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Letterforms, three ways:

Lettering:

This is qualified as lettering because the letters are created through being drawn. Their significant parts are made up of more than one stroke.

Writing:

This is qualified as writing because the letterforms are created each with a single bodily movement. The moment of their production is one and the same, they are meant to be used in this specific instance.

Typography:

This is qualified as typography because the letterforms have been fabricated by machine. In this case, the machine being a computer. They are set to be specified in their forms.

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Movie Questions

— In what ways could Jane Jacobs be considered a designer?

Jane Jacobs can be considered a designer because she reshaped thinking surrounding urban spaces. A designer’s job considers the needs and experiences of their audience, and this is exactly what Jane did. She was intuitive, observant, and human-centered, focusing on how people naturally used spaces and advocating for designs that fostered walkability, safety, and community. Rather than designing physical buildings or structures, she “designed” ways for cities to work best for people, emphasizing the preservation of communities and the organic patterns of urban life. She pushed back against modernist, orthodox planning in favor of more inclusive, pedestrian-oriented, and neighborhood-driven developments. Jacobs understood cities as interconnected systems, where small, functional details contributed to the whole—she was creating a design that was both carefully planned and sustainable. Through her systemic thinking and commitment to vibrant, livable spaces, she fundamentally reimagined the urban landscape.

— What were three (3) methods/tactics used by Jane Jacobs in her work to save Washington Square Park?

Public advocacy

Engaging with media

Community support and organization

— Identify and name similarities between the movie and the text. Identify and name differences between the two.

Similarities:

Individual role in democracy (support active involvement)

Challenge authority/powerful systems

Power in the unity of the members of a community, rather than of one entity.

Differences: 

Context and medium 

Citizen Jane is a documentary about urban activism

Spirit of Liberty is a philosophical speech on liberty

— Based on watching the movie and reading the required text (or one of the alternative texts provided), what is the role of the individual in a democracy? (Specifically, cite the reading in the response).The role of the individual in democracy, demonstrated by Jane Jacobs in Citizen Jane, and in Judge Learned Hand’s Spirit of Liberty speech, is to protect the values and ideas of democracy. Jane demonstrated that individuals can challenge powerful systems and fight for the protection of her community, to instill change and growth within her neighborhood/city. She also demonstrated that these individuals form a more forward-thinking group, whose interests concern issues that have actually been experienced by those around them. Working to address and prioritize these issues can strengthen the democratic system and its members. Similarly, Judge Hand emphasizes that liberty thrives when individuals actively engage with it, “Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it.” Both Citizen Jane and the Spirit of Liberty speech highlight the responsibility of individuals to be actively involved in democracy, whether directly or indirectly by engaging with others.

Attendance: Lucia, Bella, Jamie, Sophie on Zoom.

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Practicing Doing Nothing (2)

I began with general tidying. 

As I was working, I began to let my mind wander in a space where the wandering was welcomed, not masked by the typical layers of distraction. I found myself reflecting on the materiality of my life, and the fact that I don’t spend much time actually appreciating the “material” assets I have collected. Recently, I have been putting a lot of thought into ways in which we define ourselves as beings, and the ways in which I can solidify the idea I have of who I am. As I moved about my confined shoebox of a room, I thought about how the stages of deeper observation operate, and how my mind tends to operate. I have been trying to make efforts recently to include more intentional time in my everyday life. I have been caught up in the throes of schoolwork, constant worry of my future, and my job, and there has been an extreme lack of personal time. I am caught up in the “project of day-to-day survival.” I have noticed that time seems as if it is constantly slipping away from me, leaving me with no room to focus on anything fluid. Everything seems rigid, and I know that human necessity involves allowing ourselves “flow time,” where there is not a need for specific “productivity.” 

Throughout the process of putting things away, clearing off spaces, making my bed, I became more aware of storage solutions that I had not yet thought of. “How about instead of having this in the open where it causes visual clutter, why not tuck it neatly into an empty space in my storage cart?” I feel as if I were to spend a whole day doing this in many more constantly increasing segments, my idea of the ways in which I utilize my surroundings would begin to rearrange themselves. I would find a deeper appreciation for every item I have accumulated, seeing the ways in which they can assist me in my overall goal of finding “myself” through spending time with my surroundings. It is difficult to do a task with no distractions, knowing that it is something there will be a definite “next time” for in my life. I will die having done tasks like this a million times, as time itself circulates and pushes constantly forward. 

“Of course, attention has its own margins. As I noted earlier, there is a significant portion of people for whom the project of day-to-day survival leaves no attention for anything else; that’s part of the vicious cycle too. This is why it’s even more important for anyone who does have a margin - even the tiniest one - to put it to use in opening up margins further down the line. Tiny spaces can open up small spaces, small spaces can open bigger spaces. If you can afford to pay a different kind of attention, you should. But besides showing us a possible way out of a bind, the process of training one’s own attention has something else to recommend it. If it’s attention (deciding what to pay attention to) that makes our reality, regaining control of it can also mean the discovery of new worlds and new ways of moving through them…this process enriches not only our capacity to resist, but even more simply, our access to the one life we are given. It can open doors where we didn’t see any, creating landscapes in new dimensions that we can eventually inhabit with others. In so doing, we not only remake the world but are ourselves remade.” - Jenny Odell, Anatomy of a Refusal (2019)

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Practicing Doing Nothing

This is part one of my response, written before I conduct my practice so that I can reflect afterward.

