Dani's Day Five Observations

June 11th, 2016

"Pilot" Observations

10am- 2:30pm

On this day we chose to test our observation method and note the key behaviors of the visitors and anything else that stood out to us. Honestly, I felt pretty uncomfortable watching people so closely. I was afraid of getting too close. I also sensed that many of the visitors seemed very aware of my presence, which made me feel a little strange. For example, I caught several people watching me in the space. I've noticed this in other parts of the museum (especially upstairs) when I'm by myself. People double look over their shoulders and follow me with their eyes. I've been doing a mini experiment that consists of examining how people respond to me when my badge is/isn't showing. I will find a way to manage these thoughts and feelings, so that they don't impact the quality of my recordings. I'm really looking forward to the interviews and getting a sense of how people have been thinking about the exhibit. People will probably be less likely to question my presence in an interview.

Community Conversations

2:30pm-4ish

Overall, I felt that the conversation went well. I feel like most people were able to leave thinking about appropriation and appreciation a little differently. I was also glad that most people felt comfortable enough to share and be transparent. I also enjoyed getting to know Naomi a little more. I'm super interested in getting to talk to her and Damen (I apologize if I spelled his name wrong) about what they've been doing to reach diverse communities and their interests in art, diversity and activism in other settings.