“The city, however, does not tell its past, but contains it like the lines of a hand, written in the corners of the streets, the gratings of the windows, the banisters of the steps, the antennae of the lighting rods, the poles of the flags, every segment marked in turn with scratches, indentations, scrolls.”
Calvino, I. (1997). Invisible Cities (New Ed.). Vintage Classics.
A brief thought on field notes
The field notes here posted are non-specific in theme they are impressions and notions felt while on the dérives, some are just bullet points some are fully structured ideas. The themes of the notes range from the psycho-geography of the visited areas, architecture, food to anything else that was seen or heard. The dérives can be very sensorially charged, I find it that keeping a log book will aid me at making some sense of what was experienced.
What was written
•Colonial: old world longing, new world crafting and aesthetic.
I do acknowledge that the concept of Old world/New world is cultural colonialism in itself. I make use of it for a lack of a better concept on my part.
•The Duxton Plain complex is a perfect example of the urban capsule-vessel. Many subjectivities in one place. I wonder what type living (in the sense of home/space/self) does this create.
•In the immense high rising dwellings there isn’t much room for individuality to be shown yet the intrinsic human need to do so prevails. In Tanjong Pagar Plaza it is shown through its windows, either by the design of the gratings or the print and colour of their drapery. I feel that this is not endemic of Singapore.
•Ann Siang Hill and its surrounding winding lanes; up and down the hill they go each lined with peddlers of sophistication.
•As I walk through the market, I’m not amazed by its structure or how things are arranged and sold. What is unbelievable are the similarities to other places I’ve been in. I feel that this is the true globalising unity (not branded experiences) but this market and other markets elsewhere; there is more parities to us than disparities.
•Recycling, like in so many other places gets done for economic reasons rather than environmental ones. If it gets done whatever the motive it is a good thing.
•Saw a very minute and delicate looking woman in the People’s Park but she could eat chicken and gulp beer like there was no tomorrow, she was remarkable.
Project sponsored by FONCA (National Fund for Culture & Arts)-CONACYT (National Science and Technology Council). Mexico
The map images used for this work are from © OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA. http://www.openstreetmap.org/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/.
