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IMP Project Presentation
- 1. IMAP Project Presentation How has the concept of the self/ identity developed within Art and visual culture? Sarah Killen
- 2. Visual Culture Theory As Doy (2005, p.22) notes ‘The true self of the sitter is ultimately inaccessible through the image, however much the paint surface resembles external appearance’. Mirzeoff (2002, P.3) describes visual culture as the ‘visual events in which information, meaning or pleasure is sought by the consumer in an interface with visual technology’. ‘Paintings, like digital applications, offer an experience, and perspective painting offered the same experience as the one now promised by virtual reality’ (Bolter, 2003, p.36).
- 3. Art Theory ‘Transparencyin painting (…) an aim to makes us think we are looking at the physical world; it meant what computer graphics experts now call photorealism’ (Bolter, 2003, p.36). ‘The ways in which artwork is made are often read as expressions and traces of the individual subjectivity of the maker’ (Doy, 2005, p.7). ‘The portrait is an external object, a surface, an illusion – a fabrication of the artist’s skill’ (Doy, 2005, p.23).
- 4. Modern Art Theory Rush (1999, P.7) notes that this period of art developed an ‘experimental nature’, breaking away from traditional conventions and into new ways of perceiving the image. Bolter (2003, p.64) identifies that a significant element within Modernism was the desire to ‘create a complex and striking image, to awaken us as viewers from the complacency of looking through the painting or design’. Bolter (2003, p.64) notes how we identify with the world through the image, ‘how a painting functions to represent a world and how we as viewers become part of the process’.
- 5. Representation within Todaysculture: Selfie culture Grau (2003, p.3) notes that ‘over recent years, never before have we been exposed to so many different image worlds’ ‘The desire to be in the picture’ (Grau, 2003, p.141) ‘In today's world meanings circulate visually, in addition to orally and textually. (Mirzeoff, 2002, P.15). ‘Robert Nanteuil, ‘the portrait should look as if it had been executed quickly, captured in a moment and ‘judged in an instant’ (Doy, 2005, p.25).
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- 7. Mirror Mirror: Reflectionof the self Link between Painting, modern art and Selfie Culture Parmigianino (1524), ‘Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror’ Lucy Schwob (1928),‘Self-Portrait with Mirror’ Reflected selfie
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- 10. Conclusion Constructed natureof the identity Identifying the impact of technology Mass experimentation Animation Medium Peer group reception
- 11. Reflection Planning/ timescale Extend the practice piece Postmodern/ Video art Deeper look into the concept of the self Visual communication of Identity Reception of practice piece
- 12. Bibliography Barnett, E.,and Bolt, B., 2010. Practice as research, approaches to creative arts enquiry. I.B. Tauris and Co. Ltd. Bolter, D., J., 2003. Windows and Mirrors: Interaction Design, Digital Art, and the Myth of Transparency. MIT Press Cambridge, MA, USA Doy, M., G., 2005. Picturing the Self: Changing Views of the Subject in Visual Culture, London: I.B. Tauris and Co. Ltd Grau, O., 2003. Virtual art: from illusion to immersion. Cambridge, Mass, MIT Press. Mirzeoff, N., 2002. The subject of visual culture. In, Mirzeoff, N., ed. The visual culture reader. London: Routledge Rush, M., 1999. New Media in Later 20th Century Art. London. Thames and Hudson
- 13. Images PabloPicasso, 1909, Femme assise (Sitzende Frau) Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso#mediaviewer/File:Pablo_Picasso,_1909,_Femme_assise_(Sitzen de_Frau),_oil_on_canvas,_100_x_80_cm,_Staatliche_Museen_zu_Berlin,_Neue_Nationalgalerie.jpg (Accessed 11/11/14) Pablo Picasso, 1913, Femme assise dans un fauteuil (Eva) Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Picasso#mediaviewer/File:Femme_en_chemise_assise_dans_un_fauteuil. jpg (Accessed 11/11/14) Pablo Picasso, 1937, The Weeping Woman, Available at: http://www.pablopicasso.org/the-weeping-woman. jsp (Accessed 11/11/14) Leonardo Da Vinci, 1504, The Mona Lisa, Available at: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres? imgurl=&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leonardodavinci.net%2Fthe-mona-lisa. jsp&h=0&w=0&tbnid=MD0n5h8Cdkt_kM&zoom=1&tbnh=276&tbnw=182&docid=ljFRl6vQ27y2yM&tb m=isch&ei=vg1iVIqaHK-P7Aa23YD4CQ&ved=0CAQQsCUoAA (Accessed 11/11/14) Leonardo Da Vinci, 1486, Virgin of the Rocks, Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_of_the_Rocks (Accessed 11/11/14) Leonardo Da Vinci, St. John the Baptist, 1516, Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John_the_Baptist_(Leonardo) (Accessed 11/11/14) Lucy Schwob (1928)‘Self-Portrait with Mirror’ Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Cahun (Accessed 11/11/14) Parmigianino 1524, Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror. Available at: http://www.artble.com/artists/parmigianino/paintings/self-portrait_in_a_convex_mirror (Accessed 11/11/14)
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Editor's Notes
- #2 Slide 1. Intro - Question This research project aims to interrogate the concept of identity, how it has been expressed and developed through the progress of art and visual culture. The self is an individual notion but also relates to how we are influenced by culture as a whole, relating to a wide range of elements e.g. age, gender... The concept of the self within this project will be refined to how we construct and interpret surface identity through the image In particular this research project will look specifically at the portrait; from fine art painting to todays digital representations e.g. selfie culture It is a style of visual art which takes a close up on the superficial surface of the self, focusing on significant elements such as facial emotion.
