Required Reading and References
Georges Perec, ‘The Street’, ‘The Neighbourhood’
and ‘The Town’ from Species of Spaces and Other
Places, 1974
Agnès Varda, The Gleaners and I, 2000
For my site observation, I chose a location just beyond my window—impossible to ignore. Every morning, I was woken by a disharmony of sounds: the hum of drills, scattered conversations, and the laughter exchanged between the scaffolding crew working on the balcony of my neighbour’s yard.
Over the course of three weeks, I observed this site in various ways. I began by photographing both small and large details, often watching the workers at their tasks. I also began drawing in my notebook as well as constructed a metallic model, this forced me to look closely at details I would have never previously noticed. As an observer, I intentionally kept my distance, refraining from interacting with them, instead watching and capturing moments through the small crack in my curtain. I found that Georges Perec’s investigation of ‘The Street,’ ‘The Neighbourhood,’ and ‘The Town’ from Species of Spaces and Other Places, was similar in his process. His words of motivation to himself in his notes were “Carry on, Until the scene becomes improbable” (Georges Perec and Sturrock, 1997). I find that these words accurately represent my method of investigation as I continuously wanted to drop my site and find an alternative, more interesting one, however I pushed through and found excitement within my site, as new knowledge was formed. I was quite inspired by Perec’s vigorous method of responding to the sites through written word and I would be interested in using this method in future.
Despite my hidden position, I grew to enjoy their unknowing company and grew particularly interested in the male identity and the interactions between them. I even picked up their names: George, the ringleader; Ricky, in charge of the planks; and Jamie, who seemed to be the newest, often bossed around. Other members included Alfie, Bertie, Guy, and Mark. I found “The Gleaners and I”, directed by Agnès Varda to share similarities to my investigation through observing human resourcefulness, which both gleaners and scaffolders do, in one way or another. I found that even the title of the film, “The Gleaners and I” incorporates the idea of “I” which, I did throughout my investigation – though I did not actively interact with the men through talking to them as Varda did, I made my position, as a silent observer, clear through the exploration of their overheard, unfiltered conversations. I was inspired by Varda’s interviews, and I think, in future, I would explore interviewing people as a means of understanding a place.
Georges Perec and Sturrock, J. (1997). Species of spaces and other pieces : Georges Perec. London: Penguin.