Social systems and constructs – Storytelling, Language and Ancient Ways of Knowing

Reality of Poverty Tour

On November 28, 2021

In Artifacts, connection, Ethics, Social systems and constructs

A continuation of our collaboration with LANG120 and our exploration of Asheville. Present day and ancient times, the way a community meets the needs of its members (or fails to meet those needs) reflects the community’s values.

It was so interesting to learn that city officials put a ton of effort into designing roads and just what to put in a city. The Asheville Poverty Initiatives team mentioned that race and social class had a lot to do with where the major roads are built. For example, the roads here in Asheville (major roads like I-26) cater to the wealthier people in wealthier neighborhoods. This is because those major roads are made to be more accessible to them, and they lead straight into town meaning that those people get a better shot at the higher end/higher paying jobs.It’s interesting because it is so cyclical and is designed to keep people in poverty in poverty.
Emily Alexander

Some civilizations were very communal based and focused on everyone being relative equals, especially when it come to decisions that affected the whole society, like Native American tribes and civilizations attributing the land to nature and not themselves as well as having community wide meetings where everyone had an equal voice. Other civilizations had a very class based society and the lower classes barely had a say in what happened to their society as everything was decided by the elite classes
Mahmoud Banawan

I was able to learn about different lived realities in people’s experience of poverty and homelessness in Asheville. We were able to hear the different ways that people may become homeless and how different people have had to navigate being homeless, in Asheville in particular. This allowed us to explore the different barriers that apply to people’s different experiences.
Ziyanah Alexander

The conversation around poverty today and in ancient civilizations can be connected to the power and politics discussion we had in class. We came to the conclusion that money is power, and it shows, and in terms of the Realities of Poverty tour, this is shown because the people in power, the ones with the money, enact policies and laws that benefit the rich, in most cases. This leads to cycles of poverty for many that remain unbroken as they sink deeper into poverty as the government and legislation help those with money and forget about those without.
Bailey Creech

Public Art Scavenger Hunt

By Leslee Johnson

On November 28, 2021

In Artifacts, Communication, connection, Politics, Social systems and constructs, Story, Student work

Curated slideshow of the public art collected by students in Wray’s LANG120 and Johnson’s HUM124.

Street Style Art includes a range of mediums and practices including graffiti, tagging, murals, memorials, and physical installations. In the ancient world, we see public art often as a show of power – monuments erected by a ruler, telling of past glories. When we look at indigenous cultures, public art is also a form of cultural expression and belonging to a specific place. For example, Mayan pictographic language on tombs and artifacts tells the story of the Popol Vuj, and today we see stylized Mayan pictographs (such as jaguars and native vines) in the murals of artists in Mexico and South America, urban and rural, evidence of/testament to the persistence of Mayan people and ways of being. In the study of the ancient world, we tend to privilege the written word. The lives of everyday people, communicated in visual or other modes, are largely missing from historical record, or invisible.

Click here for the entire assignment.

This scavenger hunt put into perspective how language can be lacking. Specifically, our own view of language and knowing. Art and beauty holds a unique place in our understanding of the world around us.
Mike Islas

If I were to tell a story in a public way I would make sure that it is a story I have a place telling. Too often I think ancient stories are shared by people that do not possess the right knowledge on an issue or don’t have enough practical experience of the issue they are representing artistically. Making sure knowledge is shared by reputable sources is extremely important to ensuring the right information is being shared so that change is being made for the right reasons as well as making valuable change happen. I would likely choose something related to feminism or maybe the flaws in the education system because these are issues I have experienced first hand and I have the right platform and understanding to defend a side.
Kayla Burgess

The scattered graffiti, mechanical structures, commercial paintings, and politically driven murals all showed a side of Asheville that I believe to be the most interesting. The progressive, artistic and creative side- but also the brave side. The bravery to speak your truth. The bravery to face opposition. The bravery to be yourself. If everything else were to wash away in the waves of time, I believe that to be the one thing that translates the same a thousand years from now. The one constant we can all agree on is that it is hard to be yourself in a society that puts similitude on such a high pedestal.
Daysha Cheney

Something that I have noticed as my group was collecting these images and relating them to the art we have seen from ancient cultures is how, no matter the time period, artists use their art to convey their beliefs, and they usually have deeper meanings.
Ash McKim

The use of bright, loud colors represents the straightforward presence of an assortment of minorities, uplifting their voices despite them constantly being silenced. This idea is timeless and as cultural diversity persists, it will be interesting to see how this piece transforms as well. The conversation these art pieces are having are not new, but will always be relevant.
Esther Min

Category: Social systems and constructs (Page 1 of 2)

Reality of Poverty Tour

Public Art Scavenger Hunt

Love, Gender & Intimacy in the Ancient World