Typologies of Walking/Not
I surveyed 10 people and asked them about their perspectives on statements involving Christian perspectives and talking points. This piece is a typological amalgamation of their responses and a statement on the differing opinions within a single belief system.
Artist Statement
There are a total of 30 slips with 10 varying statements that stem from discussions about topics regarding Christianity and politics. The individual slips represent different responses to these Christian perspectives. The slips that are crumpled are a sign of disagreement, and the slips that are folded represent a sign of agreement. Some papers are both crumpled and folded, which represents a feeling of uncertainty. In "Beach beneath the Street", when discussing the two kinds of collective belongings, McKenzie Wark states, “we belong because we are the same” and “we belong because we are not” (Wark, 2011). In a group, some people are similar but different. The piece as a whole represents that even in a group of like-minded individuals led by strong faith, there still exist disagreements upon how one may extend this concept onto others. Whether a piece of paper is crumpled or folded takes into consideration the value of what is presented and where it will end up. The amount of deliberate care to maintain a folded sheet of paper isn't attached to objects crumpled like discarded items. Agreeing and disagreeing aren't inherently bad things. However, one must consider the social implications of their beliefs and why they believe them.
The blue ink is a solid color that is often associated with sadness, but it is also linked to calmness and tranquility through color theory. This represents the contrasting perspectives of religion, especially when it applies to Christian ideologies. Similarly, the message “God saves” is a term that both attracts and repels viewers, prompting them to address this message. It is a familiar phrase that serves as the centerpiece of the composition, which seems to overshadow the words beneath it. However, upon viewing the piece closer, the viewer is opened to different opinions that exist within and about this belief system.
The deeper meaning of the piece is to understand that Christianity has an influence over our fellow Americans' belief systems and livelihoods. It begs the question of whether the presented inconsistencies in belief should be prescribed to all. Is it right to impose ideologies indiscriminately in federal and state-level legislation if there are different belief systems associated with scripture and how it should impact everyday American life, no matter the religion? Answers and reasoning to this question may vary depending on which branch of the Christian faith one belongs to. Thus, under different conditions and environments, the piece may change. Most importantly, this piece encourages a reflection to assess where one would fall under this world view while simultaneously fostering curiosity on the scale of differing interpretations. This piece opens up a mode of breaking down monolithic perceptions into individual parts to reveal diverse opinions and perspectives.
Process
I went surveying with a tote bag and the slips stacked so as not to repeat. After the participants were done crumpling and folding, they put their responses into the tote bag. It took a lot of rejections and swinging around to get enough people to participate in this survey. I believe the entire surveying process took 2-3 hours; I started around 9 and finished at 11:09.
Not all participants identified as Christian. However, it’s important to note that these statements revolve around the organization of society as it relates to religion. For each participant, I asked, “Would you like to participate in a survey about Christian perspectives?” Then I reassured them that the survey was completely anonymous and encouraged them to “answer as honestly as they can.” A lot of the people refused to do the survey before even being told what it was about (understandable). One person refused to do the survey because they thought it was distasteful for them to get into politics and religion (understandable). Some did the interview without asking clarifying questions as to the purpose of the research and what it would be used for. Some weren’t entirely sure of the wording of the slips and needed clarification. This project requires more structure, limitations, and credibility to be as powerful as I would like it to be. With all this being said, I am proud of my project and see this as an interesting way to capture the differentiation in opinion within systems perceived as monolithic or conservative.
This box displays the approximate area of operation where the research portion of this project took place.
