Diversity & Culture of Houston
Discussion Questions
Dear Classmates,
It was a delight to see the turn out in spite of the weather condition, as an additional follow up on our community experience, please view the following links
https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2017/6/21/street-art-graffiti-houston
https://sacredhearthouston.org/contextual-history
https://www.discoverygreen.com/1532203
https://www.meetup.com/ladies_just_want_to_have_fun/events/254761195/
And for reflection possibilities, we will appreciate your response to the following questions:
1. What parts of the history of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart stood out to you the most and why?
First, thank you for this amazing experience! We enjoyed our walk over the streets of Houston. This is my fourth year in Houston and I have never visited the cathedral before, I have always seen it from the I-45 and with details when traffic jams happened.
As I was more interested in finding more information about it, I found a website: https://2008remodel.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/houstons-new-co-cathedral/ There I could see the design of its architectural plan, and it does not have the traditional cross like other Catholic churches. Moreover, talking about images, if you visit its official website: http://www.sacredhearthouston.org/, on the top, you can find a timeline and you can navigate on what was offered since its very beginning.
As my classmates said, the accolades and awards by the contractor company impressed me too because I have never imagined that this work (the construction of a cathedral) called the attention of many people in the 21st Century, I could understand it centuries ago, maybe I can understand it as a way to support the Catholic community in the city. Another thing that impressed me was the existence of more than one cathedral for the Galveston-Houston archdiocese because there is usually only one, but I can understand the need to attend all the population in Houston. In addition, what impressed me the most was the cost of the co-cathedral: $49,000.000 (Rivas, Elissa (3 April 2008). "Dedication of the co-cathedral". KTRK-TV News. Retrieved from https://abc13.com/archive/6053988/.) since there are many more things in the world to assist and support, although it is magnificent and outstanding.
2. Analysis/ Critique of the public art
I really like your tour in the city because we were exposed to many artistic expressions and many different as well. First, in a classic way, by visiting a co-cathedral as a religious topic, because the windows and the rosette windows of the cathedral are beautiful. They are a modernistic version of the ones that you can find in the ancient Catholic churches and cathedrals in Europe. Then, the graffiti and murals are amazing, I love the way painters use art to manifest their concerns, to make society aware of what is happening to certain social groups. Later, the third visit to Discovery Green, a more modernistic version of public art with huge spheres with light and music, to spend an enjoyable evening with your family.
I like cities because of the exposure to art, to culture in general, and the way both of them blends with the society like dancing a subtle melody. A melody that is pleasant for some people and not so much for others, but it is a melody that everybody dances.
3. Do you think graffiti art murals are easily accepted as public art? Why or why not? Should it be?
In an urban setting, yes, they are easily accepted. Graffiti started long time ago and it changed into more “artistic”, I mean, the style of their pictures and composition is professional-like. This is a result of “legal” permissions as well before most of them were illegal and the painters had to create them with no light and with the restriction of time because someone could report them. Their acceptance, maybe, depends on the ideals of the citizens as well, if you are more tolerant and empathetic with the problems of people you can understand them, but there are other people, more conservative, who do not approve this kind of “art” since they associate it with crime and vandalism.
I remember when I was in school; students were invited to participate in a contest to paint “murals” in the outside walls of the school. One of my friend’s design won it and we participated in the painting. Obviously, I did not know if it was planned by the teacher to do an activity with the school community and the acceptance of graffiti, but it helped to see its artistic approach.
4. What issue/ ideas/ social connections did the public graffiti art murals express?
As we could see in one of them, the one like a photo, it was full of words appealing social justice, some others represent parts of the culture of Houston like a “funny” Buda, Selena, the University of Houston, for example.
5. What types of cultural experiences did you observe during the Moonscape experience? Why do you think this was created for display in this way?
It was a cultural family-friendly experience since we could see many different people –different ages too- enjoying that experience. Some cultural activities like that one are good to work “inclusion” since it welcomes everybody, there is no limitation. Besides, the company offers a free tour guide, and for children, milk and cookies are served, on October 5, celebrity readers will share the beloved children’s book in the languages of Houston. It is dealing with diversity in a positive way at the price of $0, amazing!
6. Which of the three locations was your favorite? Why?
All the three locations offer something unique, the cathedral offers help and support to the community aside from the religious services; the graffiti and murals offer an artistic “voice” to the ones that want social justice, for example; the Moonscape experience offers a free-open activity to everyone that includes more activities like reading in different languages, dance different music styles, the opportunity to see the stars with a telescope at night,… for free. As I am a teacher and I could see many activities for children with their families, my favorite one in the Moonscape experience because it is a family-friendly experience dealing with diversity in Houston.
This is the official website of Moongarden at Discovery Green with all the activities: https://www.discoverygreen.com/moongarden, maybe you are interested. Enjoy it!
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