“At their loftiest, such refusals can signify the individual capacity for self-directed action against the abiding flow; at the very least, they interrupt the monotony of the every-day.” - Jenny Odell, Anatomy of a Refusal (2019)

I imagine being defiant of distractions that beg for our time is a good way to resist the “attention economy,” as Jenny Odell calls it. Deciding to focus on one thing at a time is like using the time we typically overlook or waste with a new sense of intention. Before streaming services and fast-paced media were accessible to the general public, doing chores was something that was done solely. I have noticed that in doing most mundane tasks, I require some sort of attention stimulation to almost “soften the blow.” I use this as a way to trick myself into feeling entertained by something that, on its own, feels extremely mundane and dull. I have a difficult time even finding reason to do something knowing it will not provide me with some sort of entertainment. I want to take back my own time and to use it for something purposeful and solid, rather than consuming fast-paced and almost “mindless” media. I chose to do something that benefits me and only me, rather than feeling as if I am catering to anyone but myself. I am making full use of the time I typically regard as disposable. Instead of allowing my personal sense of attention to be occupied by an outside force, I am going to utilize autonomy and find a way to employ my own attention. 

In “doing nothing,” I am both training myself to use my attention in ways that benefit myself, and taking control of my right to basic self care that is often lost in the rush of everyday life and hustle. I am training myself to devote more attention to small things, and to build a practice of making every task I do more mindful. I will spend time observing details, and building on that observation.

I am going to clean my room. I will start with surface level tidying, then double back to devote more attention to each smaller margin of potential work and organization that typically is overlooked when I am partially distracted.

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Creating Questions

Writing Bodies — Litia Perta: 

What are the “rules” that the author claims we follow without realizing it, and how do these rules limit us? 

What does the author mean by "grasping" knowledge, and how does it connect to power and control?

How can we tear down systems of exclusion without just making them bigger or more inclusive?

How do the author’s ideas about knowledge challenge traditional ways of learning or thinking?

How does the idea of “curation” change when we see it as controlling or excluding rather than caring?

Why does Perta suggest that being “unreadable” could be beneficial? In what ways might being “unreadable” reveal or enhance creative expression?

(The group, Jamie Cox, Lucia Eubanks, Sophie Carroca, Bella Wagner, met through Zoom during classtime.)

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Observing & Describing

It’s October 19th, about 5:00 in the evening. I am in the Fan, my walk beginning on the street across from the Pollak building. The weather is mild, Fall is nipping at the air. The streets are relatively quiet, with a few individuals scattered outside for their evening walks. Many are walking their dogs. I stop to pet one. I wonder where all the others are, whether they have returned home for the evening or if they are just leaving work as I examine their houses. Leaves are scattered all about, bricks peek out jaggedly from the sidewalks where roots have pushed them out. The leaves on the trees are golden and glowing orange, stark against the bright blue background of a sky whose sun is beginning to sink. Abnormally-shaped gourds and pumpkins of green, white, orange, and yellow dot the brick staircases of most houses along the streets. There are no shops here, only houses. Each looks individually lived in, many with weathervanes depicting animals ascending from rooftops. They are relatively well-kept, but touched by the usual wear and tear. Cars of residents are parked all along the streets. Few pass through the streets, little noise reaches my ears. The glass of the car windows provide warped reflections of the surrounding trees and houses. Wrought iron gates with curlicues and points curb each front yard, holding in the house like a sweeping arm. Graffiti backs the stop signs and street parking signs, touched by many a hand. Skeletons and spiderwebs dot the trees, signifying the approach of Halloween. It smells dusty, like the underside of the leaves blown over top of the stickered parked cars, and clustering against the bases of walls and fences. No cats. I was hoping to see one, as it’s all too common in the neighborhoods here. Cats and skeletons, all year round. The painted surfaces, doors, and other, all show signs of wear. The streets are made of asphalt, occasionally broken up by a weathered cobblestone crosswalk. I wonder if these streets were once completely made up of cobblestone? I look up at each house as I pass by, noticing the commonalities. Many have an upstairs window set aglow by a warmly-lit lamp. As dusk settles in, a blue light washes over the streets and houses. Each house has its own unique character, retaining a basic silhouette. There is white trim on each, sometimes uniquely indented or shaped. Some houses are painted different colors from those attached beside them, a clean line splitting the two territories down the middle from roof to ground. The houses seem to have their own personifying qualities, taking on a visual interpretation of the people who live inside. Stained glass sits above doors, set aglow by the yellow-orange streetlights or the glow of lights from inside their entryways. Bicycles rest against poles in front of apartment buildings. The streets seem to keep going forever, I feel as though I could start walking through one alleyway and never stop discovering new sights. 

