Performing mimetic mapping: a non-visualisable map of the Suzhou river area of Shanghai

This paper examines a performative approach of the map-making process. We examine the process of mapping the Suzhou River area of Shanghai, through performing routes and everyday activities; in this way we re-experience the place and we gain a better understanding of its qualities. The focus is on the performative process rather than on the material outcome as a final object. We argue that the map is actually the mimetic re- performance of the exploration and experience of the Suzhou River area. Through the description of the processes involved we analyze the position of this particular map within contemporary discourse about mapping. We also question the purpose of the process, its desired outcome, the consciousness of the significance of each event within this procedure, and the possible significance of the final traces that the map will leave behind.