Janine Mapurunga

The main theme of Janine’s project is belonging. Her project approaches the theme of belonging by focusing on our connection with place. The goal is to highlight the connection between community members and the trail, humanizing a place that might be seen as abandoned.

The project focuses on the trail itself. By telling the story from the point of view of the trail, she engages with the collective memory of many people rather than a single person’s narrative.

When we are connected with a place we feel that we are a part of it and it is a part of us. The vast majority of community members she engaged with throughout her project expressed that they felt a strong connection to the natural environment of the trail. Others mentioned their connection to the trail’s railroad history. These two elements are part of the collective memory of this place.

The Del Rio Trail is about to undergo a rapid transformation that will forever change this place. As she hiked the trail, she saw the trail as it exists today. It is a mixture of human-made and natural elements. The rails are archaeological relics left from our intervention with the place. Nature has exerted its own effects over the human-made changes to the environment. What we see today is a conversation between those two elements which is in constant flux.

Janine has documented the trail as it is today through images and video. She created images that converse with the collective memories of the people who frequent this place.

When she hiked the trail in April, she noticed quiet moments like grasses dancing in the breeze and bright California poppies springing from heavy iron and aged wood. She imagines the memories of those who frequent this space are filled with beautiful moments like these.

Through a series of post cards of the Del Rio Trail that feature images made prior to its transformation, she has created a visual document of this place before it is forever changed. She has created postcards that feature her images from the trail as mementos that can be enjoyed and shared. They are tangible artifacts that represent the collective experience of connection with the Del Rio Trail.

Besides the series of postcards, she made a video highlighting her process of developing the project which may be viewed here.