IN RESPONSE TO PROGRESSIVE CITY: PLACEMAKING WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER
FENCE PAINT, 2017 layered construction paper, Madhuri Shukla
This cutout explores accessibility, the manifestation of race and ethnicity in the built environment, and the racism implicit in language like “resilient communities.” The chain link fence is behind the white picket fence. The pink bubble in the sky is an example of a divisive and superficial design solution, inspired by a photo I took in 2013 that came to mind while reading Annie’s article. Half of the lamp globe is painted white, with the intent of reducing light pollution for the houses next to a public university. It feels like a silly, shortsighted and superficial solution undertaken instead of planting trees, or addressing larger design, land use, and NIMBYist problems. The paint only slightly reduces light.
Madhuri Shukla works with a wiry and spontaneous line quality to explore social narratives as informed by a background in urban sociology. She is currently a student of the Theories of Urban Practice program at Parsons, The New School.
