Elena's Journey Through the City

Elena Knows

The route from home to Isabel's address turns Buenos Aires into a series of physical, remembered, and medication-dependent obstacles.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Finding the Direction Finding the Direction from "Elena Knows". Reconstructing an Address Fragments of memory Elena remembers a wooden door, bronze fittings, a small plaza, and a train line, but not the street name.

Finding the Direction from "Elena Knows". Reconstructing an Address Fragments of memory Elena remembers a wooden door, bronze fittings, a small plaza, and a train line, but not the street name.

Reconstructing an Address Fragments of memory Elena remembers a wooden door, bronze fittings, a small plaza, and a train line, but not the street name. She asks drivers to identify the route. A map assembled aloud The drivers supply avenue and station names. Elena repeats them in reverse and forward order, using the route as preparation for a trip she cannot easily make.

The Five Blocks The Five Blocks from "Elena Knows". Reaching the Station A narrowing choice Elena can take the shorter route past the bank or detour to avoid neighbors.

The Five Blocks from "Elena Knows". Reaching the Station A narrowing choice Elena can take the shorter route past the bank or detour to avoid neighbors.

Reaching the Station A narrowing choice Elena can take the shorter route past the bank or detour to avoid neighbors. Her Parkinson's makes the longer route too costly. A brief encounter She meets Roberto and refuses to stop for condolences. Her urgency to catch the train outweighs the discomfort of passing someone connected to Rita.

Constitución Station Constitución Station from "Elena Knows". Crossing the Terminal The crowd Elena is funneled through ticket checks and moving travelers.

Constitución Station from "Elena Knows". Crossing the Terminal The crowd Elena is funneled through ticket checks and moving travelers.

Crossing the Terminal The crowd Elena is funneled through ticket checks and moving travelers. She keeps her handbag close because it contains her medication and the keys she needs to return home. Choosing the taxi Rather than risk becoming immobile in the subway, she chooses a taxi. The decision reflects her awareness that the city's schedules do not match the time measured by pills.

The Driver's Route The Driver's Route from "Elena Knows". Navigation by Instruction Spoken directions Elena tells the driver which avenues and turns to follow, including the route through Libertador and Olleros.

The Driver's Route from "Elena Knows". Navigation by Instruction Spoken directions Elena tells the driver which avenues and turns to follow, including the route through Libertador and Olleros.

Navigation by Instruction Spoken directions Elena tells the driver which avenues and turns to follow, including the route through Libertador and Olleros. She cannot rely on seeing the city clearly, so directions carry the journey. The city passes unseen From the back seat, she hears traffic and conversation more distinctly than she sees the streets. Her arrival depends on another person's movement and attention.

The Bronze Knocker The Bronze Knocker from "Elena Knows". Arrival at the Old Door Recognition by touch Elena finds the wooden door beside the restaurant and runs her hands over its bronze fittings.

The Bronze Knocker from "Elena Knows". Arrival at the Old Door Recognition by touch Elena finds the wooden door beside the restaurant and runs her hands over its bronze fittings.

Arrival at the Old Door Recognition by touch Elena finds the wooden door beside the restaurant and runs her hands over its bronze fittings. The familiar knocker confirms that she has reached the address from memory. A journey's threshold She has completed the route but not the task. The door leads to a conversation that will unsettle the reason she came.

The day before Elena's journey

Morning, before the ten o'clock train

Late morning

Around noon

Early afternoon