The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines “displace” as “to remove from the usual or proper place.” It is interesting that in our discussions of place, we have not encountered this word (or so I believe), which is heavily connected with place or rather the absence of a specific place. The Francis Bacon exhibit at the Hugh Lane Museum got me thinking about the concepts of displacement; his art studio abstracted from its original place to inside the exhibit hall. The Hugh Lane Museum website states that archaeologists “mapp[ed] out the spaces and locations of the objects.” The phrase, “mapping out spaces,” stood out to me. How can one map out spaces? When does displacement occur? How do concepts of place change when a place is literally displaced into another place?

As tourists and travelers, we have been “mapping out spaces,” finding routes on the bus system, following Google Maps (or our free fold up maps), and asking locals for suggestions. In these moments, we have not applied value or meaning to the space, but we contemplate the possibility of applying meaning and value; thus, we “map” the space and measure the spatial relations between ourselves and the concepts of place. Can we apply meaning to this space? Think of all the spaces that we have passed on our walks through Dublin–the spaces that go unnoticed or ignored. We consciously and unconsciously choose to map our spatial surroundings so that we can apply meaning and value– we can find place in the displaced space.