Blog 5

            My first project for this class required me to construct an exhibit based around the term “material”. I chose the route of a physical and 3-dimensional miniature museum exhibit, showcasing genre conventions of a typical museum exhibit, plus a few creative twists.  I purchased materials to begin constructing this mini exhibit using Disney, Ripley’s, and National Portrait Gallery in London as my inspiration, all places that I have been and that have best depicted to me what an interesting and educational exhibit’s layout would be. I would consider the making of this project to more so be a composition rather than writing. This is because it required the formulating of placement and structure without exactly using words. I supposed one could say that writing and composing are the same thing, however, I feel that composing requires more strategy, while writing can occur more freely, without any initial intention. I believe that this projects reflects effective communication and design because it consists of information, placed explicitly with the artifacts, as well as directional cues and labels that are meant to guide viewers of the exhibit, which is extremely organized. The project is all about the term “material”, being that it was also created to display and define material. The artifacts each depict miniature versions of some materials used to compose texts, and it is called the “Exhibit of Materiality”. The other terms are represented in some way, even with “material” being the focus. The design of the project had to reflect that of a museum exhibit. Sharing information in a public manner is a form of circulation, as museums aim to do. An audience is meant to review and be catered to in a museum. The last word, which relates to this project, out of the other words on the list, that do not particularly fit, is “assemblage”. The project can be looked at as an assemblage of artifacts, flooring pieces, subcategories, and labels designed to do one thing, inform. I have truly captured what material can be, as well as the wide range of items that can be considered a text.