Perception is an intimate perspective of one’s personal view of the world around them; it is a personal choice, whether conscious or not, of how and where one looks.  Perspectives are influenced by personality, past experiences, and interpretations of those experiences. 

Simon’s CylinderScape is a dichotomy of perspective that represents two opposites.  From one perspective, the world may appear chaotic and distorted, but from another perspective, one can find truth and harmony in the very same information.  In the case of a CylinderScape, the truth is found from a reflection of a distorted image.  The sum of all its counterparts may at first appear to fall short of a solution or image, but when all is pulled toward a center of truth and commonality, the circumference of a cylinder, a collective restoration of the whole can be found.

This experience of viewing life from a “positive” perspective is compounded by the very fact of bringing people together to view a CylinderScape.  Viewers are pulled toward a center, around a CylinderScape, to share an experience of awe and excitement.  There is a connection of human involvement that transcends individual differences and creates a basis for a common emotional response.  Similar to the unity that occurs in the reconstruction of the image in the cylinder, there is a unity of people who share an experience of fantasy, excitement, and surprise.  The viewers are able to connect with those around them, and contemplate the fundamental idea of achieving harmony through a different perspective. 

The goal of a CylinderScape is to give unity to disorder, harmony to the discord, and surprise to the ordinary.  A CylinderScape is a challenge to unify the human spirit, encourage an alternate perspective, and inspire a moment of self-reflection.

-Simon P. Côté