Monday, October 20, 2008

Blk Studies Visual Matters Campaign


This year, we’ve been implementing a kind of visual matters campaign. We’ve tried to raise awareness about black studies by making visual representations central to the transmission of ideas about race, culture, and African American knowledge.
The campaign began last year with the redesign of the SIUE Black Studies website. That effort, like the ones we’re doing now, was led by our artistic director Marci and one of our longtime generous and talented volunteers Tristan.
Often, programs and organizations invest in a visually stimulating poster or flyer to promote a specific event or activity. The posters are displayed around campus, and the flyers are circulated among students. But perhaps, we figured, some other alternatives are possible and necessary.
Since we have tried to move beyond the “one time event” approach with our major projects and activities, we’ve been envisioning ways of making visual matters integral to much of what we do.
We’ve tried fashioning presentations that convey both the linguistic and visual dimensions of our developing visions. Ultimately, we’re hoping our compositions will bring more attention to the nature and operations of black studies.

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