Adriana Valdez Young

Shop & AweShopping Malls,

the War on Terror, the Freedom to Shop

The malls is a fantasy.

“For this is where we form our dreams about a perfect society . . . and a perfect self.”- Sharon Zukin

The mall incubates perfection.

The mall is also a frontline.

The mall is under attack.

The mall is recruiting patriots.

“Show your confidence . . . Show you're not afraid. Go to restaurants. Go shopping.”

-Mayor Giuiliani, September 14, 2001

Shopping becomes patriotism.

“We cannot let the terrorists achieve their objective of frightening our Nation to the point where we don't–where we don't conduct business, where people

don't shop. That's their intention.”

- George W. Bush, September 20, 2001

But the storefront is also a frontline.

Shop + Awesecurity and consumption mergesmall is a frontlineprivate-public collaboration

defense of a security lifestyle

Shock + Awerapid, spectacular dominanceeliminate will to resistprivate-public collaboration

bombing of shopping malls ResultsSanitized, profitable zones Democracy is an experienceModel citizens are consumers

Freedom is a lifestyle

Research Itineraryfollow the signsguest-touristperform shopper-citizen

0. PROVIDENCE PLACE2 0 0 3 - 2 0 0 7

The mall wants to define us.

The mall is an urban security lab.

I found freedom in the infrastructure.

I followed the signs.

I found home and homeland.

1. NEW YORK CITY - BAGHDAD2 0 0 7 - 2 0 0 8

Lifestyle centers inspire visions of post-war life.

Lifestyle centers are private cities.

Lifestyle centers invite you to escape.

A closely monitored escape.

Lifestyle centers market life as a vacation.

G u e s t L i s !Cameras I

passedSecurity Guards

I passedAmbience soundscapes

I was exposed toTimes I was asked for my

personal information Total in party RSVP Notes

11 6 9 7 3

Total 3

Ta s k L i s !Time Tasks Notes

12:30 PM Sweat through spin class at NYSC Normally $25 for guest pass, but was invited in for free by Twanna. She’s also an Aries. She will be turning 21 on April 6th. Maria the spin teacher invited me back as her guest any time. She was very enthusiastic about my ‘Get away any day’ experiment and wished she could come along. The trade off for getting a free pass was that I had to leave my driver’s license at the desk, along with a card filled with my address, email, phone and reasons for why I want to join the gym.

Scheduled: 1:30PM Actual:

1:45PM

Grab a skim latter at Starbucks I did not want a skim latte. In fact, I did not want a latter. I wanted to drink water and eat a roast beef sandwich. But I ordered the drink, took two sips just because it was in my hand, and then went back to Starbucks later to sit, drink and then throw most of the drink away.

1:45 PM Pick up a sundress at White House I Black Market There are no sundresses at this store, mostly because they only carry clothes in black, white or shades of grey. Sundresses are usually colorful. Therefore, I bought the cheeriest dress they had. Finished by 2:05PM, so I returned to Starbucks to sit down and answer a text message. I was asked to join the club and give my address, phone and email so that I could receive sales notices, get signed up for a point system to earn discounts, and get previews of impending fashions.

2:10 PM Buy Vaneli sandals at Marmi Although most of the sandals will not be arriving until April 15th (tax day!), I bought a pair of flat metallic flats that actually fit me well and made my feet look small, (not a small feet indeed). This was the only retail venue without any music on. It was quite a relief and a reprieve from the surrounding system of lifestyle tunes churned from mounted speakers through the site. With 7 minutes to spare before going to Blue Tulip, I rested my packages on one of the wooden benches in the park, and returned my friend’s phone call. He understood I was in the midst of an experiment and we made plans to hang out next Monday. Two men, one older man sitting next to a knocked over McDonalds paper coffee cup, and another middle aged man who looked homeless, were the only other two people seated nearby me in the park. At this point, I started feeling hungry and thirsty. But I had no time to get a snack or fill up my water bottle.

2:30 PM Get a Kate Spade vase for Mom’s birthday at Blue Tulip I was surprised by how mundane and personality-less the Kate Spade line of frames and vases are. Among glass circular and cylindrical vases, some with white bevelled stripes, polka dots and dancing dragon flies spiraling up the vase’s necks, I chose the least offensive - some white, innocuous swirls splashed on a clear glass cylinder. I was asked for my address at the check-out counter, but refused to give it.

