This project is a semester-long online space of art-based exploration of our spaces and experiences. The space is flexible to participants’ times.
This invitation is specially to UIUC community who identifies as minority
How can we share, play, learn from and with others under the current situation? How can we contribute to each other’s movements, echo each others’ gestures, and support each others’ struggles? How do we want to name ourselves? When do we need to take distance?
String Figuring is an invitation to explore all of these questions during a semester-long virtual space of creative exploration. It will function mostly through a-synchronous activities and a few voluntary synchronous gatherings. The space is open for you to participate when and how you need it.
String Figuring is intended at finding ways for supporting each other through an intersection of difficulties: the experience of being in school while in isolation, our particular struggles derived from the pandemic, the current hostile environment in the country against people like us (people facing racialization and whose livelihood is always at stake), and other difficulties in your life that only you know about. You can participate when and how you need it. I call it a “string figure” to emphasize that it is a space that depends on all the participants holding its ends, and giving it shapes. Also to manifest that us coming together produce “something” that has its own texture, form, and rhythm, and that needs of our connection and our movements. This string figure is precious and worth sharing as a creative piece and a statement.
This space, for now, is an invitation specially for people of color. It is a space for us to name ourselves, talk, and move how we need to.
THIS PROJECT WILL END WITH AN ONLINE ART SHOW WITH INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS
To participate is: MAKE YOUR ART, WITNESS and RESPOND to others’ art.
Your contributions and responses are like activating your end of the sting figure, giving it a new shape, and letting people at other ends of the string that you are there, holding it, together.
This is how we weave our string figure.
The project has also another function. It is research.
Below you will find information about the following questions you may have concerning your participation in this project:
What? Research? Who? What?
What do I have to do?
What if I want my art to stay private?
What about the art show? Will all this be public?
Who can I contact about this?
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What? Research? Who? What?:
I, Catalina, am studying if and how certain art practices support forms of connection that are generative, empowering and also knowledge-generating. With this project I want to learn, with you, if the creative resources that I will offer and my way of offering them can function as an engaging and empowering space. I am not studying you, but what this art practice can generate. This way, you—participants—are really co-researchers, because how this space function depends also of your own questions and discoveries.
2. What do I have to do?:
Be over 18 years old and your art. You are not responsible of any other activity. You are free to participate as much or as little as you want and you can. You only HAVE to commit to be CARING and RESPECTFUL of others and yourself. Sharing art always makes us a little vulnerable, but the goal is that sharing this small vulnerability will help us support each other in the ways we need it. Also: Share only what you feel comfortable with sharing. Do not feel obliged to be more vulnerable or transparent than you want to be. You can choose to share your art using a pseudonym. You will still have to register using your name to get access to our online space and so your fellow participants meet you. It’s a way to be in community. However, you can contribute your art without your name.
3. What if I want my art to stay private?
You can participate only by making art, witnessing and responding. This is already teaching me what is possible with this form. I will only study the general process in terms of how my prompts work and how they don’t, without studying you in specific. I will NOT publish your art unless you authorize me to do so. You can decide if you authorize me to use your work after we have completed the project. Just keep in mind that all that you contribute will be seen by the other participants. Please keep in mind that you can withdraw from the project at any time without any consequences. Always reach out to me if you have any question or concern.
4. What about the art show? Will all this be public?
Throughout the semester our process will be completely reserved for us, the participants engaged in the String Figure. At the end of the process we will collectively decide who want to contribute their pieces for the show, and which pieces they want to share. You can be part of the process without having to participate in the final show, or contribute to the show only a few pieces.
5. Who can I contact about this?
Me (Catalina Hernandez-Cabal)! Reach out to me with any question to my email: chernan@illinois.edu.
If you ever need another person to discuss any part of this project, you can contact my research director, Professor Jorge Lucero at jlucero@illinois.edu or the LatinoLatina Studies academic advisor, Alicia Rodriguez at aprodrig@illinois.edu.