Cities like Barcelona have long since struggled with the influx of visitors, many of whom briefly snap shots of the biggest attractions before disappearing again. The same touristic images of such cities show up on hundreds of feeds, creating an image of a place that is generic and reduced to its well-known attractions. But these snapshots are not how locals see their cities. The tension between these different ways of seeing in a territory can easily fall into a dichotomy of those who belong and those who should go home.
But being in and exploring place is not so simple – there is great potential in visiting an unknown territory as a way to open up new ways of seeing and thinking. Furthermore, visiting unfamiliar places is an activity, in this contemporary, connected world, that many people do regularly. So how can we do it better? How can we slow down and really observe that which makes a place unique? How can we move beyond the generic images of a city or a location that are already widely distributed online?
Sharing Places promotes an approach of close observation and multimedia creation with easy-to-use tools in order to exchange experiences about travel and place. The project is developed around principles of close observation, exchange, sustainability, slow travel and creativity.
This was first developed as part of the online residency with MANGO Residencias (Argentina) and L’Expressoir Résidence d’art (France) and it will be further developed during the Donald Horne Creative and Cultural Fellowship at the University of Canberra (Australia).
Video works:
- Undertow (2023)
Screenings & exhibitions
- Marnay-sur-Seine, France, 22 July – 5 August 2023
Claire Rosslyn Wilson 