2-2
ON/OFF
I am a lover of maps. I believe maps can not only tell us the location of a place and how to arrive there, but can also express how we feel and perceive the geography of the world around us. In order to tune into the world and "make place" within it, we have to be present and observant. Lately I have been relying too heavily on Google Maps. I even look up directions for places I already know how to get to. I have gotten into the habit of using Google Maps every time I leave the house. This prevents me from being present in my surroundings and from engaging with the pathways that I travel.
For my On/Off experiment I decided to go on a two to three hour walk without my phone. I could not use Google Maps or even look at the time, which forced me to notice things I usually would not. My only aid was a series of screen shots of Google Map views covering a 5 mile radius around my apartment. I inked out every identifying landmark (apart from street names) and every subway/bus stop in sharpie. I have always wanted to go to Greenwood Cemetery, but I have not been able to make it there even though it is only two miles from my apartment. I decided to head in the cemetery's direction for my walk.
I initially thought finding my way would be very easy. This turned out to be a foolish and overconfident assumption. I left my apartment at 11:00 AM on the warmest day this week (34 degrees with 20 MPH winds). I was immediately very cold. I had no trouble finding my way to Greenwood Cemetery even though I took an unfamiliar and surprising path to get there. However, once I reached the cemetery, the entrance was closed. I knew there was another entrance not too far away, but because I did not have my phone I could not look up where. It ended up being very difficult to find and I walked for over a mile along the perimeter of the cemetery, which was a windy elevated sidewalk. This took what seemed like forever and I almost gave up. I eventually reached the cemetery and walked inside for about 10 minutes. Despite my discomfort during the walk it was a very beneficial experience. I have not had so much undistracted time to reflect and think in a long while. When I set out, I hoped to walk home, but it was just too cold, I had to take the subway.
As part of my artistic response to the experiment I took notes of what I noticed and made sketches of what I saw. However, because it was so cold and it took me forever to find the entrance to the cemetery, the thoughts became therapeutic, a way for me to release my discomfort and frustration. Once I reached the cemetery, I was so cold and so tired that I could only walk up the first hill I saw and then head home. On the hill, which was covered in headstones from the Revolutionary War, I spoke all of my thoughts, noticings, and complaints aloud in a cathartic release. It became my Thought Graveyard. I decided to turn the map I used to navigate (with retractions) into an experiential map. I replaced the "pins" that were blacked out on the map with my thoughts recorded during my walk. I then turned my notes into a small book that I glued into Greenwood Cemetery on the map. The map reflects both my physical and mental journey from point A back to point A without technology to guide and distract me.
ON/OFF
I am a lover of maps. I believe maps can not only tell us the location of a place and how to arrive there, but can also express how we feel and perceive the geography of the world around us. In order to tune into the world and "make place" within it, we have to be present and observant. Lately I have been relying too heavily on Google Maps. I even look up directions for places I already know how to get to. I have gotten into the habit of using Google Maps every time I leave the house. This prevents me from being present in my surroundings and from engaging with the pathways that I travel.
For my On/Off experiment I decided to go on a two to three hour walk without my phone. I could not use Google Maps or even look at the time, which forced me to notice things I usually would not. My only aid was a series of screen shots of Google Map views covering a 5 mile radius around my apartment. I inked out every identifying landmark (apart from street names) and every subway/bus stop in sharpie. I have always wanted to go to Greenwood Cemetery, but I have not been able to make it there even though it is only two miles from my apartment. I decided to head in the cemetery's direction for my walk.
I initially thought finding my way would be very easy. This turned out to be a foolish and overconfident assumption. I left my apartment at 11:00 AM on the warmest day this week (34 degrees with 20 MPH winds). I was immediately very cold. I had no trouble finding my way to Greenwood Cemetery even though I took an unfamiliar and surprising path to get there. However, once I reached the cemetery, the entrance was closed. I knew there was another entrance not too far away, but because I did not have my phone I could not look up where. It ended up being very difficult to find and I walked for over a mile along the perimeter of the cemetery, which was a windy elevated sidewalk. This took what seemed like forever and I almost gave up. I eventually reached the cemetery and walked inside for about 10 minutes. Despite my discomfort during the walk it was a very beneficial experience. I have not had so much undistracted time to reflect and think in a long while. When I set out, I hoped to walk home, but it was just too cold, I had to take the subway.
As part of my artistic response to the experiment I took notes of what I noticed and made sketches of what I saw. However, because it was so cold and it took me forever to find the entrance to the cemetery, the thoughts became therapeutic, a way for me to release my discomfort and frustration. Once I reached the cemetery, I was so cold and so tired that I could only walk up the first hill I saw and then head home. On the hill, which was covered in headstones from the Revolutionary War, I spoke all of my thoughts, noticings, and complaints aloud in a cathartic release. It became my Thought Graveyard. I decided to turn the map I used to navigate (with retractions) into an experiential map. I replaced the "pins" that were blacked out on the map with my thoughts recorded during my walk. I then turned my notes into a small book that I glued into Greenwood Cemetery on the map. The map reflects both my physical and mental journey from point A back to point A without technology to guide and distract me.
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