Culminating Project Abstract

Micro-Macro Bind

Dilating 19^th and 20^th Century Colonialistic Portrayals

Beyond Ethnocentric, Generalized Bounds Toward 21^st Century Globalization  

by Kelly Collier Rauh

This mixed-media map banner demonstrates dichotomies between micro- and macro- global perspectives.  Some 19^th and 20^th century literature portrayed stereotypical views of postcolonial dominance.  Other novels focussed on micro-societies, showing atypical lives populating all regions.  This pastiche lures passersby to an unexpected global map to absorb tiny, intriguing narrative elements, and reflects their own image in the mix. The intended impression is how powerful our choices of words are in building negative boundaries that divide and in encouraging positive blends of unique individuals into boundless, interconnected global societies.

Beginning with Buckminster Fuller’s projection map sectioning the globe into triangles, this work uses solar pool cover for the base and translucent ocean background.  Fuller’s map is turned to center North America, as literature studied was written in English, and many Americans maintain ethnocentricity.  This view sets European colonial superpowers to one side--upside-down to our conditioned thinking--and no larger than Madagascar.  Land masses are cloth and plastics illustrating stereotypical generalizations.

Spaces unused by Fuller’s flat map form blocks of regions covered in readings.  Each contains remixed representations of props, events, and themes: Laminated photos, drawings, and maps cut into words or shapes; ornaments; greeting card sections; buttons; coins; and other miniature found objects.  Each includes two tidbits to find:  a mirror square showing the observer’s inclusion in that view, and the name of a different culture’s author.

The inner border contains each story’s title.   Pieced cloth forms the surrounding band of muted, abstract patterns representing the future’s blended races and cultures, overlaid with Diamond Age “gems”. Castles symbolize the internet uniting our global society; and Fuller’s map remains a true cornerstone.