Bodily archives: Exploring memories of experience in Walmer Yard through portraits of the body in space

In this paper I will explore the process of returning to Walmer Yard and capturing photographs of myself in key spaces which held memories for me particular to my role as Keeper. As Keeper of Walmer Yard, the four houses were my collection and it was my responsibility to care for them, whether this be by cleaning and maintaining them, or through ensuring their legacy through public programming, tours and events. However, at times this role took a particular toll on my body and mind, and many of my memories of the space are tied up in difficult moments. These moments and memories are ephemeral. They do not leave visible traces and they resist permanence. They are not part of the architect’s narrative of the building. These ephemeral moments are historically difficult to store in a traditional archive based on written or drawn materials or conventional modes of representation. The idea of the body as an archive challenges this idea of ephemerality. The body has the capacity to store and to transmit knowledge allowing an experience to survive through time.  By re-placing my body in these spaces I was re-enacting or re-visiting specific moments in time within my own experiences of Walmer Yard. My body creates the archive and acts as a medium for memory. The photographs serve as a talisman for my memories of the place.