2:45 PM Purchase “The Secret from Borders The salesperson, Cathy, helped me locate the book and notified me that there was also a DVD. Even though her database showed 15 DVD copies available at the store, she could not located a copy of it. So I settled for the book. She told me in confidence that the book is a bunch of bullshit, and that basically it’s the 10 commandments explained in fanciful language by two ‘experts’, therefore they are believable.

3:05 PM Pick up tickets for Georgia Rule at Regal Cinema At first, I checked out automated machines they have to sell movie passes and tickets. But then I saw a lonely teenager who needed someone to wait on. The theater was empty. I asked for two movie coupons since Georgia Rule isn’t playing anymore. And since the boy had not seen this movie, I could not ask him if he could recommend a movie similar to that one.

3:15 PM Buy manchego cheese and wild salmon from The Amish Market

At this point in the routine, I was tired, hungry, and thirsty. When I entered the seafood proximity, I noticed that the fresh seafood section was closed. Rather than fishes on crushed ice underneath glass, the case was empty, and just a stainless steel, dull backing occupied the case. So there was no fresh, wild salmon. And all the smoked salmon was apparently farm raised. There was baked salmon that was kosher, and therefore wild. The man at the smoked fish counter told me that koshers is always wild. He also pointed out a baked salmon salad that was made with that kosher, wild salmon. I bought a quarter pound of it and then went on to the cheese aisle. I got it in my head that I needed to buy goat, not manchego. So alas, I bought a spreadable french goat cheese that I had eaten with honey on toast at Julie’s house in Barcelona. I had 20 minutes before I had to go to Rosetta Wines, so I sat down and ate the orange and macaroni and cheese I had packed from home. Then I finally had time to go to the bathroom and re-fill my water bottle. In the bathroom of Amish Market, there is a speaker playing loud mood music, a vase of flowers by Dahlia, and a sign describing how you “deserve” to buy yourself flowers today. There was a sign to wash my hands before returning to work, and there was a “coat hanger” sign next to the row of faucet heads that had been repurposed for utilitarian to utilitarian/aesthetic.

3:30 PM Grab a bottle of Sautereau Sancerre at Rosetta Wines I learned that Sancerre is the brand name, and Sautereua is “just a savignon blanc.” I was apologized for the fact that they only had that wine is smaller bottles. I didn’t mind and told him that it had been recommended, so I wanted t try it. I tool no bag, and just tucked the bottle into my plastic Amish Market bag.

B u d g e !Description Item Cost Tax Total Cost

Spin Class

Starbucks skim latte

Sun Dress

Vareli Sandals

Kate Spade Vase

“The Secret” book

2 Movie Tickets

Goat Cheese & Baked Salmon

Sautereau Sancerre

Free day pass! $0.00 $0.00

$3.20 $0.47 $3.67

$158.00 $6.91 $164.91

$120.00 $5.25 $125.25

$55.00 $4.61 $59.61

$16.76 $2.62 $19.38

$25.00 $0.00 $25.00

$8.38 $0.00 $8.38

$11.99 $1.00 $12.99

$419.19

2!6!5!

15!

31!

41!

1!

B u d g e t O v e r v i e w

Spin Class

Starbucks skim latte

Sun Dress

Vareli Sandals

Kate Spade Vase

“The Secret” book

2 Movie Tickets

Goat Cheese & Baked Salmon

Getting ready to sweat i! out in NYSC spin class.

Trying on dresses at Whit" Hous" I Black Market.

GET AWAY ANY DAY.

The mall is paying attention.

The Sony PTZ100 became my compass.

2. NEW ORLEANS - TEL AVIV2 0 0 8

The mall is a global security object.

Mall security is trained for global security.

“You should build your local mall security network to fight Al Qaeda attacks”- Boas Ganor, International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism - Herzeliya

Shopping behavior is good behavior.

“You know how customers act in your malls . . They all act the same. They’re relaxed and at ease. They’re trying to shop and enjoy entertainment and dining choices.”

Bad guys are bad shoppers.

3. DUBAI - ERBIL2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1

“Anything I can do to help this country. They’ve been through 30 years of hell under Saddam.Now it’s time to give them something to enjoy.”

- Developer of Mane Mall, Erbil

Investors are optimistic. Progress has plenty of parking.

DubaiErbil

Northern Iraq wants to be Dubai.

Dubai Erbil

The mall is a replicable solution.

Peace comes at a price.

“The increase in number of new malls is a positive sign of security improvement . . .They are still a good sign that the situation overall is heading in the right direction."

Baghdad Governorate Council member Mohammad AlـRubeiei

The mall is winning.

Thank you for shopping.