The Space Between Us – Artist Statement

“The space between us” is the general title of this body of work which is based on a unique theme: the sense of place. The site for investigation is the geography and landscape of Tallinn, Estonia where I undertook a residency in 2012 and returned for the summer in 2013

The project consists of a video installation, a series of photographs and a performance piece.

Through the juxtaposition of multiple landscapes I wish to challenge the audience to question their own relationships with the physical environment which surrounds us and to examine the existence of landscape as a mental and emotional entity.

In this project I have filming all the locations visited with a macro lens and also with an aerial camera to create panorama 360 footage which I will composite together in after effects. I have also taken a photograph every day at a set time – 4pm and also created a series of illustrations to depict my emotional and psychological experiences of the place.

The landscape became quite interesting to me as I was traveling a lot at the time. The geography was also very different to that of my home country in Australia.

The space between us

– between you and me, between one destination and the next

– the distance between lovers, the distances of geography and places I have travelled

– digital media such as skype, email, Facebook makes us feel like we are closer together and provides many outlets for increased communication. It creates the illusion of closeness despite physical distance. However it doesn’t replace human interaction and intimacy.

– how we understand space though time, place, journey and narrative

– fragments of the many experiences of the natural environment brought together in the art object.

Choosing specific locations to walk to as destinations has been a deliberate way to get my bearings in a new landscape.

https://rosestaff.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/maps2.jpg

Site specific location for walking performance in Tallinn, Estonia

18 part performance, 4 hours duration each day

Maps and triangles as symbols of a journey through a landscape

– The triangle presents three points on a landscape, where we have been, where we are now, and where we will go in the future. It exposes the concept of real and imagined distance between locations.

– Maps are a powerful tools of communication which show a point of view or inspire a journey on a particular environment

– As universal instruments the can guide us not only from A to B but provide a unique perspective on the world

– map makers select information and ‘frame’ the space presenting it in scale

– maps display an intricate structure of connections; rivers, roads, boarders and boundaries, features and patterns of the natural built landscape through which we filter our perception and understanding of a place

– There is a long tradition of mapping and the landscape with early historical maps were individual works of art before printing allowed them to be mass produced by mechanical means. In recent times the invention of google maps has made the use of printed maps diminish and has become replaced by screen based maps. In this project I am aiming to use new media to explore extended ways to use screen based maps to depict the landscape.

– the triangle becomes a motif in this piece to depict the link between one destination and the next