Design matters
Appropriate Design, not Appropriated Design
As Asian-Americans, Howng and Choi are astutely aware of how orientalist, stereotypical, and culturally appropriated motifs commonly found in design have historically been used as low-key signifiers for “Asian” things. Such graphics are commonly featured in signage for Asian restaurants, businesses, and demarcation to typecast neighborhoods, perpetuating signifiers that marginalize AAPI communities. With our project, we want to model design that does not use reductive stereotypes as markers for an area of “Asian” significance and instead demonstrates mindful and thoughtful design that reflects a revolving cultural heritage, diasporic roots, and inclusivity of all the multi-faceted and diverse communities living and working in the area.
Merging Art + Design with Community and History
Howng imagines the historic markers to work as informational public art sculptures. Her idea takes on a unique, visually interesting, and modern approach to how culturally based historic markers could be designed to capture audiences, whilst also recognizing Station North as an Arts District. Howng envisions each marker will feature its own unique, site-specific design, bridging the location’s significance or one of the marker topics.
Choi sees the layers in graffiti, worn paint, and peeled walls in Station North as a visual and conceptual metaphor to represent the overlapping histories and generations of Korean Americans within the neighborhood. She will determine a five color palette as a connection to obangsaek (오방색), a traditional Korean five color spectrum, where each color represents a direction and an element. The five colors chosen would be based on those found in the neighborhood to provide visual cohesion and signify Korean culture as part of Station North’s cultural mosaic.
Station North as Arts Incubator
Howng and Choi, like many Baltimore artists, performers, and musicians were able to start and establish their careers here in Station North because of its artistic community, energy, and spaces to perform or exhibit artwork. In recognition of Station North as an important arts incubator and for supporting emerging artists, we invited Morgan State University’s Masters in Architecture graduates from BluePrint Cafe, to implement our artistic direction and be the first artist group to create initial designs for Preserving Baltimore’s Koreatown.