For this project the key idea was to explore the notion that a place means nothing without emotion. For the last project we as a pair (Lorisa and I) had already explored the Holocaust Centre but we found that the place itself didn’t do the idea of memorial and commemoration justice. It was much more a factual place incorporating dates, numbers and interviews from survivors of the Holocaust rather than memorialising them within the place. So we decided to hang onto our key ideas and explore them deeper finding another place that would in fact commemorate a certain event within a place. Sticking to the theme of WW2 and commemoration we thought what better place to explore than the WW2 Soldiers Cemetery in Springvale. We decide to go somewhat unprepared because we wanted to be in the present there and actually feel the emotion in the space, or what we perceived the emotion as. Turning up there we noticed that there were many elements to the place, different sections of the cemetery were divided based on religion or age, interestingly different sections were cared for in different ways, and expectedly the soldiers cemetery had the most upkeep, and had the most beauty to it. the grounds were covered with flowers giving it a pop of colour, and the grass was green and maintained where as in other parts of the cemetery it was just dirt. The grounds had a peace took it that i didn’t think it would have, and the wind added to this sense of freeness about the place. the place also had lots of religious qualities to it with lots of religious symbolism used when referring to the deceased. Here religion was used to commemorate in this place.  For the last project we used sound and shadowing to really emphasis that emotion that came through he place, this time around i think we focused much more on colour and nature, as well as a lack of sound. when i refer to lack of sound i mean the absence of speech adding to the idea of memorialise where a person is remembered but cant necessarily speak for themselves. In this case the nature in the place spoke instead, the wind in the trees the crows. There was lots of light in the place, as it was set outdoors and we explored the place during the day, this natural light really gave the place a sense of peace and serenity.  the way the place is set up orderly, in sections of plaques acknowledging people in the war that they could not find or that were bot buried in the place, and also a section for the soldiers that are buried there. Its organisation allows people to understand the place and feel different levels if emotion in different areas, i know that in the area where soldiers are physically buried i had a sense of uneasiness knowing that there were bodies there.Upon reflection the place we explored for this project i think completely incorporated the idea of a place that is tied t an emotion, for people who visit this place there is some meaning attached whether it is to visit a deceased family member of like myself learn about tragic parts in human history.

Video: https://vimeo.com/271669870

Assessment 4 part 1: Going to the place

Assessment 4 part 1: Breaking This Down: Sacred Place