Author: Dingyi Tang

I selected the foxes in Foxham Gardens as the subjects for my research investigation.

My investigation explores how urban space can be reinterpreted through the sensory perception of a non-human species. By tracing the hidden paths, scent routes, and rhythms of foxes in Foxham Gardens, I aim to understand how alternative ways of seeing and moving might challenge human-centered lifestyles.

The final outputs comprise three components: First is the Foxham Gardens Map Guide for Foxes. Second is the data visualization: Where Can I Avoid Contact with Humans at Different Times? Third is the photographic series and documentation: If I Were a Photographer Fox.

I found two reference cases in the course. They resonated with my project through their unique interplay of observation, time, and attention.

i. In The Street, The Neighborhood, and The Town from Species of Spaces and Other Places (1974), Georges Perec invites us to look closely at what usually goes unnoticed. Through patient observation and meticulous description, he transforms the ordinary objects of daily life like cars, gestures, buildings, into realms of discovery. Perec’s perspective gradually widens from the intimate to the urban, revealing how meaning accumulates through focused attention. In my own work, I continually seek the special significance behind the commonplace objects in the garden, unfolding my imagination through the fox’s gaze. Each footprint, every rustle, every path becomes a mark of life, redefining familiar landscapes. Observation itself is both a method and a form of empathy.

ii. Masanao Abe’s The Movement of Clouds around Mount Fuji (1920s–1930s) represents a contrasting but complementary form of observation. One grounded in long-term patience and devotion. Over a decade, Abe photographed the motion of clouds as they drifted around Mount Fuji, producing a slow archive of atmospheric change. His repetitive recording transformed meteorology into meditation. This practice informs my own approach to mapping time and rhythm. The foxes’ movements in Foxham Gardens are equally fleeting yet cyclical, like clouds passing by. By returning to the same locations at different times to document their presence, I seek to capture these ephemeral beings that shape the rhythms of life in Foxham Gardens.

Together, Perec and Abe frame my investigation as both observational and durational. Perec’s attention to the everyday and Abe’s patience toward natural temporality guide my process of documenting the fox’s record.

References:

Bellos, D. (1999) ‘Species of Spaces and Other Pieces by Georges Perec: Translated with an introduction by John Sturrock. London & New York: Penguin Books, 1997. ISBN 014018956’, Translation Review, 57(1), pp. 41–46. doi: 10.1080/07374836.1999.10524083.

Masanao Abe, The Movement of Clouds around Mount Fuji Available at: https://www.spectorbooks.com/book/the-movement-of-clouds-around-mount-fuji (Accessed: 20.11.2025).

During the second week, I made a decision to change my site. However, it was only a few hundred meters away from my original location. I found the initial park too large, making my research difficult. The new site, Foxham Gardens, is smaller and more secluded. it’s also one of the parks I pass on my way home.

The first time I saw the entrance to this park, I was utterly amazed. It was completely covered in trees, with a thick layer of fallen leaves on the ground. It felt like an ecological paradise in North London.

I conducted a detailed investigation of the entrance. It was evident that the foxes were unaware of the iron gate’s purpose; they often opted for alternative entry points, such as the wider gaps between the railings.

Foxes are omnivorous animals, so they feed on both human leftovers and berries found in parks. Therefore, I attempted to survey all locations within the park where they could potentially forage.

From my observations, the foxes here are quite wary of humans, so most of the time I can only observe and record them from a distance of about 20 meters. This means they tend to prefer narrow, shady paths over wide, man-made roads.

As an outcome of this photographic observation, I created Foxham Gardens map guide tailored for different subjects.

I categorized users into cyclists, pedestrians, and foxes.

As an international student, I live near Tufnell Park in Islington. For me, every time I take public transportation to the station, I pass through several parks. Among them, Whitting Park is the largest, so I chose it as my initial site for investigation.

At first, I had no idea where to begin my research. As it happens, photography has always been one of my hobbies, so I picked up my camera and started snapping pictures of interesting things around the park.

Thus, photography became my first method of investigating.

Meanwhile, since I frequent this place, I’ve also conducted mapping research. Nowadays, 3D maps of any location can be easily accessed online. I mapped out a route I often walk.

One noteworthy fact is that I frequently encounter foxes here. This has sparked my keen interest in them. Since this was a week-long project, I took the time to document how many foxes will I meet on my way home and visualized their locations on a map.

So obviously, mapping became my second method of investigating.

I have to say I’m not particularly skilled at drawing. But I wanted to challenge myself with a hand-drawn map, so I created one inspired by the vivid, hand-drawn maps from the early 20th century.

Last but not least, sketching became my final method of investigating.