Liminal Spaces

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> “The structure of the world's worldhood is such that Others are not proximally present-at-hand as free-floating subjects along with other Things, but show themselves in the world in their special environmental Being, and do so in terms of what is ready-at-hand in that world"”
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> — *From Heidegger's Being And Time*
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**Liminal Spaces,** also known in anthropology as "**Liminality**", is defined as "occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold" or "relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process." Liminality has an anthropology definition, that describes: "the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of a rite of passage". Liminal spaces are an internet aesthetic portraying empty or abandoned places that appear eerie or forlorn, and often surreal. Liminal spaces are often places of transition (pertaining to the concept of liminality) or of nostalgic appeal.

These spaces may appear eerie or strange cause of them falling into the uncanny valley of architecture and physical places. Liminal spaces as a whole gained popularity when on 4chan a liminal space called "The Backrooms" went viral on the internet, bringing liminal spaces along with it. Ever since, liminal spaces have been posted across the internet, including on Reddit, Twitter, and TikTok.

Many people who view Liminal Space photos often feel a sense of nostalgia, or as the Dictionary of Obscure sorrows puts it: Anemoia, nostalgia for a time or place you've never known. Often people have never experienced these images, or have ever been to the specific places in them, yet many on the internet; with vastly different experiences and opinions, seem to feel strange sense of melancholy and remembrance for these places, often including spaces that feature places they might have been as a kid, or places they occupy now as adults. Another word from the Dictionary of Obscure sorrows that accurately depicts these images is the word: Kenopsia, the eerie atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned. Many images show areas that are meant to be bustling with people, and when taken out of their designed context and meaning feel eerie and unsettling, even though many of these places are occupied by us every day. They are meant to be used by a nameless multitude and yet now have faded into obscurity and are no longer used, left and abandoned, with the people who left leaving everything running in pristine condition. This feeling of dread and isolation is amplified in the Backrooms, as many of its spaces encompass areas of Liminal feelings, such as houses, play areas, and office spaces.

Many of the photos used in liminal spaces are often low quality, which may also contribute in part to the feeling of nostalgia, as lower quality photos and videos are often associated with older photos. Many areas inside the photos are also taken in a period between the early 1990's and early 2000's, giving them more of a feeling of nostalgia and longing for the good old days of childhood. The most powerful of these images, to most people, are ones in which there are one or two things off about them, like a chair that isn't where it should be, a single window lit up in a row of dark windows, or even a repeating hallway. There's never any clear malice to these images, no ghosts or monsters inside of them, just of putting qualities that make them that bit more unsettling; yet in a way more nostalgic all the same. These bits of weirdness produce anxiety, a kind of impending danger that is similar but more powerful to 'normal' liminal space photos. Not only have these photos been taken out of their designed context, the architecture itself is unnerving.

Nature in liminal spaces are often not seen; unless it is a heavily edited photo or something that is clearly fake, as it can be easily distinguished from things that require context such as building and structures made by Humans. Outdoor environments were not made by humans, and nature has no designed context, it grows where ever it wants to, where it seems fit, and we've lived with this knowledge all our lives. So when we look at a forest or outdoor environment at a different time of day or with no people, we don't think of it as some altered reality, its a landscape.

Marc Augé's idea of a non-place, is a generic space that disregards the identity of the individuals who inhabit it. Spaces like bus stops, hotel hallways, and airports are designed for use by nameless multitude. Non-places aren't designed to remember you, nor you are you really meant to remember them either. An undisputable part of such spaces, is precisely how common they are, they're just about inescapable. The paradox of non-places though, according to Augé, is that anyone can feel at home in them regardless of past experience, because they are equally alienating to everyone. There's a sense of familiarity to them, though, even if they are generally indistinguishable.

