Original Mind Map

This is a picture of my initial mind map:

The main issue I want to overcome is to place myself within New Zealand where I physically live but don't associate with the culture.

I listed a few physical art pieces to start off the process but I really need to do a lot of research to get the point of making to make sure I am responding to the research and that I fully understand what I am doing.

Each point explained in a tad more detail:

Who am I: I came across a problem last year in my art practice when I realised I didn't know where I belong in this country. I am a South African by birth and moved here in 2008, have full New Zealand citizenship but don't know enough about this country and the cultures within to call it my own. I also don't want to loose my South African roots so the most difficult thing in this project is going to be finding out where and how I belong in a space/place.

Beaded animals/crocheted plastic bags/ South African coins/postcards: These are the main mementos/souvenirs kept from South Africa and I associate my position in New Zealand as me being a souvenir.

Printmaking stories/memoirs and photos: I really love printmaking and wish to include it into my project somehow. I think it is a beautiful and effective way of making art works and will do my best to find a place for it.

Make memory globes out of resin: I am a hoarder and have so many bits and pieces from both New Zealand and South Africa that I can preserve in resin and have a memory 'globe'. I think that memories are a large part of what makes you who you are so it is important to consider them when trying to figure out who you are.

Flags (changes): Recently John key attempted to change the new Zealand flag, In South Africa the flag was changed when apartheid was demolished (which was very close in time to my birth) so I want to research the flags and their changes because flags are one of the most prominent forms of National Identity.

Wooden sculptures: they seem to be quite prominant in both NZ and SA so it would be worth a look and experimentation.