This course explores the ways in which objects and material culture embody personal narrative. Moving back and forth from ephemeral traces of events and experiences to the culturally invested luxury goods that create legacy to the objects that facilitate daily life, this class will use, as its primary references, examples that draw from queer and African American cultures to underscore the potential of objects to tell the stories that not only reflect majority traditions and experiences but those of the disenfranchised, the details of whose lives are often obscured. In addition to readings that will provide background for class discussion, student will be asked to play the roles of detectives, archeologists, and curators at various sites around New York City. Each student will also be asked to create an annotated material record that reveals the public and private lives of one individual. That record may consist of texts, objects or any variety of media chosen or designed by the student. This blogs serves as an archive for the work done in the context of this course and related materials that become relevant to this exploration.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

personal artifact/heirloom


My personal artifact/heirloom that is deeply connected to who I am today is my ring.


It was a gift from my mom. After deciding that I was going to quit Notre Dame and apply to art schools, I also decided that I would change my name as a way to give myself a new start on my life.
My parents and family have wanted me to change my name since I was 18 and I didn't see the need to change my name at the time but after quitting school, I felt that it would be appropriate to get a new name to start a new chapter of my life.

In Korean culture, you get a new set of spoon and chopsticks or ring with your new name engraved when you change your name. Both are objects that you keep on your side all the time or use all the time and people believe that it enforces your new identity and erase your old one.

I went through a very eventful few years before I changed my name(emotionally and physically) and I literally felt like a new person after I got my new name and went through the legal process to change it legally in the system.

There are times that I sometimes wonder why I chose to come here but looking at this ring reminds me who I was before and now and also remind me that the past I have is not an option for me anymore and I am here now for a reason.






-JUWON
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