This project does not conventionally fit into my professional aspirations as much as some of my classmates, but I will always remember the tools I learned in this class that allow me to think more critically and whimsically (when appropriate) and has opened by eyes to so many creative forms of activism. I have learned about advocating for others respectfully and have been exposed to such a variety of opinions in such a safe space that allowed vulnerability and fostered understanding. One artist’s work that inspired me while thinking about my project was A Gourmet Experience by Martha Rosler. I drew inspiration from the way she sets the table in an elegant way, but you do not see who the meal is for. Another is a mural called “More Than Food” by Carlos “Calo” Rosa. My project shares the same underlying theme of sharing food with others. It depicts colorful pictures of food, and people sharing. This is the same feeling I hope to evoke with my installation, giving people a sense of warmth around the idea of giving or receiving. The images and the colors alike are inviting and powerful. A mural painted by Emmanuel Jarus called “Zero Hunger” was another inspiration because of the meaning of the mural. It is a hopeful image, done in very vibrant colors that “reflects on a world where everyone has access to the food they need and the vision of zero hunger by 2030”. This notion is the root of my project, where I am asking the viewer to imagine that everyone gets to sit at a plentiful table and enjoy their meal. I also contemplated the idea behind Andy Warhols’s use of the Campbell’s soup cans. He said he had the soup many afternoons for many years, making it a staple for him. By including fresh produce and sushi in my installation, I am suggesting that good eating should and maybe could be a reality for everyone. Also, I am drawing in the viewer to the table for them to experience it as well.
Chapter4-“ For example, we might make a community mural that
projects an ideal of how the local neighborhood could be. We do this in the
hopes that people will see the mural and be inspired to change their community
so that it is closer to the painted ideal. Or we might design a performance
piece that warns of the evils of gentrification. Either way, we are producing
Culture in order to influence culture.”
This quote relates to my project because, as we learned in
the Utopia chapter later in the book, it is often easier to get people to pay
attention or get involved if they are being uplifted. By creating an uplifting
table set up, I am showing what it should look like for everyone and maybe we
can help each other get there a little bit at a time.
Chapter 3 “When we think of communications we often think of
written words: reports, fact sheets, emails, text messages, and the like. These
are all important. But there are other forms of communication we can utilize
that are sometimes more effective. Important political messages can be
communicated through performance, song, images, and symbols, appealing to different
senses. The UFW understood that art moves people and needs to be part of all
aspects of the movement.”
By using a set table and items that are familiar to almost anyone
in the world, I am using easily recognizable symbols and images to appeal to
the viewers emotions, whichever ones the table conjures up in them, but
hopefully it is mostly happiness due to the cheerful nature of the display.
Chapter 9- “Again, the problem isn’t that people don’t
understand the problems that face us, but that they can’t imagine solutions, or,
if they can, then how to bring those solutions about. Demonstrating the harsh
realities of the past, present, and possible future is important, but it needs
to be folded into a larger inspiring vision. As the Marxist literary critic Raymond
Williams once wrote, “To be truly radical is to make hope possible, rather than
despair convincing.”
This quote resonated with me while thinking about this
project because of what the Professor said about using joy and inspiration to
affect change, especially considering all of the negativity, so I tried to
design a table that people would be excited and feel happy to be at.
https://www.martharosler.net/a-gourmet-experience
https://stories.thejewishmuseum.org/take-a-seat-at-martha-roslers-gourmet-experience-a069788262d9
https://muralarts.org/artworks/more-than-food/
https://streetartmankind.org/un75/
https://www.warhol.org/lessons/campbells-soup-ode-to-food/
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