During Thursday’s class we visited Testing Grounds, which is an outdoor art space in the city surrounding by and in the middle of the arts precinct. During this class we were able to learn a little about the history of the grounds and the surroundings. We were also given some insight into how the space is used.
What really grabbed by interest from this visit was what I discovered in our free time exploring the grounds. From afar and for people who don’t already know what the space is used for, this place looks like a closed beer garden or a veggie patch. Its not until you enter and look closer that you see the small banners that describe the current and past artworks that have shaped this landscape.
This raises the question as to what makes a space a place or a non place. After visiting Testing Grounds it made me believe that it is the past and current experiences that make a space a place.
But what if the space had past experiences but is no longer being used.
Is the space still a place?
Could it be the people that occupy the space that make it a place?
Or the lack of people that occupy a space?