🥬 9/15. Project 1: Final Presentation

💬 Group Discussion

7.00–7.40 | All Class

Discussion led by Karan (The Lure of the Local), Thao (Dubois, Datchuck), Grace (Halfmoon, Tenazas)

Add 3 questions from The Lure of the Local and Object Stories before WE, 9/15 @ 12pm ET:

Name	The Lure of the Local	Object Stories
Shinee Wang	(Q1) “As a nomad with a serially monogamous passion for place, I often wonder if this inconsistency constitutes hopeless fragmentation or hopeful integration.” (P6). Have you lived in different places for a decent amount of time? When you move to a new place, do you still feel connected to where you moved from? What is the hopeful integration like to you?	(Q2) Vashti DuBois Vashti said that the reason that she bought the first very expensive dull in her life is that, it is not only an object to her, but she can also see the the history, stories, secrets, and mystery. Do you like to collect things that evoke your memory? When you see the object that’s not from your original place or appear in a different way, do you still find it meaningful to collect? (Q3) Lucille Tenazas mentioned gender role, one of the most common stereotypes. Stereotypes is a cognitive bias that people against outside of their own group. Are there any stereotypes that you have encountered?
Tina Li	（1）The local culture will affect the living habits and thoughts of these people. For example, they may like to eat a certain kind of food or wear some cultural characteristic clothing. If you go to an unfamiliar city, how would you suggest that people quickly integrate into the local culture?	(Q2) The author mentions that he has owned his grandmother's doll for 18 years, which brings her many memories. Have you owned something culturally representative for a long time? What is it? Does it remind you of family, hometown, culture or a certain period of time? (Q3) Datchuk: She mentioned that the United States is a free country. People are allowed to carry guns and even bring them to school. This makes her feel very insecure. Perhaps the purpose of carrying a musket is to save yourself in danger, but is there no other way to save yourself? If the cultural background of the country you live in cannot give you a sense of security, will you change yourself or change your surroundings?
Dong Xia	(Page 8) “Alexander Wilson has suggested that landscape is a kind of ‘activity’—‘a way of seeing the world and imagining our relationships. to nature,’ while landscape writer J.B. Jackson says a landscape is ‘a space deliberately created to speed up or slow down the process of nature’. “ I understand Wilson’s point as I stand in front of the nature. How do you comprehend Jackson’s opinion? How does landscape ‘speed up’ or ’slow down’ the process of nature? Does him mean the industrial process when he suggested ‘slowing down’?	Dubois Dubois talked about dolls that reminds her culture, history, ancestors and her family bond. Do you have anything that represents your culture or reminds your culture history? Why is that thing has significant meanings for you or for your culture? Tenazas Both Dubio and Tenazas talked about specific items or things that had profound meanings behind them. As my self, I like to keep things are meaningful as well. Could you tell us a story behind one of your specific item? What is your emotion when you see that thing?
Ruolin Fu	Q1 There is no doubt that your culture plays a key role in shaping your thought. Are there any obvious results on you, and also, how can you make a judgement that some of your features are influenced by your culture. Q2 Just think of a situation, if you don't like your culture, will your culture still have a significant influence on you?	Q3 The author talked about his/her opinion on the relationship of culture and nature, and thought that human built up our culture in order to against nature. However, in my view, culture is the result of human conforming to nature. Just like my hometown Harbin, we have ice lanterns in winters, that culture may just because of its cold natural environment. In this case, what’s your opinion about the relationship between human, culture, and nature.
Mark Huang	(Q1) Some people live in "tranquil" areas and hate it, yearning for the day to move to a "bigger and busier" city. Some may have the opposite feeling and are content with the peaceful setting they're in. Does the original setting you live in set a standard you use to influence your aspirations to live somewhere else?	(Q2) Datchuck: Datchuck mentioned people holding guns close to their heart in order to feel safe. The world is so dangerous that guns ironically make a person safe. Even the weight of a brick in the purse is a sacrifice the person has to make to feel safe. I am wondering to what extent and what sacrifices are you willing to make just to feel safe? Would you personally be willing to carry a heavy brick everywhere you go? How much would you be willing to sacrifice to be able to feel safe? Sacrifice privacy? Freedom? (Q3) Tenazas: Tenazas mentioned an event where her teacher embarrassed her by commenting on her hair. The comment made her somewhat self-conscious and she began to contemplate about her countries colonization, religion and her identity.In the end she gets “vengeance” by growing her hair out. Do you ever relive your embarrassing moments where you made a mistake or had an awkward encounter like Tenaza’s had? Has looking back on those moments ever change your perspective and values? Have you ever liberated your self from those moments and if not how do you deal with them?
