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Preliminary Explorations
from Emma Lau: Thesis Appendix
by Emma Lau
My research positions archaeological objects as found/excavated objects or material that act as sitefor the production of meaning, either by a figure of authority (professional or institution) or by each individual that confronts these objects, through the construction, maintenance and reproduction of identities. The archaeological object’s value is found in its ability to materialise otherwise immaterial concepts that carry significance to us as humans – specifically the identity of self and of place in time.
The (materiality of the?) object does not inherently tie itself to any specific location (esp. mass produced items that are present in all areas of the world). It is the location it was found in that gives it the ability to be the material of construction of identity. What the object represents is the void that was left behind when the object was removed. (or what gives the object its ability to represent is that it was at that place for a period of time).
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How can an object represent a place and/or an identity?
“Dissection of associations in .019 Sophia/wisdom, From the Freud Museum (1991-96), Hiller” Author’s own.
Image: COLLECTION OF THE COAST EXPLORATION SOCIETY, 1978-1988, The Nature Museum (2017) Caption: Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/in-focus/from-the-freud-museum-susan-hiller/from-the-freud-museum/fifty-box-labels
Remote Practices - Emma Lau - 20200818 Archive: (Some) Archaelogical Excavation Sites in Singapore
Dissecting Susan Hiller’s From the Freud Museum (1991-96)
“Dissection of associations .001 Nama-ma/mother, From the Freud Museum (1991-96), Hiller” Author’s own.
Image: COLLECTION OF THE COAST EXPLORATION SOCIETY, 1978-1988, The Nature Museum (2017) Caption: Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/in-focus/from-the-freud-museum-susan-hiller/from-the-freud-museum/fifty-box-labels
Remote Practices - Emma Lau - 20200818 “Dissection of associations in .012 Fatlad/fat lad, From the Freud Museum (1991-96), Hiller” Author’s own.
Image: COLLECTION OF THE COAST EXPLORATION SOCIETY, 1978-1988, The Nature Museum (2017) Caption: Retrieved from https://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/in-focus/from-the-freud-museum-susan-hiller/from-the-freud-museum/fifty-box-labels
Remote Practices - Emma Lau - 20200818
Remote Practices - Emma Lau - 20200818 Archive: Observations of a construction site (2020) “Associations in Susan Hiller’s head for the work of From the Freud Museum (1991-96)” Author’s own. “Associations in Susan Hiller’s head for the work of From the Freud Museum (1991-96)” Selected boxes Author’s own.
.001 Nama-ma/mother .012 Fatlad/fat lad .019 Sophia/wisdom .027 Relequia/relic Selected boxes .028 Interior/in teer’ i or .039 Deora de/God’s tears .001 Nama-ma/mother .012 Fatlad/fat lad .019 Sophia/wisdom .027 Relequia/relic .028 Interior/in teer’ i or .039 Deora de/God’s tears
Fragements composed. Author’s own.
(Fragments, clockwise from top left) Gutta Percha and heritage Nyatoh Puteh in SG Botanic Gardens. Collected specimens of Pear-shaped Cowrie and Lamarck’s Cowrie, and accompanying labels. Image of satellite dishes on Christmas Island (2018) Bathmetry map of Christmas Island Province seamounts Sketch of the section of Christmas island Sketch of sea anemones, from “A history of the British sea-anemones and corals” by Philip Henry Gosse (1858) Cable and Wireless “Via Imperial” map. undated, but post-1935 Damaged 1866 cable, removed 1867.
