Drifting through Cityscapes Drifting through Cityscapes MTL final copy | Page 115

A
s it was later discovered, most Belgrade groups got their best
ideas at coffee shops. Coincidentally, we went to one right
upon our first meeting, where we got to know one another
better and talk about our possibilities and potential themes.
The idea of building a house was born at that moment.
While looking though the map, we decided to also give our
project another layer by writing down the word »HOME« using our foot-
steps – by wandering around the streets of Belgrade’s core itself – the Stari
Grad borough, and, in those streets, map whatever we found compelling.
We embarked on a journey of drifting through Belgrade right away, while
simultaneously paying attention to what catches our eye first. Our spec-
ulations were confirmed as it was indeed mostly windows, balconies etc.
that attracted our attention and it was as if we’d hit a jackpot. We photo-
graphed whatever window or door we found interesting and finished day
one with over 70 photos. After a while we noticed that a hint of life – plants
on the balcony, a cat sitting on a parapet – gave our findings a unique
note. From that point on, we’d searched exclusively for life behind the
walls and were very happy to include people in our material. And it was
as if these people invited us to try and learn more about their lives, and, of
course, because we didn’t want to invade their space, we started coming
up with their stories ourselves. In a way, by building a new house for them,
we also connected them and made them a family. We found uninten-
tional similarities and intriguing differences between some photos – two
windows of a similar architectural style but one of them is broken, ladies
looking out from the same window side but one of them seems welcoming
and the other gives off quite an eerie vibe. Some photos exude mysteries
and others memories, there are places that can symbolize love and plac-
es that symbolize emptiness. Through our little project, we united these
spaces into a whole, and we united many people’s experiences and
made them friends and neighbors. It’s almost as if our project gave itself
a final meaning. By adding the roof and finishing our house we created a
symbol of unity. These people and places might not at all be connected,
but we gave them a connection and made the places into a home and
the people (and animals) into a family. And by giving them all a story, we
gave them our own meaning and let them impact our lives without them
ever being aware of that. However, right now, we didn’t want our story to
infringe on others’ experiences and stories they might create. That’s why
we created an invitation through the description of each Instagram photo
that ultimately reads: And by »our« we don’t mean just the three of us, this
home is for everyone who wants to be a part of it. That’s why its story is
left open for now. Further on, we talked about the term »home« itself and
what it actually is. This is what was created from that discussion: Home,
what is home? Neither a place where you were born nor a place where
you stayed a little while. Home is not just a place, but has one in your heart.