Tegwen McKenzie	(Q1) (P. 11) Lippard briefly discusses the relationship between culture and nature, and--in an effort to avoid cultural & environmental determinacy--concludes that the two meet one another somewhere in the middle. How do you think technological advancement factors into this discussion? For example, if a particular country is more technologically advanced than another, do you think the culture of its people is less influenced by nature since the people have more advanced means to “control” it?	(Q2) Datchuck: Jennifer’s porcelain brick purse was partially inspired by the comfort people feel from the weight of a powerful object harnessed to their body. Although bricks are different from guns, both have the potential to harm and/or kill another. If purses like these became popularized, do you think it would add or diminish the amount of currently existing violence? (Q3) DuBois & Halfmoon: Both DuBois and Half-moon speak of objects (dolls and ribbon skirts, respectively) partly as ties and reminders of family relationships. As specific objects are passed through generations, do you think there comes a point in time when the original meaning of the object diminishes, and its value is more about the person who gave it to you/the family tradition of passing it along? Does the object need cultural significance to have its original value be maintained?
Yining Zhu	Q1. In the reading, the author talked about how places form culture and how culture forms places. If there is a debate about the definitions of certain cultural issues between people who have lived there their entire life and the newcomers, is there a right or wrong answer and why?	Q2. Vashti DuBois Vashiti talked about having her ancestor doll for over 18 years that reminded her of her mother and grandmother. Is there a specific item that evokes nostalgia, and is important to your identity? Q3. Raven Halfmoon Raven mentioned that when she wore the handmade ribbon skirt to the Indian market with her aunt and other friends, she felt powerful and thought the skirts really bonded them together and created sisterhood. Is there a certain object that makes you feel instantly related/bonded to when you see it and why is that?
Karan Chowdhary	Q1. I've lived all my life in my hometown with the tiny exception of living in a new city for around 2 years of work. I've always dreamt of moving around the world, and I feel New York City is just the start of a lot of exploration, but I also feel that I'm likely to stick to one place to live permanently and travel around for shorter durations. It’ll be interesting and perhaps inspiring to know what your idea of living is, for the future? Q2. After living in a place for years, you integrate yourself with the culture, the people, maybe also the history, and ultimately learn the ways of the land. Do you guys feel that with advancements in technology these days, it’s possible to experience/learn/imbibe the culture of a place you haven’t ever been to?	Q3. I'm sure almost everyone has their own object story, I feel it'll be great to hear such a story from the class. So, what's your object story?
Vern Liu	Q1. I’m always on the move, I've lived in a few different cities and countries. I was always trying to find a sense of belonging. When I live in a place for a while, I will feel like I am a local because I can always notice that I constantly change in the circulation of cultures, tastes, languages, and learned from the people around me. The book mentioned "The lure of local is the pull of place that operates on each of us, exposing our politics and our spiritual legacies." (P.6). In the process of our migration, as we are assimilated by the place we are living in. Do we create different views/perspectives on the place of residence in the past? Do we always feel different when we go back to the places we’ve lived before?	Q2. Raven Halfmoon Raven Halfmoon mentioned how she uses art forms to express her identity, culture, and family. Being a designer working in the commercial environment, sometimes I find it difficult to find my personal voice and convey my message, identity, and culture through my work. How do you find the balance between the work you are truly inspired to do and your reality scope of work? Q3. Lucille Tenazas Lucille talked about gender stereotypes, Growing up I always find a way to create my own character, because there are always voices to tell you that you should look the same as everyone else, wearing a uniform in school, doing the same haircut, playing the same toys, etc. In different cultures, the "standard" can be different. I am curious what characteristics do you ascribe to either boys or girls?

​​​💬​ Group Discussion

💬 Group Discussion