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CULTURAL
IDENTITY: WORLD BUILDING |
Prof. John Toth |
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(UC, KSD, P, CLC)
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Inquiry: How does
the environment that we grow up in effect the way we experience the
world?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Objective: Explore
artworks that reveal cultural identity. Another way of thinking of culture is
to consider world building as a symbol for life. We each construct our own world base on
what we ‘let in’ (sorry, that which we choose to ‘force out’ is still a part
of our constructed world). I like to think of culture as defined by science
as a medium that is conducive to growth. As such ‘culture’ is that part of
the world, that we identity as our own. We live with others whose worlds and
cultures overlap. Frequently, we grow up not even knowing that the world we
have built for our selves is made up of many cultures and worlds. The
objective of this activity is to ‘notice’ details from your personal history
that say something about who you are. What you ‘notice’ should be used to
build, design, accompany your marionette. Process: Consider
a work of art as a process and product of the cultures within the artist’s
experience. This would also apply to the art of writing, dance, music,
theater and philosophy. Consider artworks from around the world. Cultural symbols often exist over long
periods of time. Representations of specific animals (turtles, snakes, bears,
eagles) and plant forms (vines, flowers, stems, branches) may be used over
thousands of years by one culture. Often symbols may be shared world
wide. Other representations and
designs use visual symbolic languages using shapes and lines. Circles are associates
with early North Americans. Celtic
line patterns resemble elaborate woven knots.
Questions to consider: What is
the evidence that points to your own unique cultural way of looking at the
world? To what
extent is something shared? How do
points-of-view define a culture? Activity: Create a
series of lines, shapes, symbols, objects, color scheme, song, dance, text…
that represents your shared cultural identity. That which is private, could remain hidden,
but please find a symbol to represent this, again, only you may know this. |
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Artworks:
Marc
Chagall, I and the Village, 1911 Faith
Ringgold, Street Story Quilt, 1985 Rafael
Ferrer, Merengue en Boca Chica, 1983 Thomas
Hart Amphora,
Greek, 480 B.C. Seated
Couple, Dogon 19th C. Jaun Sanchez, |
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Activity: Idea Your
parents also influenced the way you shaped and molded yourself, whether or
not these were your biological parents, step parents or guardians. The culture that you grow up in often
accounts for a large degree in how you view and feel about the world you live
in. You may agree or disagree with the standards and values that you grew up
with and act accordingly. However, some of you may have no idea were you came
from and may not see the effects of the kind of “framing” that the culture
that you grew up in had on your beliefs.
As
educators we are called upon to experience a diverse variety of “learners”
that come to us from all corners of the world. My own father came from Native countries are not always true
indicators of people’s sense of culture. Cultures are borrowed and
appropriated. One way of thinking of
this question, what is culture, is to think about who your neighbor is. We literally live besides all neighbors of
the world in NYC and absorb or reject many cultures. Some of us identify with
the music, dance, arts, food, images and yes, being with, our neighbors. Within
the patterns, shapes, colors and lines of artworks, clothing, architecture
each culture carves and shapes distinctly unique marks that signify habits,
customs, beliefs and the imagining
of families (villages, cities,
counties, states, countries, continents and worlds.) “We are all the same, uniquely the same” Activity:
Methods You may consider these methods for
sensing a culture. 1.
Interview members of your family
on your cultural heritage Interview a family
member, elder, guardian, friend of the family or neighbor. Possible questions What country and/ or part of the world did they come from?
Under what circumstances---What made them leave their
home? Why you and/or your family choose What were the specific culture and religions of your
ancestors? or 2.
Look at old photo’s for clues. Draw shapes, lines
and symbols of these details. Ask questions about these details? or The type of foods your family eats may be a clue to your
cultural identity, as well as the stories you were told when you were a
child. (Sketch details, draw maps, etc.) or 3. Look at documents, records,
archives (www.ElisIland.com) What were the professions of your parents and their
relatives? Find out about name origins, customs around birth, death,
marriage, coming of age, clothing and religious celebrations. (databases and archives) or 4. As many of us, if you come from
various cultures: Which one is dominant? Why? Bring in some item from home that may help us understand
your cultural identity---statures, clothing, crafts, pictures, a memento and
so forth. (sociological issues) or 5. Make a sketch (it may include
words, notes, diagrams) of your IDEAL cultural hero. (Paul Bunyan, Mighty Mouse, Magarac, Marco Polo,) or 6. Look at clothing, jewelry, symbols, emblems,
patterns, music, logic, poetry, style, tools, weapons, attitude, movies
books, DVD’s, surveys, religions, health records, marriage licenses, birth
records, maps, logs, journals archives, toys, homes, travel habits,
inventions, paintings, modes of transpiration, and all conceivable
signifiers.. or This
activity should have at least one symbol, one shape, one natural element, one
pattern, one color and one X.(unknown) The
materials and ideas you generate for this activity will be used in the next
activity. |
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