Monthly Archives: February 2016

Mid-term Reflection (not finished)

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So far this course “English 1102: The Rhetoric of Space and Place in Atlanta” had challenged my understanding of the composition process  in a way that inspires me to compose work that is not only persuasive or rhetorical but also effective in conveying  ideas through various modes of communication, particularity visuals and space. The academic writing process in this course varies from how I learned to write and do research in the past because it me think of my work as a publication and not just an arbitrary essay I wrote the night before. In my opinion, this encourages me to put more effort into my work, however it also creates a sense of anxiety.

After working through the first major projects (reading summaries, annotated bibliographies, and built environment descriptions), I have learned that primary research and secondary research are both nessecary to discover the true essence of a topic. Primary research helps form personal ideas while secondary research provides credible sources and information to back it up.

The rhetorical situation for the compositions I am creating for this course is less formal and more discussion based.

Museums and Technology Discriminate the Disabled

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Lisney, Eleanor et al. “Museums and Technology: Being Inclusive Helps Accessibility for All.” 56.3 (2013): p353–361. Web.

Source: art.emich.edu

The authors of this article “Museums and Technology: Being Inclusive Helps Accessibility for All” ,who are  academic and three disability-and-access practitioners, discuss  “accessibility issues for museums in the context of growing dependence on technology”. Eleanor Lisney references “recent installations at the Herbert” that meshes 3D experiences with the real world, however artist Stelarc , lecturer Joff Chafer, and artist and technologist Ian Upton did not consider this exhibit is not accessible for people with visual impairments. Maria Zedda mentions the Equality Act of 2010 that stated one in five people in the United Kingdom are disabled yet museums are becoming less accessible to the blind and deaf through technological advancements. The authors speak from their own personal experiences “the aim of this paper is to provide museums with a disabled person’s point of view, which could help in inspiring improvements for the future”. This source is useful because it shows an issue from the perspective of the discriminated group and allows the reader to rethink about the way we interact in high tech environments and how it may be difficult for those with disabilities.

Art Accessibility

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Douglas, Houston, and Ong Paul. “Arts Accessibility to Major Museums and Cultural/ethnic Institutions in Los Angeles: Can School Tours Overcome Neighborhood Disparities?” Environment and Planning A 45 (2013): 728 – 748. Print.

Source: Metro.net

Douglas Huston of the Department of Planning, Policy and Design, School of Social Ecology, at the University of California and Paul Ong of Department of Urban Planning, School of Public Affairs, at the University of California Los Angeles discuss “arts participation within metropolitan areas and how it varies across institutions and different forms of engagement ” (728) in their article “Arts Accessibility to Major Museums and Cultural/ ethical Institutions in Los Angeles: Can School Tours Overcome Neighborhood Disparities?”. They propose ” sociocultural distance separates disadvantaged communities from arts and cultural institutions, given that many have historically been dominated by Eurocentric perspectives and are often perceived as highbrow and exclusive”(729). They cite research that states “individuals who are more affluent, have higher educational attainment, and/or who are White are more likely to attend an arts or cultural institution or event, watch or listen to arts or culture through media, or participate in a hands-on arts activity” (730).  The 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts found “whites nationwide were more likely to have attended an art museum” (730). In their article, Huston and Ong’s purpose is to “suggest that institutions should redouble efforts to overcome sociocultural and geographic barriers” (728). This article is useful because it addresses the accessibly of art museums based on culture and geographic location.

Robert Woodruff’s Impact on the Future of Atlanta

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Andrew, Land. “The Social and Civic Impacts of Robert Winship Woodruff in the City of Atlanta During the 1960s.” Thesis, Clemson, 2007.http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/103/.

Robert Woodruff Source: Woodruff.org

Andrew Land, who received an MFA in History at Clemson University, discusses in his article, “The Social and Civic Impacts of Robert Winship Woodruff in the City of Atlanta During the 1960s”, Robert Woodruff’s efforts “to combat poverty, make slum areas more livable, and provide cultural and art venues for Atlanta’s citizens.” He notes Woodruff’s extensive wealth and addresses how “Woodruff’s power, such as it was, was not wasted.  Rather, it was expended on issues close to his ideals and close to him personally” (49).  In particular, Woodruff sympathized with black residents in Atlanta communities and “Woodruff’s sense of civic obligation was tremendous; he had equally grand plans for the future of Atlanta” (56). Land’s purpose is to raise awareness about the contributions Woodruff made to Atlanta by building infrastructure, making it  one of the greatest cities in the South. This article provides the reader with an overview of the history of Atlanta’s conception and the actions leaders like Robert Woodruff and Ivan Allen took to build our future.

The Woodruff Arts Center: A Juxtaposition of Architecture and Community

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Woodruff Arts Center, Midtown, Atlanta

The Woodruff Arts Center is located in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia. The center was built in 1968 by award winning architect Richard Meier. Robert Woodruff, who was a main benefactor for the site, intended to pay homage to the art and civic leaders of Atlanta and provide programs for youth and their families. Although the center was built with the intention of building community it does appear to exclude the lower class and homeless.

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Digital Advertisement

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The Woodruff Arts Center has several  modern design elements such as sleek geometric architecture and and digital environment. The digital environment within the exterior of the center displays upcoming events, sponsorship, and other intriguing information to attract ongoing traffic. In the video, the digital environment and the exterior coexist to attract its intended users through visuals and graphics.

Bronze Statue

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This is an image on a bronze statue of Robert W. Woodruff designed by Nobuhito M. Matoba. The statue symbolizes Woodruff’s contributions to the Art Alliance, renamed Woodruff Arts Center.   The statue stands in front of the Symphony Building and alongside a sculpture designed for the Olympics. The center commemorates a man who seemed to care a lot about how his actions influences his community in terms of architecture and community service.

Woodruff Arts Center Exterior

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This is an image on the entrance of the High Museum of Art/ Woodruff Arts Center located in Midtown. The architecture of the center is modern and geometric. This design on the center can be intimidating because it appears to cater to the middle and upper class despite being easily accessible on public transit.

Class Notes 2/9/16

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Rhetoric: the art of persuasion

  • Ethos – credibility of a speaker
  • Pathos – a speakers manipulation of emotion, they way you manipulate audience’s emotions
  • Logos – speaker’s use of “facts’ etc. to appeal to a sense of logic
  • Kairos – right time/place, choosing particular moment, context surrounding a particular text

You can turn in any Reading Summaries and Annotated Bibliographies and receive points until Sunday noon 

Make 1/3 of your Annotated Bibliography answer the question: How is this source useful for anyone writing about the built environment of Atlanta?

Purpose of Built Environment Analysis is to promote change.

Key Terms go in quotation marks.

 

Robert W. Woodruff

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Atlanta Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center

This is an image of a stone featured with a statue of Robert Woodruff. The inscription states Robert Woodruff’s purpose for creating the Arts Center was he recognized the  arts are essential to community life. The stone also provides information about Woodruff’s credentials as a renowned industrialist and civic leader. This information provokes me to research what Woodruff has specifically done to improve his community in terms of industry and civics.