Out of desire to fully experience my surroundings, I decided to practice my attention span on a single 4x4 meter spot in a remote forest in Finland in September 2023. I went at different times of the day, hoping to become familiar with the essence of this place, to let the environment come to me. I wanted to explore the impact that these repeated visits had on my sense of presence and wanted to learn whether my relationship with the place would evolve. I captured my experience through both photography and writing in a diary.
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'What does it mean to truly be somewhere?'
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/7a483937-c2d3-4aa2-92e0-d2fc965484ed/dfdaecd8-28dd-4317-ab7f-788ad8482647_rw_1920.jpg?h=59214acbdb5e6926e1458d74d4376efd)
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"I realize that although I had a willingness to be there, it was overshadowed. Visiting this place had immediately turned into a project for me, one tied to goals, productivity, and expected outcomes."
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/7a483937-c2d3-4aa2-92e0-d2fc965484ed/5f6a4ce3-c6ef-41c2-8233-88ff4483ceca_rw_1920.jpg?h=ea70ff513d9cfcfd58b07dd10ae552c8)
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"During my final days in Finland, going to my spot became a daily routine. I desired to be there, like a reunion with a beloved friend. I started letting go of the pressure to achieve specific goals. I realized that, although my plan didn’t exactly unfold as I had hoped, there was a connection between me and the space. We had grown familiar with each other. We tuned in."
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/7a483937-c2d3-4aa2-92e0-d2fc965484ed/ca8e115a-9989-49e0-a31e-875ffdf5249e_rw_1920.jpg?h=19aae54c648b26ed4082aaf98f4a32ce)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/7a483937-c2d3-4aa2-92e0-d2fc965484ed/b2e36c18-99a3-4fb1-a5ac-a3270efb99a9_rw_1920.jpg?h=032e2f2dc2ace92e1898c0b802da7bb8)
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