classes

In this class, students will learn about ‘memory objects’ – about those personal belongings that elicit nostalgia and involuntary memories. Memory objects have been critical in the study of material culture and migratory histories, where people far from their homelands have held onto things that matter to them, creating vital links between individuals in scattered communities. In this course, we will be creating our own links to the people and places we hold dear, modeling and re-imagining objects of our own. As students develop hard skills in 3D modeling and research, they will simultaneously practice creative development, self-awareness, and empathy, considering tactile ways to connect ourselves to the people and communities we care about, even when far away. At the end of the course, students will compile their objects into a publication that not only delineates their design and research process, but also offers critical writing on the historical and personal contexts for their work.

This course was developed in 2020, inspired by the workshops, Adventures in Topological Modeling I & II, that I developed and taught at NYU ITP Camp while serving as an Instigator Fellow (2018).