- #3 Slide 2. Visual culture theory What is visual culture- how it informs interpretation of the image- what gives meaning to any image The projects focus is particularly in relation to Art and digital art/ photography Theorist Doy- notes that the true identity of the artist/ piece can not be interpreted completely – individual interpretation But the external surface can be analysed- as the self is also engaged through external appearance Mirzeoff- relates visual culture in relation to the user/ viewer interaction – decoding meaning– cultural codes/ conventions Bolter – notes the link between traditional forms to new digital forms – through the experience it creates My work must engage the viewer interrogating traditional codes and – creating new meanings
- #4 Slide3. Art theory How identity is interpreted through fine art- to compare to current forms of representation Looked at a number of art periods from renaissance to modern art forms – analysed different pieces Codes and conventions – colours, textures, shapes used – the subject e.g. significance of religious identity Focus on themes outside the individual – culture created the self – depend on the importance of the person Link between painting and photo/ digital art – bolter Research found - the importance Realism/ transparency of the image – compared to photography Who is being represented- Identity of the subject in the image as well as the author of the painting Portrait style is significant – works such as Leonardo De Vinci – compare to selfie conventions
- #5 Slide.4 -Modern Art Theory Bolter – notes the importance that the image is a representation of the world around us – how we construct our identity Significant influence within the project is that of Pablo Picasso – Cubism – breaking down appearance to simple colours ans shapes His use of experimentation – breaking traditional conventions to produce new meanings Engaging the viewer new ways- making them think- new way to interpret the concept of the self New shapes, colours, textures – new visual aesthetic- new way of thinking about art and identity Bring across these new codes and conventions within our own new forms of representation – compare/ contrast
- #6 Slide 5. Representation within Todays culture: Selfie culture To understand how the selfie is constructed- why/ its purpose – its own set of codes and conventions – to compare to previous forms Theorist Grau – notes the concept of Image worlds- new modern form of art – constructing our identity- selfie culture is a new form In line with how our forms of communication is becoming more visual – images/ photography- how we communicate our self image Easy instant culture – what took years to create a representation of the self– now takes seconds – personal art form – more assessable No longer restricted by ability, privilege- just the ability to take a picture – quality/ strict codes not an issue – Open to interpretation and new forms of the medium
- #7 Slide.6 Understanding the selfie: Survey Not a form I am very familiar with… so I created a Survey- to understand the process of the selfie- its codes and conventions How they are taken, where they are taken, editing, use of social media- sharing Use of colours- filters – particular aesthetic – poses- gestures- interpreting the meaning they want to produce To gage their reaction in relation to identity – superficial surface projection – constructed identity Although the research found they don’t see it as a true representation of the self… Many where conscious of how it portrayed themselves on social media- fake constructed surface identity Also created a collage/ individual study – posted on social media– analysing the tropes of a selfie- focus on elements (eyes- open) exaggerated emotions Personal interview – underlying feelings of the medium – qualitative approach
- #8 Slide. 7- Mirror Mirror: Reflection of the self Connection between art/ selfie- used both in renaissance art, modern art and todays selfie culture Parmigianino (1524), ‘Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror’ Lucy Schwob (1928)‘Self-Portrait with Mirror’ A surface reflection of the self – deconstruct using codes and conventions These three images identify how we like to look at the self, all three are constructed in different ways, using different forms of perspective A surface reflection of the self – codes and conventions- how they want to be seen – looking directly – engaging with viewer
- #9 Slide 8. Bringing these concepts into practice Looked at this concept further - Piece inspired by selfie culture and the concept of the reflection of the self The focus on the eye- wide and open- receptive Shapes/ lines/ distortion/ colours of cubism – in relation to use of filters/ effects of the selfie Colours taken from the selfie, tints of oranges Reflection of the self within the selfie- lens through another lens Take it further – more engaging – active final piece – to represent the fast pace selfie instant culture
- #10 Slide 9. Practice piece Created using Photoshop – to create the assets and aftereffects to animate To show how constructed the selfie is – unnatural use of colours – e.g. through filters/ editing Combined with the Exaggerated shapes associated with traditional art forms e.g. cubism – identifies the exaggeration of the emotions Combination of codes and conventions – identifying their similarity's – in terms of exaggeration and construction e.g. colours/ expressions Critiquing on finding the right combination- the right filter, the right post, the right perspective – to reflect they're perceived identity
- #11 Slide 10. Conclusion This piece - Identifying the constructed nature of the identity in the image. From early paintings to todays digital selfie culture- constructed through select colours, shapes, expressions determined by cultural influence – popularity of the selfie medium- just as fine art painting was significant within the renaissance period Identifying connections between the images of representation – both use exaggerated colours/ expressions/ perspectives Artistic shapes/ frame work outlines its constructed nature further – taking the selfie outside its comfort zone – more obvious Impacted by technology- before limited to those with artistic ability – photography/ instant- mass means of constructing our own identity – Even if it is false/ constructed – allowing the individual to experiment – creating greater variety and forms of identity Use of the animation medium – relate to Fast pace – instant culture – reconstructing ourselves to fit within the concept of popular image More engaging than the still image – in line with todays culture – movement / sound / action Yet to fully test reception – to create another survey – to gage reaction and interpretation
- #12 Slide.11 -Reflection Time scale – better planned - greater length of practice piece Extend the practice piece- to look at issues of backgrounds, lighting, other artistic styles Look deeper into art forms e.g. postmodern art – more experimental forms – possibly continuing into video art Looking deeper into the subject of the self - into issues of physiological effect – implications of a culture so obsessed with the superficial self Comparison to other modes of expressing identity in todays technological society – how communication of identity is much more visual I hope to identify further reaction of the user within practice piece – further surveys
- #13 Bibliography page - texts
- #14 Image Bibliography
- #15 End Slide.