RD: http://rdraughn.blogspot.com/2011/03/7-making-visible.html
I really like how RD's narrative story creates map-like visuals that are disrupted by a seemingly ordinary event. Perhaps a mapping assignment could capture this structure. Students could create maps of their everyday lives. These could be literal (using technology like Google Maps) or more figural (maps from the Middle Ages could be used as references). What's important is that students identify all of the important environments they move in and out of every day. After this is established, certain sections of their maps could be examined for further study. Sites like Geologic City could provide inspiration for viewing routine environments in a new way.
Stephanie: http://defineartabroad.blogspot.com/2011/03/7-making-visible.html
The prank played on Stephanie certainly got her to re-imagine her living space! Like the mapping activity described above, I think students would find it interesting to become their own interior decorators. Bedrooms provide such an important space for childhood expression. One activity could start with mapping out bedroom spaces on graphing paper (using measurements from home). Afterwords, the student could design an entirely new bedroom based on the same birds-eye/interior decorating view, or move to another method of virtual decorating. The limitations of currently available bedroom furniture should be thrown out the window and learners should use their imaginations to come up with creative sleeping, studying, and playing areas. Andrea Zittel's work could be considered, along with other artists and industrial designers that work with pushing boundaries of functional spaces.
Steve: http://www.personal.psu.edu/swi100/blogs/s_izzos_aed_813_blog/2011/03/blog-entry-7-making-visible.html
Steve's story provides multiple interpretations of the same site. I think this would translate nicely into a digital-photo based assignment focused on different experiences of the same environment. First, students would have to consider the physical properties of shooting a site many times (the differences and emotional values inherent in worms-eye-view vs. birds-eye-view, shadows, etc). Then Photoshop manipulation could filter different colors and/or change focus. Learners would have to "step into someone else's shoes" in order to feel how different people (or other beings) experience a place and try to visually represent those emotions.
I saw a similar project done with digital photography but it had a panoramic twist where the people in the photographs told a visual story from left to right with about five scenes morphed into one seamless picture. It was pretty neat. Maybe something could be done with that as an added feature to your idea. I am not sure what software would be used for something like that though.
ReplyDeleteSteve
1. To extend your idea inspired from Rodney’s story in his Making Visible blog entry 7, is to also look at Australia Dreamtime memory maps (e.g., see http://www.sacredsites.com/asia/australia/Uluru.html).
ReplyDelete2. In regards to your idea inspired from Stephanie’s Making Visible blog entry 7, consider bell hook’s chapter (reading linked in Exploration 1 “hooks, b. (1995). Black Vernacular: Architecture as cultural practice. In Art on my mind: Visual politics (145-151). New York: The New Press.”) to question and consider what is being taught in this lesson you propose.
3. For your 3rd idea consider combining these ideas you have developed with McGowen’s 3rd idea based on your story.