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 3, 2014

Protest Signs

In light of recent protests, I started to think about protest signs as evidence and artifacts, perhaps even heirlooms. They are both evidence and artifacts because they represent a moment in time and an experience and event that occurred. But could they also be heirlooms? I think so. For people who lead a movement, a protest sign could be a reminder of a proud moment of standing up for their beliefs. Or for the families of someone like Michael Brown, they could be an heirloom that represents the reaction and care shown towards a loved one.

I also think it's interesting how wide the range of messages on these signs are. Some are sentimental and heartfelt. Others are angry. Even in style they range from ones seen consistently, in which multiples printed out and distributed, to simple hand drawn designs.

Posted by Briana Lynch
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)