My final project has at last begun to take a solid shape. My initial idea was to create a photo portfolio to express the ways in which objects, as simple as they are, can become so complex. (to illustrate the difficulties that aphasic patients have in forming a single word); but, as I was thinking about the process further, I decided to incorporate my aspirations of photojournalism. So the idea of turning simple objects into things more visually complex, I am going to partner that with research and an essay based on why something that most of us find as such an easy task, becomes so difficult for those with aphasia. Language and speaking is second nature to us and when that is taken away, it's easy to see how complex it really is. My client is different than the others in that he has suffered a right-hemisphere stroke, leaving him with different disabilities. In the research paper I want to be able to compare the consequence of strokes on the two hemispheres; the photo's, I will be taking three viewpoints of each object to illustrate the idea of a "normal" viewpoint, as well as two different views to illustrate the two different outcomes of stroke.
Thus far in my research I have been able to gather and begin writing on what both the right and the left side hemisphere's of the brain are in control of, generally. I have also dove into what happens to the brain when it is subjected to a stroke and why language impairments are a result, as well as different mood disorders occur.
The sources I have found to aid are as follows:
1. Joanette, Yves.
Right hemisphere and verbal communication . New York: Springer-Verlag, 1990. Print.
2. Burns, Martha.
Speech/language treatment of the aphasias : an integrated clinical approach . Rockville, Md: Rockville Publishers, 1988. Print.
3. Levin, Tal. "Aphasia Talks: Photography as a Means of Communication, Self-Expression, and Empowerment in Persons with Aphasia." (2007): n. pag. Web. 26 Mar 2010.
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4. "What are the Effects of Stroke?." Public Health Agency of Canada, 29 01 2009 . Web. 26 Mar 2010.
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I really really like the way your project is comparing the right and left hemisphere strokes because since we do not get to interact with your patient on a more personal level during our time at UCF, we as a class do not know much regarding the right hemisphere strokes and its affects so it will be very intriguing for the class when you present it.
ReplyDeleteI am also loving the idea of taking picture from three different viewpoints, "normal", right, and left hemisphere stroke because this will help give a visual aid to what you will be describing in your paper. I think though you might want to start choosing how many photographs you want to end with overall and how long you want your paper to be because I feel with all of this you already have a lot so maybe outline and start narrowing to exactly what you want to go into the paper what you find the most interesting to get out to the class and maybe you can post some of your photos as time goes by and we can give you feedback!
But I really really like you idea!
Hey!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea that we will get to learn more about different effects of strokes. I believe that even though the left hemisphere focuses on language, the effects on the right one still affect certain aspects of communication (for example visual aspects).
I think that showing different perspectives of the images is crucial to your project and it made me think of this:
http://www.hung-truong.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/love_hate_t-shirt.jpg
I know you are not using words, but the conceptual aspect of this image is powerful and i think you will be able to show that with your project.
I look forward to seeing the results. :)
Jenni
Hey
ReplyDeleteI like your idea. Your idea of having three perspectives in the photos is a really cool idea. When you said "normal" perspective, what I thought of was to make the "normal" perspective difficult to tell. After all, what is normal? However, if you want to have a more medical viewpoint, then ignore what I just said.
One last comment to make is how the paper interacts with the photos. You mentioned the photos will have 3 perspectives. Will you talk about the three perspectives or will you give us an explanation of aphasia? Can you have the same 3 perspective idea transferred to the writing? How does someone with right/left-hemisphere aphasia write? Good Luck
Diego-In response to your "normal", I like that you questioned that. I think it would be better if I rephrased that and just kept it to three different perspectives, even just two. But I am so glad you pointed that out. Thank you. In one of the books I am using for research it is talking about aphasic recovery and when it mentions 'normal functions'-normal is always in quotations, in the same way that you were explaining.
ReplyDeleteGreat points, everyone! NOW I get it, Marie! I think this is going to work really well. I'd encourage you to think very carefully about what photographs will supplement the written material and also, you might consider whether this project would work well as a small artist's book as opposed to a formal research paper and/or a hybrid of a photo-essay or series and a written essay. (You could get something very simply bound at Kinko's for instance).
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