Highlighted Site Locations

Site 2-Fort Point Channel Parks, Urban Arboretum, Wharf District Park

Site-1 Harvard Square

Tentative Written Abstract...

This thesis will focus on the methodologies of urban graffiti as a two-dimensional medium in order to translate the politics, techniques and siting into three-dimensional space. The hope is that this two-dimensional medium can create a three-dimensional spatial expression in which one can occupy, interact with and/or be positively encouraged to express identities. With research I am trying to establish the importance of graffiti as an art form to society, its cultural implications as well as a potential technique to define space. Through analyzing and evaluating graffiti in this way, the established basis of architecture as a controlled environment will be challenged, with focus on the post-war Modernist movement.  This thesis will attempt to capture, through architecture, the disorder of graffiti as a way of creating a new way of looking at ordered, conscious space.

            Architecture as a practice should define a space that responds to and engages with the user. It should also respond over time to the influences of people through adaptations, flexibility and interactions with the occupants. Through this definition of architecture, it is important to look at and question the success of those movements, such as the Modernist movement, that were established around the idea of creating spaces for people and community. Being that graffiti is a form of art that was created as both an expression of the people and a reaction to the circumstances created by the Modernist City, it is important to reestablish the way space and order of public space is acquired according to the methodologies of the art. Architecture is a social art should not create situations of anonymity and squalor living conditions but should embrace the techniques of expression and identity posed through graffiti. Modern graffiti strives of anonymity and concealed identity, forced however by illegality, in a different way then as the cause for the art form to evolve. Therefore, these two social art forms can play off one another to create a rich interaction, through spatial qualities, locations, and politics.

            It is important that through research, the success of the Modernist movement be analyzed in relation the art form that have emerged from within it.  I intend on analyzing, through text and visuals, what truly defines the Modernist City and Modern urban planning. I will look at the cultural and demographic influences of graffiti. Locations of graffiti in areas of the world that promote it will be compared to those locations around Boston, in order to define a spatial quality in the sense of siting. It will be important to map out these areas and compare them to maps of land use, demographics and historical changes. Finally, I will strive to establish a mind set of a Modernist architect and graffiti artists as a way to define a sense of order within the two battling social art forms. 

Flash Mobs

Revised Personal Definition of Architecture...

Architecture as a practice should define a space that responds to and engages with the user. It should also respond over time to the influences of people through adaptations, flexibility and interactions with the occupants.

Through this definition of architecture, it is important to look at and question/challenge the success of those movements, such as the Modernist Movement, that were established around the idea of creating spaces for people and community.

Second Attempt at my Visual Abstract

This thesis will focus on the methodologies of urban graffiti as a two-dimensional medium in order to translate the politics, techniques, and siting into three-dimensional space. The hope is that this two-dimensional medium can create a three-dimesional spatial expression in which one can occupy, interact with and/or be positively encouraged to express identities. With research I am trying to establish the importance of graffiti as an art form to society, its cultural implications as well as a potential technique to define space. Through analyzing and evaluating graffiti in this way, the established basis of architecture as a controlled environment will be challenged, with focus on the post-war Modernist City and Urban Planning Movement. This thesis will attempt to capture, through architecture, the disorder of graffiti, as a response to the situations created by Modernist cities, as a way of creating  new way of looking at ordered, conscious space.

The images above attempt to break down the fundamental elements of both graffiti and architecture and merge them into one single composition.

The focus from here will lead to a further understanding of the Modernist City and the reactions that came of it. Studying the spatial qualities and living conditions in comparison to the art form that merged from within. It will be important that through research, the success of the Modernist movement be analyzed in relation to the art form that has emerged from within it. I intend on analyzing, through text and visual studies, what truly defines the Modernist City and Modern Urban Planning. I will look at the cultural and demographic influences of graffiti. Locations of graffiti in areas of the world that promote it will be compared to those locations around Boston, in order to define a spatial quality in the sense of siting. I will be important to map out these areas and compare them to maps of land use, demographics and historical changes. Finally, I will strive to establish a mind sent of a Modernist architect and graffiti artist as a way to define a sense of order within the two battling social art forms.  

