PUBLIC PRIVATEPamela Jane Mendoza

Thesis 1 // FALL 2011

ANGER is an EMOTION related to an individuals PSYCHOLOGICAL interpretation of having been offended, wronged or denied. A tendency to undo that by retaliation.

ANGER is an EMOTION related to an individuals PSYCHOLOGICAL interpretation of having been offended, wronged or denied. A tendency to undo that by retaliation.

CONTEXT

As a native New Yorker, born and raise in a small

neighborhood in South Brooklyn I’ve adapted the

New York attitude.

It started off in elementary school when I

would walk around streets of Bay Ridge with my

classmates to look for things to do. If there were

another group of kids or teens coming our path

our intial fun “vibe” would change into a more

intimidating one. We thought we looked cooler

this way and perhaps we’ve impressed them. Of

course this is not a spoken agreement, it was an

instinct, this was how we behaved in public.

Over time I have matured my ways of my

physical impression on others. Regardless of this

due to stress from school, work, and personal

dilemmas, the simplest gesture may unleash the

beast of my inner frustration out to the public.

I know I’m not alone–I find spuratic bursts of anger

on sidewalks, subway cars, customer service,

individuals on their phone, waiting rooms, lines

and more public spaces. Unfortunately society

does not accept these emotional expressions

because public is not the space for these

moments–they’re expected to be kept in private.

SOLUTION

A private outlet to experience a spontaneous emotion in a public environment.

RESEARCH// PRECEDENTS

DUNNE & RABY PLACEBO PROJECT 2001

GPS TABLE

KELLY DOBSONWEARABLE ORGANS 2001

SCREAMBODY

RESEARCH// LITERATURE

SHEERY TURKLEEVOCATIVE OBJECTS

ANTHONY DUNNE &FIONA RABYDESIGN NOIR

CHRIS GRAYCYBORG HANDBOOK

DONNA HARRAWAY_____________

PROTOTYPES // F____ CHECK

Frustration Check

acrylic, rubbert, acoustical foam, metal

A space in public for distressed indivduals can

relieve themselves and carry on their day without

any emotional baggage.

PROTOTYPES // EVOCATIVE TECHNOLOGY

It is inevitable to separate feelings and develop memories with the objects.

Rather it is a bad experience or came with sentimental value, we make

history with our things.

Inspired by Sherry Turkle’s Evocative Objects, a collection by scientists,

humanists, artists, and designers that trace the power of everyday things.

A photographic series of humans and their campanion device or technologic

service. Each individual was asked what technology that they possess or

use often and felt a emotional connection and expressed their story.

“We think with the objects we love; we love the objects we think with.”

–Sherry Turkle

“If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences”

–W.I. Thomas

>> I got my MacBook Pro in the summer of

2008, he was perfect. He has never disappointed

me, never crashed never lost any files. However,

being in design school sometimes get stressful

working on the 15" screen. I would use the school

computers because the screens gives you more

space.

I talked to my parents about this and they

decided to get me the 27" iMac. I was so excited

when I got the computer! He was so gorgeous and

the space was endless. However, my poor laptop

was sitting on my bed alone. He was in perfect

condition and I replaced him with a much bigger

and nicer computer.

This always reminds me of Toy Story, my laptop

is Woody and my desktop is Buzz. Nothing will

ever compete with the relationship I have with my

laptop but I really love my new computer.

When hurricane Irene came to New York, the

news channels told everyone to remove all your

objects near your window. My desktop is right in

front of my window and I had to move him. I was

so worried for him because I was not going to be

in my apartment all weekend! I placed him on my

couch, surrounded by pillows and blankets. I was

so worried about him all weekend, but luckily he

was fine!!

You develop a relationship with your technology, from computers and iPhones, They learn your vocabulary and your work. They understand you and spend so much one on one time with you.

4TECH

27” iMAC + 15” MACBOOK PROCHELSEA /////////////////////////////////////////////////

>>As a little kid, my twin sister and I were

obsessed with playing dollhouse. We didn’t just

have a house though, we set up and entire city in

our basement over years of collecting Playmobile

dollhouse sets. It was our own little world that we

could escape to every afternoon after school; a

place where our imagination could control life.

It was the fall of ‘99 when my family bought our

first computer and the winter of 2000 when the

first version of The Sims came out. I remember

being at my uncles house for the holidays when he

gave my sister and I the game- it was the first time

anything had kept me so intrigued that I stayed up

until the sun began to rise playing it.

My mother didn’t like the game, she refused to

let us have it because she felt it carried a negative

influence of a god complex. My determination to

get back “my Sims” lead me to write letters and

drawings to my parents for a week giving them all

the reasons why I should be allowed to have my

game back. Clearly, I succeeded– and still play it

to this day.

We all carry characteristics of who we were as

children into our adult lives and The Sims is just

something that was and always will be a part of

me. What was once an outlet for my 10 year old

imagination, is still an outlet from the everyday

stressors of my adult life.

Things not going so well in reality? Thats okay because with The Sims anything is possible and somehow knowing this helps me to see my own life and world more as a game and an opportunity to try new things and have fun rather than stress.

4TECH

SIMS ZOE ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

PROTOTYPE // DAMMIT TECHNOLOGY

Dammit Technology

foam, wood, scrap cloth, vinyl

Do you get stressed because you get work down

on your PC due to technical difficulties? Or got into

a arguement on the phone then the call drops?

Or just want to put blame on something else and

relieve some stress? A Dammit Tech is what you

need! Really.

When you want to kick in a desktop or throw a phone and shout, here’s a little dammit doll you cannot do without, just grasp firmly at each end and find a place to slam it. Even place a stick into the device for the full breaking affect and yelldammit, dammit, DAMMIT!

This project was inspired by a traditional DIY

Dammit Doll.

PROTOTYPES // THOUGHT BOX

Thought Box

acrylic, recordable/ play back tape recorder

A portable precious white box where you can

archive your thoughts as well play back when time

of reflection is needed. Thought Box wants listen

to you but like a good friend thought box wants to

listen to yourself in a different light.

Recontextualizing the recorder in a white box

is a portrayal of something valuable. When an

indivdual documents or talks to another person

about their feelings the immediate result is

a sense of relief or importance, because the

subject’s feelings are taken by consideration and

stored away by the reciever. The process of self-

awareness within the device is during the playback

feature, which projects slower distorted version of

the speaker’s voice to give the individual the ability

to notice what the subject is feeling, thinking, and

why.

SKETCHES// MIND MAP