Liminal space : Dreamcore

Explosive space is the term used to describe the transitional space between two locations or two stages of life, the period between the past and the future. It can manifest physically, like an empty school hallway, an abandoned mall, a late-night gas station, or emotionally, such as during a breakup. When moving to a new place or starting a new job, the concept of levanospace gained attention on May 12, 2019, with its initial mention on a forum. The video by BackRooms delves into the idea of personal space, focusing on physical space. The Space Drive alliance was popularized in 2019, though it has been present in historical scenes, artwork, and movies for some time. These spaces, known as leinals, often evoke feelings of isolation and unease, particularly when they seem endless and maze-like. While spaces like hallways, roads, and buildings may not be inherently frightening, the idea of being trapped in them indefinitely can be disconcerting. Leinalspaces often evoke a sense of eeriness and nostalgia, with familiar yet unsettling characteristics. The aesthetic of these spaces shares similarities with the after-hours genre, eliciting emotions of loneliness and reflection. While after-hours aesthetics offer a sense of calm, leinalspaces create a whimsical atmosphere with dreamlike elements. Stairs and elevators, acting as transitional spaces, can evoke unease when empty, especially at night. Art galleries, designed to mimic living spaces, can feel eerie when devoid of people. Large empty spaces, like hallways, can shift from normal to unsettling, particularly at night. Spaces unfamiliar to us, like hotels or foreign locations, can amplify feelings of strangeness and discomfort. Schools and parking lots can also take on a surreal quality when devoid of their usual activity.In Internet aesthetics, liminal spaces are empty or abandoned places that appear eerie, forlorn, and often surreal. Liminal spaces are commonly places of transition, pertaining to the concept of liminality.

Research from the Journal of Environmental Psychology has indicated that liminal spaces may appear eerie or strange because they fall into an uncanny valley of architecture and physical places.[1] An article from Pulse: The Journal of Science and Culture has attributed this eeriness to familiar places lacking their usually observed context

On May 12, 2019, an anonymous 4chan user on the site's /x/ paranormal board called for posts of "disquieting images that just feel 'off'". The images posted gave rise to what is today popularly known as liminal space; however, while 4chan might've catapulted liminal spaces into the mainstream, the film The Shining (1980), and its depiction of an empty and sprawling hotel, has been identified as one of the main inspirations for a lot of modern-day media pertaining to liminal spaces.

Despite this, however, possibly the best-known and earliest example of the liminal space as an Internet sub-culture is The Backrooms; an entry into the pantheon of creepypasta that is described as "what you see when you no-clip out of reality". The Backrooms has been adapted into a variety of media, but has been a particularly popular topic in the realm of video games, where no less than 5 games are based on the concept. In videos on YouTube discussing liminal spaces, The Backrooms are a popular point of reference to use when describing the aesthetic as a whole. Subsequent expansions of the Backrooms' lore haven't been received without criticism, however, as many feel the adoption of more traditional horror elements draws away from its uniqueness as a barren liminal space.

Liminal Space aesthetics revolve around pictures of transitional areas devoid of life, such as malls in the early morning, empty parking lots or a school hallway during summer. The appeal of liminal spaces is often assigned to their frozen and slightly unsettling appearance, but also the indefinite sense of familiarity they evoke. The depicted spaces often include late 20th and early 21th century architecture and furniture, linoleum tilings, ceiling tiles and cool-toned fluorescent lighting that creates a detached, unwelcoming and cold feeling, but the aesthetic has evolved to adapt to a multitude of settings and media formats