Writing 2

    According to cognitive development psychologists, there comes a point in human adolescence in which one begins to become less innately egotistical, eventually learning to understand that people have different perspectives on different things, such as the idea that if one person is feeling happy in that moment, another may feel sad because of individualistic experiences. As we grow into adulthood, this idea seems to become a simple fact of life, but it does not act as an obvious thing one can point out across all subjects. Art and Cartography by C. D'lgnazio discusses the idea of mapping as a tool of power that artists learned to utilize throughout time. According to D'lgnazio, artists who utilize cartography can be split into three different groups, one of the groups introduced is what she calls "Agents and Actors: Artists who make maps or engage in situated, locational activities in order to challenge the status quo or change the world." When one moves through the world, each space, location or general area is defined by that person individually through their interpersonal and life experiences and in a more complex manner: by the individuals present emotions and ideas, revealing that similar to D'lgnazio's argument of engaging in cartography and artistry as a tool for power, engaging in artistry in urban or public spaces can act as an emotional tool in changing many peoples perspectives in powerful ways.

    The Agents and Actors that D'lgnazio describes can be seen throughout political history in impactful motions. D'lgnazio describes that these artists played an important emotional role in changing the perspectives of wider audiences. "...activist mappers of the last 100 years also use humor, inversion, and play to denaturalize cartography and to strategically provoke their audiences" (D'lgnazio ,196). The film Style Wars (2011) highlights this idea of Agents and Actors in modern spaces through the form of the art of graffiti. The film takes time to unravel the minds of young graffiti artists behind the art they make, how they choose where to create,  and why, along with the engagement of other elements of hip hop culture across urban areas. These children use their body, creativity and location as tools for power through artistry in public spaces that will not only be widely seen, but also bring more life to places that these kids feel there is none. This in itself can be considered modern day immersion of cartography and artistry as stated by D'lgnazio due to the utilization of space, art and messages that challenge societal standards that graffiti artists often engage with.