Today's lecture was a continuation from last weeks. We continued to discuss the idea of 'space and the everyday', and how in order to become a successful illustrator, you have to be able to question the ordinary. The digital space of the internet allows people like us, to share our work instantly all over the world, with one simple click - and this space is a totally different type of 'space' that we normally associate with.
After we were taken out on a walk (a walk in the spatial), and discovered elements of the city that showed us aspects of time. We talked about how every city is a palimpsest, as they show traces of history in the physical structures. These are normally intertwined with buildings and new developments that are modern in comparison, but as a collection present a space in which time is evident and history is layered.
Palimpsest is "something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form" [1], and a prime example of this is vellum, in which previous writings are scraped off the 'paper' in order to write over the top - however the traces of previous text can still be seen underneath.
On our walk we came across paving stones which were made from limestone, which were pitted in effort to make them less slippery. We also found the same stones that were used to decorate the exterior of church windows - which is now used as a lecture hall, instead of a place of worship. We also found buildings on the campus of Plymouth University which were made of prehistoric stone - in which if you look closely you can see fossilised oysters and ammonites. This material was also used to make the flooring inside too.
The pitted paving stones
The prehistoric stone
All of these examples presented the idea on how time can be found on the spaces that we see everyday. Most people who walked the same path as we did will never stop to notice these hidden details which indicate past history. However it is only until you look in the opposite direction as everyone else, you will discover these treasures that give an entire space a new meaning and reason for appreciation.
My response
In response to the theme of the lecture, I decided to look through the photos I have on my phone to see whether any of them showcase beauty in the ordinary, or examples when I have noticed something extraordinary:
Its hard to see as the photo is blurry, but this was taken on New Years Eve this year. It's of a table at my friend's restaurant and I had noticed an ammonite in the stone, just like the ones we discovered on our walk. I asked my friend whether she had noticed it before, but she said that she hadn't - this is a perfect example of discovering everyday things by being observant and curious!
This photo looks like it was taken by a mistake, but actually it was quickly snapped from the bus window as I had spotted something quite beautiful:
It was a single perfect yellow leaf. Although mundane and ordinary for some, it is another example of finding something beautiful in the everyday. Most people would have never noticed it, but I personally felt the need to take a photo to document the moment.
This last one was taken during the first week at PCA. Many of us found the collection of chalk dust quite fascinating and all took photos of it. It could be argued that this is too a kind of palimpsest, as the layering of chalk represents the layers of messages written on the board above.
[1] Oxford Dictionaries (2017). [online]. Definition of palimpsest in English. Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/palimpsest [Accessed on 24th January 2017]
[2] Vellum & Palimpsest: Wikipedia (2017). [online]. Palimpsest. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palimpsest [Accessed on 24th January 2017]
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