Walking + Reading Journal 10/18

How do murals preserve the culture of a neighborhood?

Murals are irreplaceable pieces of art that represent the identity of minority groups within their neighborhoods. This representation displays the shared struggle of minority groups in America and sends a message of the freedom they’ve earned in order to be members of society. Another message could be to unite groups of people. In Pilsen Murals Blend Art and Activism, Scannell says the mural, “Fallen Dictator,” “bridges the gap between the neighborhood and the rest of the city with a highly politicized anti-war and anti-imperialist message.” This mural allows other members of society to understand the anti-war values of Nicaraguans so they are not an oppressed or misunderstood group. The artists in charge of this project also came from all over Chicago, which also symbolizes unity among residents of the city as a whole. Culture is preserved in Pilsen through this mural because it shows that the Nicaraguan values of imperialism aren’t going to change and their place in a better country isn’t going to change either. They are integral members of the community.

Composition #1:

For the essay, I’ve finished planning the essay and finding quotes for my topic. I need to start drafting and integrating quotes and pictures. I want to integrate photos of my favorite places I’ve seen, including a photo with my friends I’ve made while walking.

I plan to use quotes from Solnit’s writings because I like how she explains the importance and sensations of walking. In Solitary Stroller in the City, Solnit wrote, “as more and more buildings arose, they became a continent, the remaining open space no longer like the sea but like rivers, canals, and streams running between the land masses. People no longer moved anyhow in the open sea of rural space but traveled up and down the streets, and just as narrowing a waterway increases flow and speed, so turning open space into the spillways of streets directs and intensifies the flood of walkers” (Pg. 186). The only open ‘space’ in the city were the streets and intersections between the massive buildings surrounding them. While my home in the suburbs is surrounded by forest, an ocean of space, these narrow streets I walked across felt like rivers, somehow becoming narrower the longer I walked, and the crosswalks symbolized bridges. This supports my topic about my newfound perspective on walking because I was able to visualize walking in a different way, comparing it to a flood.

I will use the Chicago Encyclopedia for this essay because it is very helpful when looking for concise information regarding any space or history in Chicago.

Composition #2:

For my field guide, I’ve planned out what I want to draw and how I want to creatively display my walking journey. All I have left to do is to put those drawings on paper, but I have completed what I plan to write alongside those drawings and pictures. I don’t think I need to walk anywhere to complete my field guide because I have enough photos and memories of my walk to help me create the art. My field guide tells the story of things I’ve seen on my walking journey that I’ve seen differently than before since I’ve lived in Chicago my whole life. I want to visually show my new viewpoint of walking in a city.