The Bridge

My work is all about mending after an emotional trauma an this week I have pushed it to the limit. I went back to the bridge where my husband ended his life and our dreams. I took my camera hoping to find something normal but usable as a design motive for my garment. A design that would tell some of my story but only for those who wanted to see it. But during my very emotional drive, I knew I had already decided what I was going to do - I had to find Carl's map that he had left on the day he died - the map that showed where he would be. But I didn't know which route he had taken:  this was easier to question than the why and how and  is symbolic of all the processing that occurs after suicide.

Inspired by a wonderful book called 'The Map as Art' (Harmon, 2009) I began to realise how I could make my idea work - I will pare down the routes - just a few lines will question the journey and what happened next. 

Guillermo Kuitica is an Argentinian artist whose work makes people visibly absent from his drawings and paintings. But are they visibly present? - The maps, diagrams and objects suggest  human activity as if time has momentarily been suspended until someone arrives and imparts meaning to the space.  The maps can be made of painted bones or barbed wire - death and danger characterise the journeys.

Guillermo Kuitca

Jonathon Parsons dissects maps - all but the selected routes  are removed as he finds intriguing visual elements. Here a deconstructed 1991 intercity rail map is dissected from a sheet of metal and presented as a sculpture.

Jonathon Parsons

Jessica Rankin explores the landscape of her mind in a series of mental maps, embroidered text and fragments from an array of mapping documents. Organdy  canvases hang away from the wall to suggest 'dream'

Jessica Rankin

Nothing else will be needed - the lines will  show the struggle that happens after suicide - they will symbolise the  numerous questions that will never be answered. But also they will show that mending can happen: the scorched lines of the routes will be repaired with a beautiful embroidery thread. I will use my paper nightgown as the canvas and add light to strengthen the processing of thoughts and emotions during the night.