ART3110 – Protest Response

The protest project that spoke to me would have to be Mass Consumption. The reason I related to Mass Consumption the most is because of my own personal history of over-consuming. My over-consumption wasn’t necessarily in the fashion industry but rather when I first started buying my own groceries after moving out. I wouldn’t consider my over-consumption to be determined by eating to much, but rather buying too much that would go to waste. Ten years from now I would like to believe that the points Mass Consumption brought up will continue to drive me to be smart and logical about my purchases. “My Name is Not” and Stand Together were also great projects that I believe will have a lasting affect. Stand Together reminded me of an English class I took on campus a few semesters ago. One of the central topics of my English class was rape culture which directly correlates to what Stand Together is against. Included in the topic of rape culture was the different forms it can take like cat calling which “My Name is Not” focused on.

As I mentioned before, Mass Consumption was a project that really spoke to me. Although I mentioned my over-consumption of food products, I could put this into the kind of clothing I purchase. Purchasing products that are more Eco-friendly and biodegradable rather than over-purchasing products made from materials that are harmful to the planet would be a start. This ties into what Fornever21 was focused on. In all honesty, I have been known to purchase apparel that could be considered fast fashion. I like Nike, Adidas, Levis, Under Armour, and many more companies that could be classified to the fast fashion industry.

Applying what I have learned from these projects into my work in school and after graduation may not be as simple as it sounds, but it is not impossible. For instance, I could use the information learned from “My Name is Not” and Stand Together to make smart, educated choices about how I treat and communicate with others in class and at work. It is known that women face large obstacles, especially sexual harassment, in the workplace. The knowledge I have gained from these groups can help me not commit such acts as well as determine if the acts of others are appropriate. Mass Consumption and Fornever21 will be a little more difficult to implement in the type of major I am pursuing and the career path I wish to take. One thing I determined is sustainable comfortability. Sustainable, comfortable socks, underwear, undershirts, and so forth could not only reduce my consumption, but also create a more positive carbon footprint through the purchase of sustainable clothing. Since my career path will be more demanding than others, comfort will be something that will help get me through the day.

All the projects were amazingly put together and each was unique to their own design, implementation, and focus. Each one spoke to me in its own way and I enjoyed the fact that some of them interconnected with one another. It will be interesting to see what happens from here with all these projects. Whether or not they continue to develop and grow will be exciting to see unfold.