First Advisor

Tia Factor

Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Art

Subjects

Personal space in art, Personal space -- Psychological aspects, Dwellings -- Psychological aspects, Home in art

DOI

10.15760/honors.209

Abstract

During my childhood years, our family relocated to three countries, passing through seven homes along the way. Establishing a space that provided comfort and emotional safety was always a top priority as we nestled into each location. Regardless of the place we were residing, the walls of the living room were recognizable as nothing other than the living room walls by the Zion National Park poster hung near a window, the wooden bowls situated on an unfamiliar coffee table, the rug rooting our new couch, all in the company of many other trinkets and hangings: emblems of home. The walls of my personal space transformed as I aged, reflecting music preferences or celebrity idols, and eventually displaying a collected box of treasures which could be unpacked and thoughtfully scattered to make any new space my own. Now living in Portland for university, I have found myself sharing a house and thus a home space with groups of other young people, allowing each of us to live within the comforts of a neighborhood without breaking our very small bank accounts.

These group homes have proved to be a sort of obvious phenomenon where a jumble of people from very distinct upbringings converge within the confines of one kitchen, one living room, a couple of bathrooms and a number of bedrooms, the last of which are our only true personal spaces. Each housemate contributes decor and utilitarian objects to the common spaces, creating a semi recognizable ‘living area’ for everyone, while simultaneously allowing for too many jumbled goods and too many contrasting personalities to create true comfortable space for anyone. Our bedrooms become super-saturated areas of personal display, not only our personalities but the nuanced comforts of our childhood home desperately and territorially exhibited. With all this in mind, my project set out to learn about personality through the specific space that we create for ourselves.

Rights

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Comments

An undergraduate honors thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Science in University Honors and Art Practices

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16784

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