protect and preserve each submitted story.
Participants’ anonymous responses in A Journey Within by Mizzonk captured in the Archive’s wooden structures, forming a powerful collective narrative and ongoing collection of submission reflecting such a journey within never ends.
Top-down view of Mizzonk's A Journey Within archival box, revealing its structured filing system that safeguards each participant’s story for posterity.
Layered compartments inside Mizzonk's A Journey Within archival box, showcasing the thoughtful approach to organizing and preserving the narratives.
A profound participant’s story displayed in A Journey Within by Mizzonk, reflecting a moment of transformation and self-reflection leading to a life-changing shift.
A moment of silence within Mizzonk's A Journey Within, as visitors take time to connect with the emotional depth of the displayed stories.
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Paper Trail
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Charcoal