Rain, Rain, Go Away I Have to do My Walk Today

• Why is public art important to creating communicative spaces? How is public art related to the idea of “social capital,” which we read about last week (Malchik)? How do artists use public art as a form of political or social activism? Draw on the readings to inform your response.

Public art is all around the city of Chicago. There are murals and sculptures all in which create conversations and a gathering point for walkers. When thinking of Malchiks “social capital” idealization, art is a way that starts communication. Malchik says that to form social capital the city needs to have walkability. When having art such as murals and sculptures it creates a path with things for people to look at and talk about. When going back to our first walk on the first day of immersion week, our group was immediately drawn to Oz Park and we all started talking about The Wizard of Oz and how the art was good or bad in our eyes. Art can show political activism by displaying stories such as the murals we saw in Humboldt Park. This mural was to show the way that gentrification and harm was caused to Puerto Ricans during a time of white dominance.

I went to The School of Music Courtyard.

This is a communicative space; it has benches and places for people to lay. It’s area which attracts people.

It is a courtyard so I witnessed lots of people walking through it to get to class.

I saw dogs. I saw lots of people with instrument cases and groups of people that looked like they were going to practice in the music hall.

The ambience of this courtyard is chill. It is off a busy street so it feels like an escape away from the rustle of the road.

There is a wood plank that is vertical and is a public art figure in the corner of the courtyard. Next to it is a plaque that shows a QR code that lets you look at all of the different art that is around Lincoln Park. This to me shows it is a communicable space because of how the maker of this park wants people to interact with the area.

The sidewalks are like the Quad in the way they go in all directions. They are very clean and look new.

There is lots of garbage cans and a bike rack. Also in the middle of the courtyard is a Emergency Tower which makes the area feel safe.

I am hearing the sounds of the road. Buses passing by. People talking while walking.

I can faintly hear music from the school.

I am not smelling much just brisk air.

It looks like its about to rain. I left.