Do we obsess over owning our spaces? Does this make us feel more accepted into it? I have been wondering a lot about how we personalize the space we are in, mostly by possessions that we own/gather. This action is so routine that, I, certainly become numb to it. I would like to break myself from this obsession of gathering things but also am somewhat prideful of what I have or can obtain. I guess a good illustration would be how a person organizes their room and presents it to others. Also daily routines of dressing and makeup present to others how we want to look to them. I have a weakness for boots...loud looking boots. But I don't want to pride myself on possessions. I suppose it is a dual identity issue.
My thoughts are a bit scrambled tonight so I will just try to get to the point. I have been wondering what life is like for the incarcerated. They have only a public space. The clothes they wear are not "theirs," and the space is minimal. How can they express their identity if they have no possessions. I think this culture stresses autonomy, so how does this population display who they are/ want to be. Are they prideful of being in this space, as many of us are with our own space? I would like to pursue these thoughts by possibly taking a camera to their "space".
Artist Song Dong displays well what I am trying to get across. From what I gather he did a collaboration installation piece with his mother who gathered all of her possessions from a decade, after her husband's tragic death, and put it into a display. I think this shows how much we are capable of consuming without a second glance. I wonder how and why do the possessions we own attain so much value? I know personally that objects can hold sentimental value, possibly too much. I will close with a quote from fight club. "The things you own end up owning you."
My thoughts are a bit scrambled tonight so I will just try to get to the point. I have been wondering what life is like for the incarcerated. They have only a public space. The clothes they wear are not "theirs," and the space is minimal. How can they express their identity if they have no possessions. I think this culture stresses autonomy, so how does this population display who they are/ want to be. Are they prideful of being in this space, as many of us are with our own space? I would like to pursue these thoughts by possibly taking a camera to their "space".
Artist Song Dong displays well what I am trying to get across. From what I gather he did a collaboration installation piece with his mother who gathered all of her possessions from a decade, after her husband's tragic death, and put it into a display. I think this shows how much we are capable of consuming without a second glance. I wonder how and why do the possessions we own attain so much value? I know personally that objects can hold sentimental value, possibly too much. I will close with a quote from fight club. "The things you own end up owning you."
3 comments:
Jacki, again you amaze me with the pictures you pick and the words that you write. I think you have put in mind exactly what alot of us struggle with...finding that space that is "ours" or comfortable and secure. We go so many places, but what can we truly call our own? I like this alot, because I think we often call things "our own" when they don't truly, deep down, belong to us. Good post!
I have often wondered this very same thing, but in an environment that we are a little more familiar with: the classroom. When we started school (unless you were home schooled) the classrooms were personalized. The teacher would decorate the room to give it the feel and the environment that THEY felt would be necessary for learning and enjoying the learning experience. As we got older, this idea and mentality was removed. It is obviously because many teachers these days do not have a room of their own and are often changing location throughout the day. But it becomes especially apparent when we enter college. Lecture halls and large science "auditoriums" really fail to create an exciting atmosphere. Anyways... The bare walls resemble a prison cell or insane asylum and it bugs me. Haha, reviewing this rant makes me not want to post it, but I guess I just thought it was funny and wanted to share it with you guys!
Yes, I believe we do obsess over spaces. I think it's fascinating just how much people keep... I am a saver, I have an array of birthday cards, movie tickets, a pig collection, funeral prayer cards, photos, pamphlets, and fortune cookie fortunes. I also have countless notebooks and a huge stack of papers and post-its that have little notes in/on them. I am intrigued by your questions and thoughts, but I am especially interested in what you mentioned about the incarcerated The whole process is what intrigues me. I can't imagine what it would be like be denied some kind of private space.
Post a Comment