Jennifer Lee designs with an emphasis the role of objects in interpersonal relationships. She takes cues from contemporary habits and culture to create objects that augment social experiences and question the habitual and routine. Her work also combines her interest in human relationships with her architectural background into a study of place-making and community building. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis.
Feature
You are walking down a busy street. People are everywhere, but you keep to yourself. Don’t make eye contact. Don’t acknowledge the other people. You see someone singing and playing guitar. You stop and listen from a distance. So does an elderly couple. After a minute, the old man smiles and drops a dollar in the open guitar case. So do you. You thank the performer, smile at the couple, and move on. Minutes later, the performer disappears. He had to move on, lest he get caught by a moody cop for lack of permit or noise violation. You appreciate him, but the community as a whole does not.
Feature is a platform for creating positive interpersonal dialogue between street performers and their communities. The combination of physical signage and mobile platform seeks to strike a balance to protect the rights of the performers while giving businesses and governing bodies the structure they desire. Local businesses are encouraged to feature performances on sponsored “spots,” while city planners can create active hubs of creativity with larger and more permanent “spots.” With the mobile app, performers, sponsors, and their audiences can find each other, show appreciation, or better resolve conflicts, creating a stronger sense of community.
