Art420 - Land + Deep-mapping

Notes:

• Discussing Arcadia video: Overwhelming, lots of imagery.

• Immersing yourself in a location/s.

• Sensory interactions to the land.

• Immersing yourself in a location/s 

• Sensory interactions to the land 

Deep Mapping 

(Previous use of DeepMapping)

• https://katieiwatk.wixsite.com/mylittleartblog/post/deep-mapping-and-art

 TASK: Group discussion how to deep map a location 

Maps 

Mark rubbing 

Music 

Mood

Sound 

Human or natural 

Cars and shit ✨

Brightness 

Smells. 

Diary, video 

Sight. 

TASK: Use any method that inspires you to create a map of a place you know well 

First method/ Layer 1:

. 

To retain confidentiality, I will not be posting the base image. I used an illustrated map of my home town that was published online by the local town council, used typically as a tourist guide. This location is personal as it’s where I lived for 19 years, collecting many memories. Between all the changes and experiences during these years, I returned to the same town, to the same town, to the same people. This piece marks the beginning of self reflection on ‘home’. This base aided later layers by allowing me to accurately trace the roads and plot locations. 

Second method/ Layer 2:

The next layers consist of tracing paper overlays, secured to the table with bluetack to maintain alignment and stability. For this layer I thought about what I call places around my hometown, specifically what I’d call them in casual conversation with friends and family. In a sense, reminiscing on personal experience and connection to this place. It was these initial plots that led to my ideas for the next layers, how these places are all connected..

Layer 3:

Using another tracing paper overlay, I used multiple colours to connect my home to these previously frequented locations via walking routes. Exploring old habits and routines, thinking about how these have changed whilst growing up. Travelling further and further to places of education, visiting my family home less often, getting familiar with a new ‘home’. Overall, questioning the idea of ‘what is home?’.

Layer 4:

Similar to the previous, I’ve mapped out driving routes around the town, and out of it. Trying to connect the time spent in this town to the journeys taken away from it. These routes are quick as the town is small, but some lines drawn end with the map's limitations. Limiting this deep-map to my home town whilst the ideas are being stretched further. 

The display:

To present this piece for group discussion, I removed the printed out map. Connecting the traced layers by folding the top side over itself and connecting it with bulldog clips. This allowed the pages to be easily flipped, showing progressively more detail whilst limiting the context. Without the knowledge of the location this piece begins to create a story. With places labelled as home and ‘first’s, it almost invites the audience to look back to their own home town memories. Showing how places mean different things to everyone, and how we all have different memorable experiences attached to known places.