"Embracing Multiplicity" Project Ideas by Sabina Arias
Visual Arts Project with Poetic Component
This image is the result of a group exercice done in 2011 at a summer class at RISD.
I think the reason that the Cuba-US issue is so difficult to talk about is because its hard for anybody to live with complicated realities that contradict each other. This is such a polarizing subject and I believe that if both sides acknowledged the things to be learned that have come out of both the American democratic ideology and the Cuban socialist ideology, it could be a step in the direction of embracing multiple perspectives on the matter. Labeling one ideology as good and one as evil is detrimental to an attempt of moving forward. The problems between Cuba and the US happened before any of us were born so instead of delving in the past and fighting over who did what, I would like this project to focus on learning from each other and coming to terms with the fact that its not a black and white matter. I am aware that there are many holes in this idea, and by bringing to light the good things it might seem to overlook the oppressive aspects of both ideologies, but I am willing to integrate more elements of critique into this project, so please feel free to make any constructive suggestions.
Step 1. Calartian students would examine the good things that the Cuban Socialist Ideology has brought to the World such as: free education for all, free healthcare, the abundant support given to Arts & Culture and the fact that its accessible for anybody, solidarity for nations in need (for example the War in Angola in 1975, when Cuba sent 25,000 troops in support of the Leftist People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, or during Hurricane Katrina, or in Indonesia for the 2004 Tsunami, etc), gun control laws (no one has laws outside the military), etc.
Cuban students would examine the good things that the American democratic ideology has brought to the World such as: *I need help on this one, still doing some internet research but mostly would be humanitarian Aid, Freedom of speech? (Im not too sure how to navigate this one since we cant really put Cuban students in the position of talking about freedom of speech cause they might get in trouble). THIS ONE NEEDS SOME WORK.
Step 2. One of these topics would be picked for each country, and we would pick an image to represent each one of these things.
A group of students from Calarts would each be given a white paper square to replicate the piece of the Cuban image assigned to them.
A group of students from Cuba would each be given a white paper square to draw/replicate the piece of the American image assigned to them.
Step 3. Once everybody has drawn on their square (shouldnt take more than 1 hour), the students would asseble the squares into an image together. Creating something like the image of Gandhi seen above. The pieces could then be displayed one next to the other with a poetic component to them projected on the walls: Asking students to describe in one or two sentences what multiplicity means to them or what it means to embrace multiple perspectives in a healing way. These responses would then be projected on the space between the two pieces as an exhibition.
Visual Arts Project with Poetic Component
I think the reason that the Cuba-US issue is so difficult to talk about is because its hard for anybody to live with complicated realities that contradict each other. This is such a polarizing subject and I believe that if both sides acknowledged the things to be learned that have come out of both the American democratic ideology and the Cuban socialist ideology, it could be a step in the direction of embracing multiple perspectives on the matter. Labeling one ideology as good and one as evil is detrimental to an attempt of moving forward. The problems between Cuba and the US happened before any of us were born so instead of delving in the past and fighting over who did what, I would like this project to focus on learning from each other and coming to terms with the fact that its not a black and white matter. I am aware that there are many holes in this idea, and by bringing to light the good things it might seem to overlook the oppressive aspects of both ideologies, but I am willing to integrate more elements of critique into this project, so please feel free to make any constructive suggestions.
Step 1. Calartian students would examine the good things that the Cuban Socialist Ideology has brought to the World such as: free education for all, free healthcare, the abundant support given to Arts & Culture and the fact that its accessible for anybody, solidarity for nations in need (for example the War in Angola in 1975, when Cuba sent 25,000 troops in support of the Leftist People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, or during Hurricane Katrina, or in Indonesia for the 2004 Tsunami, etc), gun control laws (no one has laws outside the military), etc.
Cuban students would examine the good things that the American democratic ideology has brought to the World such as: *I need help on this one, still doing some internet research but mostly would be humanitarian Aid, Freedom of speech? (Im not too sure how to navigate this one since we cant really put Cuban students in the position of talking about freedom of speech cause they might get in trouble). THIS ONE NEEDS SOME WORK.
Step 2. One of these topics would be picked for each country, and we would pick an image to represent each one of these things.
A group of students from Calarts would each be given a white paper square to replicate the piece of the Cuban image assigned to them.
A group of students from Cuba would each be given a white paper square to draw/replicate the piece of the American image assigned to them.
Step 3. Once everybody has drawn on their square (shouldnt take more than 1 hour), the students would asseble the squares into an image together. Creating something like the image of Gandhi seen above. The pieces could then be displayed one next to the other with a poetic component to them projected on the walls: Asking students to describe in one or two sentences what multiplicity means to them or what it means to embrace multiple perspectives in a healing way. These responses would then be projected on the space between the two pieces as an exhibition.
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