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Week 7 Group Discussion, pt.3

Bathroom signs can be categorized as simulacra. Signs are tasked with hinting at the existence of something real that the sign itself cannot actually encapsulate, rather than being responsible for showing reality. The bathroom sign’s imagery represents the concept of human individuals without possessing any physical trait of a human. (Image source: naagtag.com)

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Week 7 Group Discussion, pt.2

At first, we were not sure whether it was possible to specifically identify the level of removal of storefront displays. While they are an imitation in a way, depicting the clothing that the store sells but only picking a limited number of generic or specific clothing pieces calls into question the way in which the level of removal can be gauged. Storefront displays best fit into the productive copy category, as these advertisements and displays are often not specified by location and are mass produced. (Image source: gettyimages.com)

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Week 7 Group Discussion, pt.1

It is possible to identify the album cover for Atom Heart Mother as a simulacrum. The cover is a simple image of a cow, which would read as being a natural imitation to someone who is not versed on the history of the album cover’s creation. Because Pink Floyd requested an artist to create their cover with minimal instruction, the artist drew inspiration from Andy Warhol’s screenprint, “Cow Wallpaper.” Because it was created as a sort of ���reference” to another piece of work, it serves as a passing reference to the existence of a previously created piece of work by another artist. (Image: Album cover from Pink Floyd’s “Atom Heart Mother”)

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Sign Type Classification (Pt.3)

I believe that storefront displays could fit into the icon and index modes. Often, the brand name is made a prominent feature of the display, drawing attention to the representation of the display. There could also be a specific color scheme featured, or something else that visually ties the viewer’s perception to the brand itself and what it is known for. This exemplifies the index mode. The icon mode comes into play if the display or ad has images of the clothing that they sell, or a close-up of the fabric they use. It may be recognizable in looks, or possess other similar qualities to what it represents. (Image: GettyImages)

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Sign Type Classification (Pt.2)

I believe that album covers fit best into the symbol and index modes. Album covers do tend to have the artist’s name in type somewhere on them, which points to an indexical representation. Through observation, one can find out who the artist is or who is responsible for the image that is being viewed. I also think that many album covers are arbitrary in nature. The Pink Floyd album cover that I chose for my example is one that was chosen arbitrarily. The cow does not represent anything that the album contains or is trying to convey, and was chosen/created through a personal whim. It was purposely chosen to be “random.” (Image: Album cover from Pink Floyd’s “Atom Heart Mother”)

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Sign Type Classification (Pt.1)

I believe that bathroom signs should be classified as indexes. As a mode, the signifier is physically or causally connected to what it represents. An inference or observation can then be made about what the index represents. As the symbols/figures on bathroom signs are commonly known to correlate with different gender identities based on what the figures are wearing, one can make assumptions on the meaning or direction shown by each sign. (Image source: naagtag.com)

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(Pt.3) Everyday Representations - Theory Inquiry

Bathroom signs are a very commonly used representation, seen in almost every public establishment. The intention of these signs is to provide direction to individuals, almost attempting to “sort” or “filter” according to a series of identifying characteristics. The typical bathroom signs consist of a “man” or “woman” sign, dressed accordingly. (The “woman” sign is often silhouetted wearing a skirt.) This representation proves to be harmful, it is argued that this method of signage promotes exclusion and discrimination according to gender norms. Humans and both their internal and external identities are more diverse than can be explained or covered by a universal symbol. In this way, bathroom signs are only partially successful in being a representative guide. There are many people who feel they are properly represented, but many more who do not feel they are welcomed or represented through these signs. (Image source: naagtag.com)

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(Pt. 2) Everyday Representations - Theory Inquiry

Another example of representation is storefront displays. Some storefronts contain displays of the merchandise that is being sold inside or by that specific brand. There are identifying signs and graphics that represent the brand. This may send a false message, such as in cases where the brand is corrupt or there are practices and values hidden behind the facade. Greenwashing is an example of this, some companies may put up signage around their stores or in public advertising spaces that paint their companies as having more responsible or fair values than the ones that are carried by the internal systems and leaders of these companies. Many brands claim sustainability to be one of their priorities, yet practice many non-sustainable methods of production. Lies are often told in order to sell more products, or to try and appeal to a greater consumer audience. People will disregard potential or very clear distortion in a brand’s message in order to engage in active consumerism. (Image source: gettyimages.com)

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(Pt.1) Everyday Representations - Theory Inquiry

Album covers are an example of an everyday representation. An album cover is created as the front-facing piece of art that serves as a representation of an album. Sometimes, the cover can be more representative of the artist as a whole than it is of the album itself. The image can also contain no relevance whatsoever to the artist and their work. They all serve a common purpose in the end, to accompany something and provide additional representation that the content of the album may not be capable of. The messages communicated through the individual songs may be filtered out as the front image is a condensed way of perceiving a collection of ideas and auditory media. Overall, the use of album covers for representation is successful, as it is part of a larger piece of art created by either an individual or a group. As a form of personal expression, as well as something that is provided for others to identify themselves by, most album covers succeed in their purpose. There are always exceptions. (Example image: the album cover of "Atom Heart Mother" by Pink Floyd.)