Visual Mind Map

First Attempt at my Visual Abstract

This image works from the outsides inward. Starting with the basic materials and processes of both graffiti and architecture and working into the middle where the two have come together was the methodology behind the image. I was striving to work toward the compilation of both social art forms, finding what drives them from start to finish.

Second Round Collages

Both of these collages evolved from my previous two collages. The inspiration of passage of time is still present in these. I took the idea of passage of time as meaning, timeless, overlapping, evolve. These are very abstract interpretations as I am moving forward in search of finding a spatial quality about graffiti.

The first image is the way my collage was presented and the second image is the simply just the digital copy of the collage in order to be able to take a closer look. The purpose of this collage was to take graffiti and art work out of context. I photoshopped images of graffiti I have collected on to the first four building I could think of that I would never imagine graffiti on; the MFA, the Boston Public Library, the White House and Falling Water. It is sort of funny, I almost felt like I was doing something wrong when photoshopping. The point was to show that graffiti is illegal when placed in alleyways, on walls of abandoned buildings, on dumpsters and on train cars, but what if it started showing up on famous buildings? Next I layered over the graffitied buildings, images of the placed graffiti are normally place. But I chose images that contained no graffiti to see what these spaces truly look like. Lastly, I wrote the words that graffiti represent on to little canvases. I layered the canvases onto the photo collage. This was an attempt to take a well know art material and place those qualities that make graffiti frowned upon onto them, turning them into art... right? because they are on canvases they are art, right?

If you were given the freedom to say whatever you wanted to say, what would it be? That is what I asked people around my studio. I handed each person five empty index cards and asked them to write whatever they wanted. I wanted expressions whether, loud, motivational, provocative, obscene, etc. I was surprised with the results. I was expecting obscenities and a lot more negative reactions. However, I received a lot of really great quotes, some drawings, some funny words, some references to studio. For the most part everything I was given were really great expressions. This proves that when given the opportunity to speak, it isn't a bad thing. Passage of time also works its way in here with the idea that, on a wall of constant graffiti, no one piece lasts forever. It is part of the art. So I took the note cards that I received and picked out some of the "better" ones and put them down first, then cut out some of the phrases and images and started placing them over the base cards very carefully not to cover anything, and I repeated this until I had to start covering up what was underneath. I left small places where you can still see the chipboard I used as a "wall" to show that it is still the same under there even with the content on top.

BOND 40

Bond 40 is by Hertzog and de Meuron. They used graffiti and arabic calligraphy as their inspiration for the organic form on the exterior of the building. They stated "I am always out to change things, rethink the and make them better." This quote is and inspiration for me as I continue with my thesis. I want to interpret graffiti, rethink it and make it better. I don't necessarily need to change it unless that is what would make it better.

Zaha Hadid

I am fascinated with the organic forms she uses and how they are expressions of her ideas. Non-literal forms and buildings that are meant to be interpreted are more striking to my interests. 

Just a cool site

Street Art

Architecture to me is...

a space that should be made for the use of the people, by influences of the people, with an intent to be determined during its life time, through its adaptations, flexibility and interactions with it occupants. 

Does it make you think differently?

Robbo vs. Banksy

This is a video about graffiti/street art war between banksy and king robbo. It is interesting the way there is a clear divide between the two art forms. You will be shocked with the ending!!!

Expression of Self

Influential Art

All of the following photos are of objects that are out of context and in turn are discomforting, provocative, and controversial. The spark new ways of seeing and thinking about the way you view something.  

When is Graffiti, Graffiti?

This is a LINK

This website is most certainly fun to play with but where do you draw the line for actual reality? Is what is being produced on this site actually graffiti just because the website is called "Graffiti Creator"? What constitutes graffiti? Does the art work have to be on the side of a building, under train tracks, or done in the middle of the night to be considered graffiti? Graffiti can be considered an artistic expression of manipulating language, words, and fonts but it is also widely viewed as vandalism and destruction of property. These thoughts tie into those that I came across in a collage study of color as a study of context and representation.

