Personal Space Proposals

#1. Use chalk to draw a giant hop scotch grid along the main skate/pedestrian path and ask students to draw more squares in all directions/participate in jumping. I think this would be a fun and silly way to interact with random people walking by, and it reminds me of the worry free days of adolescence. Who wouldn't want to take a minute out of a stressful day to play hop scotch and unwind? I would make the path super long/large so that it would be almost an extreme version of the game. If no one else wants to join in, I'll just play a few times by myself and look like a weirdo.

#2. I want to get a giant canvas or piece of paper and write the words "Paint on me" in big letters. Then I would stand in one of the main bike roundabouts or in front of the UCen with brushes and various colors of paint, asking students to each paint a little picture or just dab some color on the canvas to leave their individual mark. By the end of the day I hope to have a cool looking montage/painting. This project would allow other non-art students to interact and participate with one of my major art assignments, and I think documentation could turn out really neat. The blank canvas with commanding text may be both intimidating and alluring to people walking by, so hopefully I will be conducting other people's creativity.

#3. I think this idea is my strongest if not most awkward (for me, anyway). I would stand in similar places to #2 but instead of writing on a canvas, I would have people write on my actual body. I would wear shorts and a tank top to expose the maximum amount of skin I'd be comfortable with people writing on, and then I would lay out various markers around me. I haven't decided whether they should be normal pens, sharpie, or washable ink markers (sharpie would have a more powerful message, but would probably be a pain to get off later...) I would ask random students to answer questions about me and write their answers somewhere on my body. For example, I would ask someone "How old do you think I am?" or "What do you think I like to do in my spare time?" and they would write their responses--i.e. nineteen or volleyball--on my arms, legs, collar bones, etc. This project would be about physical appearances and first impressions. I'm a shy person and I don't divulge much information about myself without being asked, so it would be interesting to ask others and then have them label me, right or wrong. The project would culminate in me attempting to scrub/wash off the labels as if I am refusing to be confined to other people's perceptions of me.