Final Project Ideation

Mapping intimate spaces...

First we have to ask what is "intimate"? Is it a personal space that is yours alone? Can it be a public space that you have made your own? How do we as individuals define intimacy?

Let's take a look at the meaning of the word....

²intimate

adjective in·ti·mate \ˈin-tə-mət\

: having a very close relationship : very warm and friendly

: very personal or private

: involving sex or sexual relations

Full Definition of INTIMATE

1

a :  intrinsic, essential

b :  belonging to or characterizing one's deepest nature

2

:  marked by very close association, contact, or familiarity <intimateknowledge of the law>

3

a :  marked by a warm friendship developing through long association<intimate friends>

b :  suggesting informal warmth or privacy <intimate clubs>

4

:  of a very personal or private nature <intimate secrets>

Given the nature of the word, this assignment could take any direction.

My first thought was to map my fridge. It's a space in my home that no one considers other than myself (because I can never find space for food since it's often filled with beer). It's a place that people stick things in, often never to think of them again. (I end up clearing out the fridge because no one else can be bothered to throw out their leftovers.. We often have things sitting in there for months that should be long gone.)

I went home from class and started creating my strategy for this project. I spent a good hour inventorying the freezer (which is the emptiest part).... and photographing the freezer.

I was using the Out of Milk app in hopes to speed up the process, but it was still slow going. I was scanning the barcodes but not every item can be scanned.

I moved on to the fridge, but after an hour with the door alone, I started to reconsider the project. I've been taking photos of the fridge and freezer 2x a day since Wednesday, but I am not feeling a connection with the project on the whole.

I went on a walk today with my dog and she was limping along. It was the slowest walk ever, as she hobbled along and decided to lay on the ground. As I was looking at the ground trying to get her up, I started to notice the plants that take hold in the smallest nooks with the tiniest amounts of dirt possible.

I am going to create a map of my block using google earth and mark the spots where I find plants growing. I will then use Illustrator to create an illustrated map of my block's botany.

I don't try to hide the fact I don't like San Francisco. There isn't really much that makes me appreciate the city. But sometimes when I slow down and notice the little things like flowers blooming in the squalor, it makes it a bit more bearable.