Remix the City: Sticker Project — Human/Nature Dichotomies

What is it about our particular society that makes us so uncomfortable with disorder? One of the primary characteristics of a city is its structure and planning, each element deliberate. I believe that this ‘ordering’ of space contributes to our isolation in that we primarily encounter that which we have chosen, through the design of the city, to encounter. One example of this which I find particularly troubling is the social, geographic, and philosophical dividing of humans from nature. Our desire to master, organize, sanitize and control nature has left us disconnected from some of the most essential things to our survival.

I am mainly interested in how this dichotomy between nature and culture has removed us from the source of our food supply. When one considers it, supermarkets, with mounds of homogeneous, clean, packaged foods, are fairly bizarre. The product we receive has become just that, a product. We know little about its origins and remain intellectually disconnected from it. However, the reality is that we are deeply ingrained in our food system. I see a need to re-conceptualize ourselves not as isolated consumers but as active participants in these structures.

In looking at Heimbold specifically, I wanted to draw attention to the very sterile and structured spacial narrative. Its industrial, blank feel echoes the desire for order which I mentioned earlier. Because of this, I chose to reframe Heimbold using nature. My sticker project is an image of a vine growing out of the wall in the hallway in which we have class. In this way I am choosing to reframe both the vine and the building by connecting these supposedly incongruous elements of nature and society. I am inspired by those who challenge this dichotomy, such as urban and guerilla gardeners.

I had some technical difficulties with the sticker printer and my paper so the installation has not occurred yet. photos to come.

Author: Mariko Kamiya