The article “Creative Activism and Art Against Urban Renaissance and Social Exclusion,” by Eva Youkhana, first introduced to me the concept of claiming space through public art. Youkhana explains that the rise of graffiti during the 1970s among young African American men could be seen as an effort by a marginalized population to not only claim, but feel a sense of belonging in a space because they played a role in creating the character of said place.
As someone who wants to be a writer, I have always been fascinated by the way literature functions as a form of social change. I looked to “Berlin as a Migratory Setting” by Yasemin Yildiz to further understand how literature, like street art, can allow an individual to establish a sense of belonging in a specific place. Berlin’s literary scene is steeped in the work of migrants. This pervasiveness of migrant authors in Berlin has, by connecting voice to space, established Berlin as an international city. I hope to focus my studies on how individuals claim a role in a space through art, and particularly through writing. This is only the beginning of my exploration, but I look forward to learning more.
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AuthorStudent at the University of Washington, Sophie Aanerud, will be studying abroad in Berlin, Germany. Here are some of her thoughts . . . Archives
August 2017
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