## Etymology

The first records of the world Liminal come from the late 1800's, from the Latin word līmen, meaning "threshold", in a literal sense, a threshold means a doorway. Liminal is often used to describe the threshold or gateway, between two stages. The term of liminal spaces, was coined originally by Arnold van Gennep, who coined the term liminality, published in 1909 his Rites de Passage, a work that explores and develops the concept of liminality in the context of rites in small-scale societies. Van Gennep began his book by identifying the various categories of rites. He distinguished between those that result in a change of status for an individual or social group, and those that signify transitions in the passage of time. In doing so, he placed a particular emphasis on rites of passage, and claimed that "such rituals marking, helping, or celebrating individual or collective passages through the cycle of life or of nature exist in every culture, and share a specific three-fold sequential structure".

## Liminal Artists

In the realm of traditional painting, there are a few artists that come to mind whose works resemble liminal spaces. John Registers paintings of places devoid of people, but instead filled with objects like chairs and tables, give off similar vibes. But are far more comfortable, probably because they are also filled with natural lighting and large windows, usually overlooking clouds or an endless ocean, and don't give off the same nostalgia because they depict aesthetics, far before most peoples times. But they are still, breathtakingly beautiful.

Another artist is Edward Hopper, who draws more traditional pieces of art that do contain people, though with that same altered quality of liminal spaces. Areas in Hoppers work often include more 'normal' areas, than to Registers surreal environments, depicting streets, gas stations, diners, et cetera. Office in a Small City depicts a man sitting alone in a corner office, his sleeves rolled up and looking visibly tired or lost in thought. He is stuck inside a giant concrete building, surrounded by nothing but a bland gray wall, and this is also repeated in the distance. Cities are commonly filled with life, and yet in Hoppers painting feels so bleak and lifeless, as the man is the only figure in the image, it positions us to feel as he does: isolated, and alone.

For as creepy and unsettling as Liminal spaces can be, an unusual element of isolation is the sense of peacefulness that can be felt. When we are left in our own thoughts and step back from the constant engagement of daily life, we gain insight and mindfulness. The artwork of Hiroshi Nagai, encapsulate this pretty well. While similar to Edward Hopper, and in a sense John Register; in that they depict isolation and emptiness during daylight, his works are often relaxing instead. His artworks, which are often used as album covers, have become fairly synonymous with the city pop movement of the late 1970's and 80s in Japan. In one of Nagai's paintings, 'Poolside - Yellow Towel' (2019) we see a deep blue sky accompanied by a swimming pool and backyard, the bright colors are inviting, and the direction of the leaves indicate wind moving throughout the piece. The painting is made up of mostly flat lines and smooth forms which adds to a sense of quality and relaxation. The pool sparkles, water laps at its sides, and the sound of the ocean is communicated through the deep blue lines of the background. Though it is liminal in nature, it is peaceful too.

## Popularity

Liminal space images gain popularity on the internet. As of November 2022, a subreddit called /r/LiminalSpaces, has accrued over 500,000 members, liminal space photo-posting @SpaceLiminalBot, on twitter has accrued over 1.2 million follows, and the Tiktok tag #liminalspaces has over two billion views. The popularity of the aesthetic was amplified during the 2020 pandemic, where many people were stuck inside their homes, and many places were often abandoned or not filled with very many people. Isolation and loneliness have been very common during the past few years, and the cultural zeitgeist has shifted because of it. There is a yearning to go outside, for a sense of optimism, and to return to a sense of normalcy. There is no doubt that liminal spaces will continue it's popularity due to how rich in exploration they are. They deal with the duality of emotions, light and dark, and between confronting our fears, and also feeling a sense of peace. It forces us to stare into the void and be alone, to think about out lives without people. To be transported somewhere new, either for an escape, or to appreciate our surroundings even more.

Either way, Liminal spaces reflect many of the loneliness in the 21st century, experienced by people today. As well as the nostalgia for a time far past, and far gone. For a full gallery of Liminal Space images, see the Liminal Space Gallery. And feel free to use any of the images here for your own use.