Personal symbols in Art/Design projects

In another of my Theories of Interactivity classes on November 21, 2007, Joey Berzowska presented the book 'You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination' by Katharine Harmon. We looked at digestive systems, human body maps, topographical maps, memory maps, etc.

We also watched Cremaster 3, 'The Order', that basically represents a summary of Matthew Barney's Cremaster movie series.

Matthew Barney uses his own symbolical language, which is not understandable on the first gaze and even after, but creates a surrealist sensation and a meaning in its own.

We watched it in order to be encouraged to provide our own artistic research in more subjective ways. This can for instance be done by creating symbols that go beyond a universal codification and rather deal with personal/cultural itmes using its own, internal logic.

The creation of several layers of meaning can be useful as well in order to create a sense in an universal, but also in a personal way.