MAPPING THE LIMINAL

In 2024, I am working as a Visiting Artist with the Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois to complete the first formalized community engagement project as part of Mapping the Liminal.

Cemeteries, often overlooked as mere repositories of the deceased, are profound landscapes rich in historical, cultural, and emotional significance. This is particularly true at Graceland Cemetery, also an arboretum. Cemeteries serve not only as resting places for the departed but also as sanctuaries for contemplation, remembrance, and connection to the past. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in understanding how visitors interact with these spaces, seeking to unveil the nuanced patterns and dynamics that shape their experiences.

Drawing upon interdisciplinary insights from fields such as geography, sociology, anthropology, and visual arts, this project seeks to transcend conventional perceptions of cemeteries as static entities, viewing them instead as dynamic spaces that evolve through the interactions of visitors. Through the lens of GIS, it’s possible to capture the spatial behaviors, movement patterns, and navigational preferences of visitors, unveiling the hidden narratives that unfold amidst the gravestones, trees, and pathways.

Central to the exploration is the recognition that cemeteries serve diverse functions for different individuals, ranging from sites of mourning and introspection to avenues for historical inquiry and environmental engagement. By examining the convergence of these varied experiences it’s possible to uncover the common threads that unite visitors in their experience of this liminal spaces, bridging the gap between the physical and the metaphysical realms.

Ultimately, this study not only seeks to deepen the understanding of visitor experiences in cemeteries but also holds implications for urban planning, conservation, and the broader discourse on death and commemoration in contemporary society. Through a synthesis of empirical data and spatial analysis, the project endeavors to illuminate the profound significance of cemeteries as repositories of memory, identity, and collective history.

The project provides visitors with a map to mark their path through the cemetery and ask them to identify 10-15 objects of one theme. These could include the same name, grave style, tree type, coyote sighting, date, etc. The paths and objects will be collected into a map created in ARC-GIS to identify shared experiences. The collected data would be anonymous. All maps would be provided (8.5x11 fsc paper, composted after scanned) along with a golf pencil. Myself or one of my research team (I have funding for three interns) will be on site during collection and ensure no items are discarded in the cemetery at the end of each day. The initial collection would occur over seven consecutive days with the potential for expanded future study with additional funding support if desired. 

The outcome of the project, a visually dynamic map (of all identified moments) and paper would be presented in a public presentation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Graceland Cemetery (if desired). Additionally, all research materials, final map (static and in ARC-GIS), and paper will be provided to Graceland Cemetery to share as desired.

This project meets the federal human subject research standards of approval from the School of the Art Institute Institutional Review Board.