Title Archipelagos of Interstitial Ground: A Filmic Investigation of the Thames Gateway’s Edgelands. How Can a Multimodal (Auto)ethnographic Methodology Be Deployed to Shape Geographic Imaginations of The Thames Gate w ay? Type The sis URL https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/13461/ Dat e 2 0 1 7 Citation Robinson, Simon (2017) Archipelagos of Interstitial Ground: A Filmic Investigation of the Thames Gateway’s Edgelands. How Can a Multimodal (Auto)ethnographic Methodology Be Deployed to Shape Geographic Imaginations of The Thames Gateway? PhD thesis, University of the Arts London. Cr e a to rs Robinson, Simon Usage Guidelines Please refer to usage guidelines at http://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/policies.html or alternatively contact [email protected] . License: Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives Unless otherwise stated, copyright owned by the author Archipelagos of Interstitial Ground: A Filmic Investigation of the Thames Gateway’s Edgelands How Can a Multimodal (Auto)ethnographic Methodology Be Deployed to Shape Geographic Imaginations of The Thames Gateway? By Simon Robinson Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of the Arts London London College of Communication September 2017 Dedication This thesis is dedicated to Tilly, my daughter. Without you I would have never managed to complete this. Whenever the research process was getting me down, you reminded me ‘mistakes help you learn’. And to Rebecca, for all the help, support and advice you have given. At times you believed in me, even when I had lost faith. Simon Robinson – September 2017 i ii No plot so narrow, be but Nature there, No waste so vacant, but may well employ Each faculty of sense, and keep the heart. Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1797) Simon Robinson – September 2017 iii iv Declaration This thesis has not been submitted in support of an application for another degree at this or any other university. It is the result of my own work and includes nothing that is the outcome of work done in collaboration except where specifically indicated. Simon Robinson – September 2017 v vi Archipelagos of Interstitial Ground: A Filmic Investigation of the Thames Gateway’s Edgelands Simon Robinson – September 2017 Abstract This thesis explores and documents the development of an adapted ethnographic methodology that is defined through its orientation towards the representation and production of landscape. As a result of this methodology, I document the shift within my practice from a topographic photography tradition to a filmic, ‘more-than-visual’ (Jacobs, 2013: 714) mode of production, in response to ideas of creative ethnography as an immersive methodology. The resulting movement of films forms a ‘landscape ethnography’ (Ogden, 2011) that acts as both survey and auto-biogeography. Informed by the diversity of registers, and voices within landscape ethnography, and contemporary psychogeographic practice, the thesis and films shift tone to reflect this. To clarify, this work will inform a cross-disciplinary reading of place and landscape through an experiential methodology of both ethnographic and auto ethnographic methods. This practice-led body of research investigates the multi-layered interstitial spaces that occur in the areas between infrastructure and planned development known as edgelands in the Thames Gateway. My multimodal creative practice will be informed by existing literature relating to marginal/liminal landscapes in and beyond geography and landscape writing. The written thesis explores the contemporary landscape photography and new nature writing traditions, which I believe to be closely interconnected, through critique and production of new bodies of practice. Through a consideration of my own practice and others, I demonstrate a web of connections: between landscapes; between practitioners past and present; and, significantly, between theory and practice. Through examining both landscape theory and my own experience of an embodied approach to landscape, this research examines not only the potential of lens based practices to act as a portal to read and experience the landscape as a whole, but also the practice and process of making work. Simon Robinson – September 2017 vii These sites will be seen and discussed as interconnected phenomena, stitching together ‘archipelagos of interstitial ground’. This along with the idea of landscape ethnography can then be adopted as a methodology to develop an immersive form of virtual exploration that can utilise developing forms of media dissemination to explore the audiences’ relationship to remote locations. viii Acknowledgements The period of research involved in the production of this thesis has been an incredible learning curve, and has changed me as an artist. At times, it has been frustrating and difficult, with missteps along the journey. I would like to take the time to thank the following people. First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife Rebecca, who has shown incredible faith and support in my research. She has patiently supported me throughout the entire process, from the initial shoots during my undergraduate degree, to acting as my producer during the production of the films. Without her I would have never been able to do this. To my daughter Tilly, for understanding that there were times when I needed to be left alone to write, and times when I just needed a hug. To my parents, Sue and John Robinson, who have been supportive and encouraging throughout. I would also like to thank you for looking after Tilly during the holidays so I could undertake periods of fieldwork. To my Director of Studies, Anne Williams, without whose guidance, patience, and understanding, this thesis would have never reached completion. At times the advice was difficult to hear, but much needed. To Angus Carlyle, you will never know how grateful I am that you joined my supervision team when you did. Your advice has helped me take the leaps I needed. You have shown immense patience with my constantly shifting deadlines, and your comments have at times helped me keep a sense of perspective on the whole process. To Bradley L Garrett, thank you for your advice and friendship. You have helped me through some the geographic ideas that have defined portions of this research. You have always been honest with me, and our lunches have helped pick me up after stressful supervision meetings. Simon Robinson – September 2017 ix Thank you to UAL, and the AHRC, for the funding that has allowed this research to happen. Without it, I would have never been able to devote the time needed to fieldwork. To Paul Halliday, for your initial support of Estuary England, you helped turn an experiment into the focus of my practice. To David Cooper, and Warren Harrison, our conversations have provided constant encouragement. To Aaron Cole, and Dibs McCallum, for assisting me on fieldwork trips and listening to my ideas on car journeys, and in edgeland fast food outlets. And finally to Tom Simmons, who started me off on this research process, and helped me define its initial development. x CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 23 1 WHAT IS LANDSCAPE? ....................................................................................................... 33 1.1 Space, Place, and Landscape ............................................................................................ 33 1.2 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 42 2 A SERIES OF METAPHORS - WHAT ARE EDGELANDS? .............................................. 43 2.1 Discovering Edgelands ..................................................................................................... 44 2.2 The Shift from Rural-Urban, To the Urban Archipelago ................................................. 50 2.3 Land Utilisation Surveys .................................................................................................. 55 2.4 Green Belt and Planning ................................................................................................... 58 2.5 Dormant Land, Or Wildspace ........................................................................................... 61 2.6 Terra Nullius ..................................................................................................................... 64 2.7 Common Ground .............................................................................................................. 67 2.8 Trespass ............................................................................................................................ 70 2.9 Non-Place ......................................................................................................................... 73 2.10 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 77 3 LANDSCAPE AS RUIN – EDGELAND REPRESENTATION ............................................ 79 3.1 ‘Terrain Vague’ ................................................................................................................ 80 3.2 Ruination .......................................................................................................................... 84 Ruin Porn ..........................................................................................................................