(passage out of notebook where for the first time i reflect on my location the Haage bos)
26-09-2021
I just got here and it's 16:30pm. I walked here from KABK ( Royal academy of The Hague ). I came here once before around the same season about two years ago. At the time I've never experienced drastic seasonal changes. I remember asking my friend if more leaves would be falling from the trees.
I had a difficult time choosing a location and I'm still somewhat doubtful about my choice. Mostly because my surroundings in The Netherlands feels so foreign and distant. Therefore choosing a park feels like a safe option. My presence is wanted therefore the first step of crossing the threshol isn't as scary.
The haagse bos is vast and huge in comparison to my scale. But yet the pathways that have been cleared feel like they were laid there for me. The signs telling me where I can't and can enter give a sense of curation and authority, while the benches are inviting. A forrest incapsulated by the city. I don't feel like disturbing the peace.
The women walking her dog, the kids searching for ticks, the old man sitting on a bench, couples taking pictures all of these actions feel extremely performative. 16:43pm
History / Context of location
- There isn't a lot of information to be found on the haagse bos before the 15th century
- The speculation is that the coast line moved back and left sand rigdes from which a lot of trees grew.
- Location where festivals and holiday parties used to be held. These events would often get out of control so they were banned in the 18th century
- A body was found in the haagse bos by a biker. At the moment this is a cold case, the killer has not yet been found
I am lost is a the final work I created about the Haagse bos. The short video elaborates and encompasses the entirety of my personal exprience within the space. I take a retrospective position of both what I experienced in my phyisical surroundings but also the emotional aspect of it. While also experimenting with how to document a memory or in this case the experiences I had within the Haagse bos.
