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Revealing Identity Through the Lens of Appropriation

Dixon, Imani
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1491307241886434

Abstract Details

2017, MARCH, University of Cincinnati, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Architecture.
Historically, African-Americans have had a heavy influence on the construction of American culture and—to a great degree—possess a subculture that is highly visible in creative fields such as literature, fine arts, fashion, music and dance. While the influences in these fields may be easy to decipher from the mainstream, it is not as easy to distinguish the presence of an African-American identity in Architecture. Some theorists and writers have interrogated this concept through evidence of African-originated forms and materials, while others have through the perception of space for the black body. It is clear, however, that signs of African-American cultural identity are evident in many communities throughout the United States, especially in urban environments. While some have a strong visible presence, such as graffiti that descends from hip-hop culture, others are more subtle and may not be identifiable unless bodies are present to imply or suggest space. These uses of space are products of a particular place and time; quite often through complex racial circumstances which many facets of black identity have been born out of. Architecture has had a significant connection with these circumstances. Often, marginalized communities inherit the built environment of dominant communities who have migrated to other areas. Typically, these groups—pushed into the margins of society—live in areas with limited available resources and consequently construct their own identities, usually through the creative reuse of materials and spaces available to them. The point of inquiry then becomes how identity is assumed and made manifest through this appropriation of materials and space. A uniform identity is not taken on by the marginalized group, but collective memories and shared experiences can define the identity of the group over time. The act of re-purposing space is also a type of resistance for many marginalized groups. For African-Americans in particular, evidence of this resistance can be observed in discussions from the use of African-American Vernacular English to the emergence of music documenting Black life through the present day. For architecture, the appropriation of space and materials can be emancipatory when it allows marginalized groups to seize control of their own communities and establish their own identity. Feminist critic bell hooks has stated that, “architecture, though one of the least accessible art practices, is the most accessible public art in our nature.” Because the built environment facilitates public life, architecture has the ability to engage with culture and vice versa. This thesis investigates how an understanding of racial and cultural identity can impact the regional architecture of a community in a specific Chicago neighborhood through the lens of spatial and material appropriation. To represent the synthesis of the relationship between Architecture and African-American identity with instances of appropriation in urban environments, this thesis will present a design proposal for a library/cultural center in the predominately African-American neighborhood of South Shore in Chicago, Illinois.
Aarati Kanekar|, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
|Elizabeth| Riorden, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
76 p.
Architecture
appropriation; urban; black; identity; cultural identity; Chicago

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Dixon, I. (2017). Revealing Identity Through the Lens of Appropriation [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1491307241886434

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Dixon, Imani. Revealing Identity Through the Lens of Appropriation. 2017. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1491307241886434.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Dixon, Imani. "Revealing Identity Through the Lens of Appropriation." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1491307241886434

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1491307241886434
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.