Fascination, sense of place (& a pair of jeans)
Walked into a shop to buy a pair of jeans today (a bargain). I entered a space ‘a branded space’ a space full of signs, a space that engaged my senses and a different sense of self. I’m not usually swayed (to my knowledge) by branded environments, but have been engaged by #edcmooc as a virtual space, and how identity has been generated in that space (due to the character of the course team?).
The idea of a sense of place in relation to learning and teaching is not new to me, neither is a sense of place in a virtual environment in order to create engagement. So why now am I suddenly becoming occupied with place?! Most of my previous posts deal with elements, or markers that possibly signify/represent a thought or a notion. But how do these lose thoughts / notions manifest as a whole… Do I need to brand my notion? Apple as a brand, has an almost religious zeal, with one underlying unifying principle ‘quality of user experience’. Linking branding to specific learning and teaching (not institution, although linked) does not feel new (?), a good teacher will impose an identity on to a class, the #edcmooc course team uses character (in my opinion) to create sense of place.
Sian used the word ’boutique’ in #edcmooc hangout two, this echos with my shopping experience (to some extent), and previous gallery visit (the same day). The gallery (Lever gallery) and cloth shop were full of signs, some explicit, some that fascinate, and some complex that engaged deeper meaning and provoke notion. But what about the Gallery and shop themselves, and their own context? Making me think of SL, but is that still institutional identity? Where, and what is learning identity? Does this all fit with deindustrialisation and spectacle? Very much fits with identity in virtual communities.
I think I need to shift my thinking beyond individual artifacts (?). How does context change an artifact, and how can that context then be manipulated? If a digital artifact is given meaningful context, is that artifact then gifted a virtual existents?
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‘How does context change an artifact, and how can that context then be manipulated?’
for my dissertation it is my intention to look at contexts, more specifically the digital art spaces in which artworks are presented. The invitation from a material to an immaterial context is fascinating (to link with your other post). I (would like to) think we are developing new visual literacies. Where the viewer (visitor) is allowed a level of interaction with the artworks (away from the image you posted above, but which may be an entry point) is a consideration.
Even the language, ‘viewer’ to ‘visitor’ is for instance a more active association, viewing being quite passive. I think there may also be a shift from ‘spectacle’ to ‘participant’…. losts to look into, and exciting.
Truly exciting, Gina. I look forward to reading, seeing, hearing more about your dissertation.
‘spectacle’ to ‘participant’ – are you visualising digital art spaces as digital interactive spaces? I think when digital technology moves beyond the screen in regards of interaction, that concept will become interesting. But isn’t this just interaction as it’s has always been (since 1990 ish), mouse or pen etc.
The term spectacle is more than the term viewer. The term spectacle refers to how economy has changed from production, and how education is following that pattern – economy based on spectacle – looking. All visual action (painting etc) and interaction is based on looking & viewing. Participating is subset of the spectacle in the visual domain – surly?
I think it’s very important to begin to understand ‘type’ in space (as you suggest), and semiotic values within those spaces, this is important to learning and teaching especially in the digital domain, in the light of education as a commercial open space (#edcmooc).
For some reason I’m not comfortable with interaction on screen – it feels clumsy (other than sound?). Maybe it’s because I’ve done a lot of interaction stuff in the last 15 years or more, maybe when augmented comes around for real – or when interaction can leave the screen?
A project that did interest me 6 or 7 years ago was a Texting poetry collaboration – how would that work with image?