Perceiving the Unnoticed

This map and series of images are meant to convey the opposite of that which I normally perceive on a typical walk to class.  I have lived in a house on West Norwich Avenue for the past 2 1/2 years of my life and my walk usually takes me from down the alley onto Lane and meanders through the business college until I reached Knowlton Hall.  This quarter, having class in the Shoe, my walk takes me just a bit further on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  However, despite this subtle change, I did not perceive anything different in my surroundings. 

This assignment first made me think of all the things I typically see and/or have noticed for over the past 2 years.  I originally planned the call these things out in a series of images, highlighting what I most commonly perceive almost everyday of my life.  However, upon further investigation, I noticed a more interesting pattern.  By being forced to stop on my route to take photographs, rather than just walk along with my headphones on listening to the latest Jack's Mannequin or Snow Patrol song, I began to notice things I usually ignore.  Things, such as various signage across campus, that have disappeared into my surroundings over time, day after day.

I started to count the number of signs that I found in the pictures that I had taken, intending to capture something else.  I was astounded by the number of signs I picked out ranging from building labels to parking signs to traffic warnings to dumpster graffiti.  I chose to call out these newly perceived objects in my environment by slightly obscuring my surroundings and highlighting the various signs, pulling them out of obscurity and into focus.


I also just finished applying to graduate schools a couple of days ago.  It's been a rather long process but it feels good finally be done with it.  I'm slowly beginning to upload my work to the web.  A digital copy of my undergraduate portfolio is accessible by clicking on the Issuu link.  I am working on a more extended profile for Archinect as well.