Inking a Map of Chicago
Malchik Reading
Walking is a necessity because it is a fundamental part of keeping people healthy — both physically and mentally. Malchik mentions that walking for thirty minutes per day, five days a week can keep you away from obesity and depression. It stimulates the brain and the senses. Walking is a human need and it is being taken away by cars and roads and highways. Being hit by vehicles threatens walking, as well as suburbs being built. These new neighborhoods are brought up with no regard for walkers. Everything is far apart, and there are hardly any sidewalks. People’s necessity to put one foot in front of the other is being rear-ended by cars hogging up space with their roads, highways and parking lots. Where you live influences how you live because if you live in a sad suburb with no sidewalks, you will be forced to drive everywhere — which is a life steadily leading towards obesity. You may feel trapped and be inactive. On the other hand, if you live in a large city with lots of sidewalks and pedestrians, you will walk everywhere and be healthy both cognitively and physically. You will feel more free, as you have access to all parts of the city — not just where the roads lead you.
Final project
My proposition for this project is to make a map based on tattooed people I meet. The argument is that tattoos are people’s history, and people’s history is what makes up the city. These people chose to display their history on their bodies. History can mean people’s interests at a certain point in their life, events that happened to them, or family members passing away. All of these things can be visually explained on a person’s body through tattoos, and it creates an story of its own. I am going to tell the story of artistic people living with tattoos in Chicago. Tattoos are a map of the city, intertwining people’s histories through art. They can be prominent or discreet, leaving it up to the inked individual if they want to share their history with the eyes of the passing world. You never know what tattoos you will see on the streets of Chicago.
