The Treks
Even if your whole sensual journey ought to be enlighting, the decision on one of the three treks and thus on your project is the beginning of the most interesting part! Next to the short introduction to the particular trek, you can find more information on the tools you use for these treks.
Have fun deciding which steps to go next!
Trek 1: Sound Trek
The splattering sound of raindrops running down your window, blasting your favourite song in the car or traffic noise outside your window on a Monday morning, sounds seem to follow us everywhere we go. This trek aims to sensitise your ears for the world of sound surrounding you, and to make your ears a tool. Therefore this trek encourages you to explore your immediate environment, as well as urban places through soundwalks and little exercises and to document your findings in your acoustic diary. Following this trek you will learn about the anatomy of the ear, soundscapes, how to perceive sound and how to document it. So if you are into music – whether you have a favourite band or play an instrument – this trek sounds like its perfect for you!
Trek 2: Smell Trek
The smell of fresh coffee in the morning, a sudden scent that reminds you of your childhood or the unpleasant smell of the garbage bin, although we cannot see them, smells seem to be always present. The goal of this trek is to sensitize you for the volatile world of smell and to teach you how to document it nevertheless. Therefore you will be exploring different smellscapes surrounding you, through little exercises and smellwalks, where you will write down your findings in your smell diary. Following this trek you will gain knowledge on the anatomy of the nose, different connotations of smell and their cultural meaning, as well as the evolutionary importance of this sense. If you ever wondered why certain smells trigger certain memories, or how we differentiate between different scents, this might just be the right trek for you!
Trek 3: Visual Trek
When you are watching your favourite netflix show, the photoalbum with all of your childhood memories, scrolling through your instagram feed, but also when navigating through your neigborhood – you are confronted with different visuals on a daily basis. This trek aims to teach you about visual perception and the the role of visual media in cultural research. Following this trek you will learn about theoretical and analytical frameworks, about visual storytelling through photography, how to create layouts and the meaning and knowledge visuals convey. Therefore you will document the sensory experiences you collect through little exercises and perception walks through urban areas, in your diary. If you ever wanted to learn how to tell a story images, or how to advance your photography skills using your smartphone, it looks like this trek is the one for you!
Joint module organized by University of Bremen and University of Eastern Finland for Yufe
