DISCUSSION _
From the final evaluation of the collected data one can ascertain that there is a collective memory, shared by the former miners. This creates repetitive information, in this case, about sounds, connected to the actual environment of the mine. It is a constant narrative that goes from above ground to below, generating some disturbing sensations of being closed in, surrounded by loud noises, with nothing much else to do but work and wait until the dust or gas had cleared, as witnessed during the talks.
During the fieldwork, visits were made to archives and books and brochures were studied to better understand the historical context. These historical records helped to gather official information about the mining period and how the area had been developed. They also provided an idea of what is considered the ‘real’ mine environment and allowed a comparison of this idea with the former miners’ memories. This phase was important in order to connect this data to the stories of former miners. At the same time the conversations proved that official archives, books, etc. can fall short in providing certain specific and interesting details, especially when related to sound and spatial experience.
It is interesting to note little incompatibilities in the information provided between one talk and another, probably generated by detachment from the site, over time. The talks provoked so called virtual spaces, in which memory is revealed as an individual enclosure for sensations. While describing these it was clear how interviewees had specific, but different perceptions of the same mine site. Through this documenting of the memory of sound, the place was afforded imaginative and sensitive attributes that would have never found their way into traditional archives.
As the miners explained, sound memory is particularly intense because of the lack of visibility underground. Often they could only see each other when they were standing side by side. The dust also created a very disturbing environment while working underground for six to eight hours at a time and, at certain places, the only sense they could use was their hearing.
Most of them mentioned that they got used to the noise in the mine, and hence they initially felt they would have trouble recalling specific sounds. Yet, in practice they could talk about the details of sounds, suggesting that although they felt as if they had forgotten, they could still remember when placed in the context of a talk about sounds, memories and the mines. In this sense it seems that they were unaware of the sound memories they still had.
The mix of nationalities also contributed to the diversity of attributes. In the mine they practiced their personal habits and connected to their roots, and these moments produced sounds only captured by them.
The process of evaluation demonstrated how the former miners are attached to their professional past. The talks revealed Winterslag as some kind of home, an intimate space, shared with the same people over many years. Their relatives lived under the mine rules, meaning that the main source of activities was the mine itself.
The evaluation also proved to be an effective tool for a process of artistic development. In other words, the results of the fieldwork, taken from the talks, produced material that enabled deep comprehension of the mine site and the relations with its users. The oral procedure used here to collect data proved powerful, particularly because part of the information was extremely subjective and personal.
The information collected can furthermore contribute to the knowledge of how to produce sounds, for instance, the amount, mixture and volume of sounds, or even which sound is important or constant. Tools to understand the connection between people and space can also be extracted from the results. When experiencing the work, one can feel the power of the place for its users. It is impressive how the no-more existent space is still part of people's lives and how talking about sound has helped them to communicate the feelings for this space.
The sound in the artwork needed to be produced in a way to give the area the importance it has for those inhabitants. In other words, the comprehension of the intrinsic relation of the former miners and the mine’s past needed to guide the artwork, in such a way that it could be used as tool to magnify the space, bringing the mine’s memory alive.