Urban Narrative Project

                             Hey guys, so for my Urban Narrative Project I wanted to focus on the streets of Winston-Salem. I wanted to write and record a song about my experiences within and outside the city. I wanted to explore some of the different themes of the city that we worked on this year such as: the city being a breeding ground of evil and sin, hiding the truth and portraying falsehoods, and the city being lonely. So I tried to include these themes within my song, and at the same time portray a unique and mysterious beauty that I feel the city has. Here is the first draft of my song titled "The City"...

https://soundcloud.com/user966462/the-city

and here are the lyrics-

The City

Head out into the city,

Found a reason to be pretty.

Singed and danced, and danced and swirled,

And all of this was for a girl.

Man, she looks oh so pretty! How can I keep up this sham…

The streets are dark and deep and cold, they leave me feeling so alone.

(Chorus)

People around me, Carry on without me. They dance and sing, and twirl and live,

their separate lives without me. People around me, wouldn’t care to find me

if they knew how lost I was.

Gotta leave the city, God I feel so shitty.

I danced too much, and sang too much, and now I don’t know who to trust.

I tried to get away, at least just for today.

But when there’s so much work to be done, how can I go and play.

The streets are dark and deep and cold, they leave me feeling so alone,

But I don’t care which way I go, because I am feeling to dang bold!

(Chorus)

Oh How I tried to hide myself, but the streets neglect to tell.

Oh How I tried to hide my rage, but the streets leave me feeling just the same.

(Chorus)

And finally here is the fixed and updated final version of the song. Thank you. 

https://soundcloud.com/user966462/the-city-final

                                                                        I Citizen Statement

                       I never thought that I would notice how much significance and impact the area in which I live in effects my life. Or how much a city could affects life, and shapes the lives of the people that live in it. It was even more intriguing to look at writers and films that both talked and explored the city as a place of evil sin, or loneliness, or a place that hides the truth, along with much more. From all of these examples I would definitely adventure to note that the city, and to be more specific, I say any city can have all of these traits and many more. I have come to a greater understanding that the city has an effect on the people that live there along as the people having an effect on the city. There cannot be one without the other.
                      I was really struck by a lot of the work that we came into contact with within class, the New York Documentary- that explored the building, creation, and history of the big apple, Open City by Teju Cole- that really shared a glimpse of the sorrow, loneliness, and disconnect that a person can feel while at the same time being surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people. We also explored a lot of Richard Sennett and his facts about the city. The final exploration that really interested me was that of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and my walking and exploring of the city pursued me to invest in writing songs about my experiences within the city, and the streets of the city.
                        The New York documentary really showed a lot of the themes that we focuses on within the class. The biggest one that I can connect to is the fact of secret and lies. I said earlier that one thing about the city is that it can be viewed as a breeding ground of sin and evil. The New York documentary showed a lot of the secrets that early New York had that not many people know about. Many include the slave trade, treatment of immigrants, Robert Moses, and Jane Jacobs and how they lied and played games to get what they wanted. Teju Cole's Open City shared a lot about loneliness and separation a person can feel within a city. I think I was most interested in this, because I along with our doctor in the story, have felt this loneliness and desperation. Even though Winston-Salem and New York are two totally different cities, I still could connect to this.
                           I have learned a great deal, and continue to be aware of things in my life as I journey to different cities. There are so much information out there about cities and what they mean, and there is information to say that they are bad, and plans for the future of cities. But I question what is good about a city? I know that there is good traits about cities: such as communication, industry, and Artistic life. I plan to take these themes into my work as I finalize the writing of my songs about Winston-Salem.
                     

Urban Walking

  Leave my college dorm room I must. I must off to a new adventure. Sunday afternoon, and the weather is calm, and warm. As I walk, I can feel the air glide off my arm, as it softly caresses me. Not a strict plan have I in thought, all I know is that my body desires to go off. Off, on a journey. Off to Old Salem I shall go, where people will  pass me looks, as I look at them. Seeing the texture of the road, and feeling the atmosphere of Old Salem, the history and promises it keeps to North Carolina. Then connect I to the college campus of Winston Salem State university, only to pass back onto the Salem Creek Green-way. This part of my journey led me to a most interesting path. As this is currently under a lot of construction. Signs, and barricades try to block my way, but I ignore and past through. I know I am breaking the rules, and yet my body cannot stop. Over the blocked off, and enclosed areas I go as I reach, South Main Street where it all began. My arrival back on to campus, sparked a great relaxed and well deserved rest. Only hungry to do it all again.

                                                               -Urban Sacralization-

                      For my urban sacralization I thought about many different places; such as home, and places I have been, and places that I want to go. But none stood out more than that of La Dame du Lac located in Lisses, a small suburb of Paris. I have never been to this place, but I  have always wanted to go there. Specifically because of its Parkour roots,  of course Parkour originated in Paris, but it is said that Parkour was first put into practice at this particular spot.
                     This spot is famous within the Parkour and Freerunning world; mainly because of its superb height, and texture, and dimensions- it practically looks like one big climbing wall. This place is now currently banned, and fenced in because of accidents that have occurred from falling or other smaller injuries. Fortunately people still d o train Parkour there, but if caught face a hefty fine.
                     Now this spot is very famous, and known- but only within a certain group of people, and it makes me wonder, whether or not this spot can actually count as an example of urban sacralization. Like I said, it is only known within the Parkour community, and maybe by people of Paris. But it does meet the criteria for urban sacralization according to Dean MacCannell and his writing on ''Sight Sacralization''.
                      Step one, according to MacCannell, being that the sight is marked off, or somehow marked worthy of preservation, by being different from other sites. This is true especially in this case, the fence, and if that isn't enough, this is surrounded by a moat of some sort, lots of water. So La Dame du Lac definitely stands out. Then step two, is the ''Framing and Elevation'' of the object. This is also true in this case. It can be looked at from a distance on the surrounding land, and also from atop the structure one can look out and see the beautiful sights. Thirdly  is ''Mechanical Reproduction''; this place not only has been photographed, quite a lot, but could have been done, even if it wasn't. Also this place has been filmed in documentaries and has been spoken about through word of mouth. One thing to take note of, is that this place is important not only because of itself, or its location; but because of the people that find this place interesting, and the use that this place has for these people. I think that is a huge factor in identifying an Urban Sacralized place/ structure. Here is La Dame Du Lac, in Lisses, Paris. Note that the fencing is not currently in this photo because this is an earlier photo.

Cognitive Mapping- Piedmont, SC

                                                                  - Cognitive Mapping-

Here  is home for me- Piedmont, South Carolina. There is nothing at all back down there, there are Churches and schools of course. But the biggest thing to take note of are restaurants and Swamps. I decided to map out the immediate area right out from my house, since most of all of the stuff is the same thing for about the whole city. Thankyou

Hello,
  I am Quintarius Jackson, a 20 year old college student attending The University of North Carolina School of the Arts for drama. I am originally from a place called Piedmont, South Carolina, and the closest experience I had of a city was downtown Greenville, South Carolina. I mean coming from the boondocks, and to see more than one tall building and sidewalks was pretty cool. Especially when I had a dream to leave and go to the city. For me, the city symbolizes ''the place where dreams come true''. Of course as an artist, the city seems like the place to go, or the place that I will have to go. The city is the place where things happen. Nothing at all seems to happen in Piedmont, SC.

This is what comes to mind when I think of the city. Of course I cannot help but think of New York City. I have actually been to New York City; and I remember feeling like I was in a snow globe, or a bubble. The city felt so big, and I felt so small. It was a unique experience. The only other city I have been to was Chicago. That was great; it was also very cold. But I had a blast. Thank you.