Shapes of Belonging

Crystal Wegner, MFA ’22

thesis abstract

Where do we belong?
Our sense of belonging comes from many sources: warm food dropped off by a neighbor, our personal experiences and shared histories in a place, the rituals we practice in community or familial traditions, dancing to your favorite song, being welcomed warmly by loved ones. This thesis explores the tie between design of public spaces and our sense of belonging. It demonstrates how place-based public art projects can create a sense of belonging for groups that have been historically and currently excluded.

The relationship between belonging and public space provides an opportunity for the collective creation of more just futures. When artists (in the broadest sense of the word) create opportunities for belonging through participation and design, they encourage residents to radically imagine new structures and interactions that uphold values of equity and spatial justice. The work in this thesis employs methods of community participation and the design of shared public environments to enhance feelings of belonging and allow for collective imagining from all community members.

Download “Shapes of Belonging” (PDF, 22 MB).