This site made me start to think about what make graffiti so interesting to me and what about it strikes my fancy. Is it the color? Is it the words? Is it the idea that it is illegal? Is it controversial and political context? Is graffiti art?

Thesis Prep II Collages

COLOR IN THE SENSE OF CONTEXT

      - When represented out of context pops out 

      - a bright orange building pops out 

An orange building in a city can stick out like a sore thumb because mostly color is not used. However, in a field full of 4-leaf clovers the color green would not stick out as being out of context. When the background is made black and white the single green clover left suddenly becomes the point of focus.

COLOR IN THE SENSE OF REPRESENTATION

      - color in context and out of context

      - color as a representation of differences

      - color as a variable (ever changing)

Many things come in different colors

    - apples     - roses

    - candy     - gemstones

    - people    - grapes/wine

Colors are thought to show/evoke different emotions and experience

I am interested in the idea that whether a red apple or green...it is still an apple. 

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose

      By any other name would smell as sweet"

Color serves as a coating but not as a definition. 

PASSAGE OF TIME AS A STUDY OF CYCLE AND THE BEGINNING, INTERMEDIATE AND ENDING STAGES

LIFE CYCLE

     - 1-115

     - young-old

     - diapers-diapers

     - child to child

     - what is the transition that happens in the middle stages

     - people at all ages have needs- what are the different specific needs of different age groups

How does time change a person? what does time mean to people of different ages?

Though web searches of people during their life cycle I found two pictures that struck something of interest. I found a picture of a baby right next to a picture of a 100-year-old woman give some sort of rocker sign. The idea that you start your life as a child and end your life as a child and what happens in between is a result of and influences your beginning and ending stages is similar to architecture. A building starts as nothing and ultimately ends as nothing but what happens in the middle or “life time” is what truly makes the architecture. It would be interesting to further investigate how people at different stages of life interact and contribute to the spaces around them. 

PASSAGE OF TIME AS A STUDY OF A CYCLE OF REPETITION 

SEASON

     - cycle

     - repeat/rhythm

     - changing but reoccurring

     - color in times of day and season change as well

a tree is the same tree in the summer and winter but appropriate appearance changes

Bombing Modernism

Bombing Modernism

This website offers a new interesting view of why graffiti started. I am intrigued by the idea that architecture caused graffiti to start. I want to further investigate how to cause graffiti to happen through architecture.

Graffiti From Porter Square, MA

Poems I Love

Once there were two women

Who never knew each other.

One you do not remember

The other you call mother.

Two different lives

Shaped to make yours one.

One became your guiding star

The other became your sun.

The first gave you life

The second taught you to live in it.

The first gave you a need for love

And the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality

The other gave you a name.

One gave you the seed of talent

The other gave you an aim.

One gave you emotions

The other calmed your fears.

One saw your first smile

The other dried your tears.

One gave you up

It was all that she could do.

The other prayed for a child

And was led straight to you.

_________________________________________

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

______________________________________

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars,
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often,
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love

-by Diane Loomans

____________________________________________________

Self Motivation...

Scary? … always

A Surprise? … maybe

An Accident? … sometimes

A Mistake? … NEVER

I am a gift, a gift of life.

Whether black, white, rich or poor, a gift

Sure it was considered, but never followed trough with.

I still breathe, see, hear… I am alive.

I am lucky one might say

…Fortunate

I was given a new home, life, family.

I was accepted…loved

Love gave me life

Life now gives me love

I am a lover of my life

Let life live…

Why does it have to be a mistake?

Why end it before it starts?

Was it…

       Rape?

                  Stupidity?

                      Planned?

Does it matter? It is still life

DON’T TAKE IT AWAY!!

I am not me without my life

I am thankful for my life

  For love

I am a gift

I am alive.