WALK EXCHANGE- Kat Vasquez

This is my reflection of my favorite public programming, I don’t have much to say since we already discussed this in class.

THE WALK EXCHANGE has been the best part of the Guatemala Despues exhibition Design. From beginning to end it was engaging, fun, informative, interactive, and productive. The walk exchange was done in three steps, which I call, the icebreaker, the walk and the design of codes.

The icebreaker: was a simple and silly way for all participants to express what they look forward to in relation with the walk. We were able to demonstrate the way we walk when we find ourselves in a new country, new environment, with different people. I gave the example of when someone walks with fear. One keeps looking back as if someone was following them. I believe those individuals who were migrating from Guatemala to the United States, walked fearful of getting caught crossing the boarders illegally. They might have been fearful of starving to death, getting lost or not being able to make it at all. Others expressed walking with freedom, happy, wondering, concern, etc.

The second part was the walk itself. It was beautiful to interact with different people and listen to their ideas of what it means an exhibit gallery, what to look for and how to interpret an exhibit design and how to use the code given to direct our path. We were to use some of the visual codes design by Sito-seña and find similar image to the codes that we were given. Guatemalan used these symbols as a map to guide them thru their path to the United States.

The last but not least was the design of the code. Once we came back from the walk, we were able to create our own code, a code that was similar to the one given to us at the beginning of the walk. For the most part my group was in a blooming area. Everywhere we turned there were flowers. The code I designed was a flower that symbolized comfort. A place where you could rest, feel save, and eat.

Overall, the walk exchange was different. It was amazing to see how symbols, images and patters we see on a daily basis can be compared and interpret to something we have learned in class.