Site Generic; Blue Plaques, a very personal heritage

I decided to undertake this task as I was interested in how a Site can be viewed in different ways via individuals. I find this interesting as I believe that a places perception for individuals is changed due to the memories in which a Space can hold, looking at the archaeology of a Space on an individual scale or in Mike Pearson’s words “the ghosts and hosts” of a specific site. As a result of this intrigue the aim within this task was for me to draw upon my own memories and experiences of Chichester (Where all my tasks will be based) and create a reflective journey through blue plaques highlighting specific points (of my own experiences) in which the tour will take audience members. 

Firstly I began by taking a walk around Chichester on my own, thinking back to my time spent in this site and what prominent memories stick out to me that defines in essence “my Chichester”. Whilst undertaking my walk I marked specific points in the geography of the town where these certain occurrences took place and marked them down upon a map. Once I had finished my trip down memory lane I looked at all the Spaces in which I had marked with a memory and made a route or tour in which audience members could follow. Leading on from this I then printed off 15 blue plaques that contained a caption relating to the memories of the places I had marked, Following the map I had previously made I followed the route of my memories and stuck up the blue plaques in the relevant places giving the participants of this tour visual stimulus relating to memories of Chichester.

Before I began this task I assumed that the task would be solely about me, my memories and my perception of Chichester but as the task progressed I began to look at the bigger picture of what the task could achieve. I realised that the task was more about not only my personal journey but also the journey I am taking others upon using my past as the stimulus of the piece. I also believe that in doing this task I have allowed insight to what Chichester as a site holds personally for me, therefore highlighting that a sites perception is individual and that it would be wrong to assume everyone is seeing a site in the same way. This would therefore mean that the site's in which I have chosen to do this are Spaces according to Nick Kaye who describes Spaces as "an area subject to transformation" as I have transformed them in some way whereas if they were places i would not be able to do so as Kaye suggests they are "exclusive and self regulating".

To progress this task even further I would encase more stop points  along the way of my tour, creating more of a picture for the individual as to what I see within Chichester as a site on a personal level. As well as this I feel that more visual stimulus could be given to the participants for example Stop five on my tour states “I came to the realisation I was not getting cigarettes” for this I would then place a cigarette with the sign to increase visual stimulation. As well as this to transform the task into a more responsive one I could highlight surrondings of the space that I have placed my plaques on or near in order for the sign then to be more responsive to that particular Space rather than a generic one.