Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Neighborhood surveys and infographics as street art


Here's an article from GOOD, Inc. (thanks, Toni) about an artist in a Boston neighborhood who posts street art featuring demographic information, poetry, and questions about the neighborhood.

What kind of impact do you think a project like this would have on the Kalamazoo community?

11 comments:

  1. I think it good have a very positive impact. However at the same time it could be negative it really simply depends on how people react to some of the information given and questions that are asked about the Kalamazoo neighborhoods.

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  2. Mark, i think it good, too ;). Could you expand on the types of negative reactions it could spur? I think its biggest weakness is just that the posters are a passive approach, and although they are artistic, they are no replacement for face-to-face community organizing for change.

    That being said, there's a place for both. ....So, when and where should we start putting up fliers?

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  3. I like this idea. Great street art brings life to a neighborhood.

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  4. They're not passive in the sense that you can print out your own copies (or make up your own versions) and thus make this more of a conversation, where different members of the community are putting their thoughts and views out for the whole group to see. I really like this- at the very least it can't hurt

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  5. This is a very creative way to help the people in the community become educated. I do agree with Mark when he said that some people may take it differently, but I think it would be more helpful than harmful.

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  6. Perhaps this would inspire more people to take action, become well-informed, and clean up their community.

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  7. ...rather than relying on classes like these to beautify the community for them

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  8. Guess I'm going to be the cynic here, but I think it would get negative responses. We don't even feel a constant sense of community within K College, and K City is far less cohesive (and friendly!). It would just be a chance for people to take out anger and leave negative comments, writing on the telephone poles or making their own criticizing posters, bringing the rest of us down. Perhaps it would get a small proportion of people thinking in a positive way, but the solution is just not as easy as putting up fliers.

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  9. I think the idea of posting around questions to get people thinking about issues in their community is a very interesting way to engage the public. The fact that it is a simple sign anyone could of made rather than a billboard/news advertisement/etc. gives the questions a much more personal feel. Just knowing that a community member (one of your peers) wants to facilitate a discussion about the community makes it more impactful to those reading the sign.

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  10. I really don't know whether it will inspire people to take action or not but it will definitely inform them and get them thinking. Even if it brings negative feelings and people take out their anger and write negative comments, I would still count it as a positive impact because it is serving as an outlet for people. It will still get them to think and possibly act.

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  11. I think it is an interesting idea. I would like to know what people who saw these signs in person thought. Honestly, I don't think I would pay attention to something posted to a telephone pole, but maybe a lot of people do.
    I think that it would be more affective if it drew more attention.

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