“Space is practiced Place.” This four words’ sentence is the main idea in Michel de Certeau’s. Spatial Stories. Michel gives the “space” and “place” a counter-intuitive definition: place means the objective, physical place, while space is related with subjective memories and emotions. Thus, “Space is practiced Place” actually means that, only when an objective place is used by human, it would become part of the subjective experience and memory.
Michel elaborates this opinion by making an analogy with map and tour. A map is only shows certain objects’ location – it only shows the place, not the space. However, when we tour around the locations on map, the places are related with memories and perhaps emotions. As a result, it becomes a subjective element, which is the space. I can’t agree more with this opinion. A physical place is practiced and related to experience only when it is practiced. And it is our emotion that gives it a new meaning and turns it into a memory.
We can also make an analogy that the “place” is the picture of HKU on website, and the “space” is the photo of HKU campus taken by me. Although the picture on HKU’s website is more beautiful and more detailed, it is difficult to have an echo between it and me, because I have no memories about this picture. However, I would remember where did I go and what did I do when I see the picture taken by myself. It has already become the “space.”
CCHU9034
Wuyang Du
u3583012
Mar 31, 2021
You summed up De Certeau’s points on space and place quite precisely. However, I would suggest that more than just a place that is used by a human, De Certeau saw space as a narrative as well. Hence the relationship to experience and memories. Also, it might be more productive to see how narratives give meaning to space rather than mere emotion or melancholy. With different narrative, emotions could be perceived differently as well. As a side note, especially in academic writing, authors are usually referred to by their last names instead of first names.