Revisiting the same place

Till Bovermann

This practice originates in my ongoing interest in the area of Kilpisjärvi, Finland, which I have been visiting regularly since 2019. Over the course of these visits, I encountered changes in infrastructural as well as natural elements. Recognising and revisiting the same spot after a certain period of time allows me to observe these changes (or the lack thereof) and to reflect on them.

Practice Link to heading

1. Pick a place that you relate to.
2. Find time and resources to revisit it in short intervals, e.g. several times within a week.
3. Your visits should engage with the place in a meaningful way, e.g. by spending time there, taking notes, photos, or recordings.
4. You might notice that, the more you spend time, the more you care about the place and its surroundings.
5. If it is a place that is remote from your everyday life, you might not be able to visit it for a longer period of time. This is fine, too. Actually, it helps you to recognise slow, long-term changes more easily.

Methods Link to heading

• Photography: Take photos of the place from the same perspective.
• Recording: Record sounds of the place at similar times of the day.
• Livecoding: Practice livecoding at and with the place.
• Drawing: Sketch the place and its surroundings.
• Writing: Take notes about your observations and feelings.

Learnings Link to heading

• Observing change: Revisiting the same spot allows to observe changes over time.
• Caring for a place: The more time you spend at a place, the more you care about it and its inhabitants.