On+the+Outskirts+reflection

I used two different notions of being “on the outskirts” on this wall. With the art, I tried to find works that were unconventional and received criticism for its untraditional or hard to understand works when then first came out. I used Jackson Pollock’s painting, “Number 4,” which to some required no artistic talent but inspired others who found deeper meaning in the confusion that the painting conveys. I read an article in The New Yorker recently about an artist that uses light and silhouettes to create many striking images and visual experiences that speak to the artist’s notions of living in America. The last artwork I used was an “environmental artwork” by Robert Smithson called “Spiral Jetty.” While this work certainly has aesthetic merits, I found it beautiful, unconventional, and certainly an art form that was “on the outskirts.” A lot of the other walls looked at the American experience of dealing with differences; sometimes we dealt with difference by imposing unjust laws and using segregation and in some instances we celebrate differences as admirable qualities, which make us individuals. I used this Jimmy Carter quote to convey a notion that I agree with; I believe our differences are something to celebrate. But I also took quotes from other Americans who have had far different American experiences as individuals with Latino and Asian heritage. Richard Rodriguez was perplexed by the notion of being Hispanic, as it was an exclusively American identity and you couldn’t be Hispanic until you were by all accounts an American. I also looked at Maxime Hong Kingston’s experience with difference; she felt isolated by her differences, both as a female and as a Chinese American and the struggle of trying to form a definable identity from her complex heritage. I also used the Anne Sexton poem “Her Kind” as I believe it presents a striking opinion of how America deals with differences that it doesn’t appreciate. The last textual element of this wall was Allen Ginsberg’s iconic poem, “Howl.” This work was another unconventional one; inspired by a new generation and the madness that Allen Ginsberg saw and felt in society, he attempted to create a work that appropriately represented the time period and his American experience.

Our American Dreams