The article on wayfinding brought something interesting to my attention. If there is one thing that John Cage does which defines him is acting on chance. He allows for the world and the environment around him to decide what his actions will be whether in music or dance. Okay-understood. Now when thinking about wayfinding...isn't wayfinding the idea of the structure of the way the world is/was/has been set up? There is not much chance if you are walking through the streets and following the side-walk. Would that mean that John Cage would sit down and write a series of directions and simply walk them not concerned as to where the path is leading him-whether through the streets and alleys or not? Or is having the choice available and simply letting chance choose which of those paths to take the way that John Cage would attempt wayfinding?
In my media criticism class we spoke about de Certeau as well. My point in that class was how there was never a black or white option as to whether media was more or less had the power over people or vis versa. If people are walking through the streets of a city and take a short cut, then someone else sees the availability of the short cut they will begin to take that-making a brand new path. Then that path becomes a part of the pre-planned city walk which makes the pedestrians go a certain way. In regards to media-we have a society that is built and runs by the media. We expect commercials, we expect to see funny shows, sad shows, good movies, bad movies, signs, product placement. How is there then much room to go off the path? Isn't the path ever growing? The shortcut made my the pedestrians in the city becomes a part of that landscape-just as scripted "reality" tv has become a part of our landscape. Yet with media it is your reaction to those expected shows and movies which takes you off the course a bit. So would your reaction to going a different way to work or taking a short-cut or just simply walking off the beaten path enough to be a new place? Rather than a space that is a "practiced place"?. Just as with the media I see no black or white-just as with anything really. There are so many many factors in every situation that changes things from the norm. That is life. I believe it is realizing that change is what makes one "aware" of the world in which they live in and participate.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Space and Place and Drifting
In regards to space and place:
As I have read this article before the second time around definitely brings the ideas of space and place to a much higher level of understanding for myself. The reason I got hooked to the Neighborhood Narratives class in the first place was when I first read this article. There are so many times when I would find myself feeling separated from where I am or who I am with, which makes me think about space and place and the feelings that go along with it. While a hard concept to understand and really put your finger on because it can be interpreted in many ways I would like to know if other students or people get that feeling that they are in a different space then the people around them?
The second article talks of the "center" that dancers must accomplish before they are able to correctly use the space around them. Then the article talks of when children use the space around them while they walk around. I remember myself as a child only taking two steps in each sidewalk square and trying my best to only have two steps-but now with so many other things on my mind, walking has almost become a mindless action and it feels as if I am being drawn or pulled by an invisible string that will bring me to my destination. I wonder if it's children that have a closer connection to their space and place and even if they have a better understanding as their innocence and lack of stress and worry allows them to be more connected with the world around them.
I've seen many times where children notice things that parents or other older people simply overlook. I've also seen children point out their findings to adults only to be ignored as if their findings are unimportant. Yet I have stopped to indulge in a child's findings before-as I appreciate myself the small things in life that are so often overlooked. This also goes along with the psychogeographic drifting that we did for our project. I drive everywhere-so when I have the opportunity to walk a distance I make sure to take in my surroundings and how I feel in them. Noticing the smaller details of my surroundings has been something I have appreciated my whole life and would never want to lose that and become a robot on the streets. I think it is so important for everyone wherever they are to stop and just look around and take in everything around them in all it's beauty and power. Take a picture, a video, or just take notice-either way I feel like when people take that time they are essentially working on finding their own "center" just as a dancer does to be able to perform in their space.
As I have read this article before the second time around definitely brings the ideas of space and place to a much higher level of understanding for myself. The reason I got hooked to the Neighborhood Narratives class in the first place was when I first read this article. There are so many times when I would find myself feeling separated from where I am or who I am with, which makes me think about space and place and the feelings that go along with it. While a hard concept to understand and really put your finger on because it can be interpreted in many ways I would like to know if other students or people get that feeling that they are in a different space then the people around them?
The second article talks of the "center" that dancers must accomplish before they are able to correctly use the space around them. Then the article talks of when children use the space around them while they walk around. I remember myself as a child only taking two steps in each sidewalk square and trying my best to only have two steps-but now with so many other things on my mind, walking has almost become a mindless action and it feels as if I am being drawn or pulled by an invisible string that will bring me to my destination. I wonder if it's children that have a closer connection to their space and place and even if they have a better understanding as their innocence and lack of stress and worry allows them to be more connected with the world around them.
I've seen many times where children notice things that parents or other older people simply overlook. I've also seen children point out their findings to adults only to be ignored as if their findings are unimportant. Yet I have stopped to indulge in a child's findings before-as I appreciate myself the small things in life that are so often overlooked. This also goes along with the psychogeographic drifting that we did for our project. I drive everywhere-so when I have the opportunity to walk a distance I make sure to take in my surroundings and how I feel in them. Noticing the smaller details of my surroundings has been something I have appreciated my whole life and would never want to lose that and become a robot on the streets. I think it is so important for everyone wherever they are to stop and just look around and take in everything around them in all it's beauty and power. Take a picture, a video, or just take notice-either way I feel like when people take that time they are essentially working on finding their own "center" just as a dancer does to be able to perform in their space.
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