Week 5: Let's talk about sex...and gender

Contents:

1. Why is 'sex' still an issue?

2. Why should you care?

3. What is a man?

4. What is masculinity?

5. Conclusion

1. Why is 'sex' still an issue? What does it mean socially and politically?

So we look at global statistics

• Equality Act 2010 (UK) replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single cut
• it legally protects people from discrimination in workplace and in wider society.
• UN Declaration of Human Rights 1948 with particular attention on Article 7 which says all are equal and will get equal protection.

But inspite of these laws in place equality of sexes is still not achieved as evident from global stats:

• 70% women are victims of physical and sexual violence( majority from their husbands or partners),
• in women between age of 15-44 this violence causes more deaths than by malaria or such other diseases.

UK stats

•  2011 ; gender pay gap for hourly wages is 20.1%
• 2013: official hourly rate for men is £26.54 and for women is £18.32.
• Women in full-time employment earn almost £5000 per year less which is 15% less than men.

2. Why should you care? How does this impact on us as artists?

• because your sex affects how you have been treated since birth, how you are being treated at present and will be treated in future and what is expected of you.
• understanding how your identity is constructed and perceived will help you understand and communicate with the audience of your work.

So basically we as artists and makers are responsible for the influence of our work on future consumers / audiences.

3. What is a 'man'?

• depends on who you ask.

Professional Practice 4- The Essay Question

Provide a detailed critical analysis of a cultural text.

What is a cultural text
-anything produced by a culture; a central core study e.g. a garment, film, music, video, magazine, tattoo, painting, computer, mascara, etc.
What does critical analysis mean.
-to approach the topic methodically
- evidence of what other people have to say for and against
-positioning yourself in this
Analysis- a well-rounded balanced investigation. One that is well researched, methodical, logically structured and clearly articulated.

The essay has got to be 1200 words and after attending the Study Skills lecture today I realised that it is not simply having a full systematic research and writing on the subject chosen but also  adding all these references following the Harvard UWE system and maintaining a bibliography.

As homework we are to consider what cultural text we might choose to study and write about for our essay.
So here I am putting my initial thoughts on a cultural text I might choose to write about.

During my recent visit to Paris I visited the Louvre and amongst everything else I went to see the Mona Lisa as well. There have been so many controversial theories about this painting and its model that I just had to see it in person. As I entered  this large room with double height ceiling and very large paintings on the walls, I noticed  a crowd of people gathered in front of the wall at the far end. My curiosity drew me magnetically to this crowd to find out . It was the famous Mona Lisa painting by Da Vinci. The painting which is not really very large was displayed on this  wall with a barrier in front so you could not get up close. There were lots of cameras clicking away but hardly anyone was actually viewing the art.  I got pulled and pushed in this crowd and can't deny I took some photographs myself too. This one below is what I managed to take.
 I think I would like to research on this famous painting by such an intelligent artist .

Image as Language: the science of sign systems

Contents

1. Semiotics & Structuralism

Semiotics is a study of language systems relating to sound, oral and written text.

Structuralism is about applying these theories.

    2. Signs: signifiers + signified ( how a sign is constructed)

eg a fur coat( signifier) + signified: a piece of clothing that keeps you warm, glamour, old money, cruelty to animals. Here the sign is complex  and does not necessarily mean the same for everyone.

    3.Texts-Everything is text, not just what we can read but also the objects that surround us.

    4. Iconic, indexical and symbolic signs.

Iconic signs: look like the thing they represent e.g. photos, portraits

Indexical signs refer to other knowledge e.g. footprints symbolise feet, clouds signify rain. These marks are made physically.

Symbolic signs: they only have meaning due to convention e.g. words, flags, these have to be learnt through knowledge.

Structuralism

A new idea that everything is text- everything we encounter is a 'text'.

Langue: the structural rules and conventions of a system e.g. dictionary contains all the tools you need to do something with language. e.g. form, frame, media, tools: they are the language of our chosen discipline of DAA.

 eg langue for ceramics: clay, tools, kiln.

Parole: the spoken/ individual usage of signs within a system.

Parole for ceramics: Ai weiwei's sunflower seeds, Nicholas Homoky's teapot.

Poststructuralsim

 Everything is text but the meaning is not contained in the text.It relies on the knowledge of other text

to make sense of it. Its about connecting ideas.

Paradigm

Seminar Task 4: Reflect on fieldwork posted on 11th Nov 2013

What were your group's findings?

What did you find challenging / surprising?

If you had to do it again what would you do differently and why?

Here are the positives  as discussed within our group:

• Planning, research and communication within the group was spot-on.
•  Time keeping - Travel time was precisely calculated by Gina as she arrived on the dot to pick me from my house resulting in reaching on time at designated place to meet Leigh. Due to other engagements on the day we knew we had only the morning  2 hours to complete our site visit. Hence time management was crucial and the group supported each other on maintaining this precision.
•  Having considered all the risks, we had no problem with the parking facilities or the weather condition on the day.
• On observing the Street art closely we realised that a variety of techniques had been used in the artworks. Each had its own distinct style.

The following are some points which we would have done differently:

• Although we had two weeks to plan and execute this visit, we felt the need for a bit more forward planning so that everyone in the group could have made it to the sites.
• We were too absorbed by the task that we didn't have enough time to reflect on the artworks .
• It was not evident who the artists were making the street art on North Street.

On exploring the hire charges at the Grant Bradley Gallery, we found out that their admin and commission percentage was much lower than the more acclaimed galleries in Bristol. This could be a possible option for students to collaborate and put up a show together in the future.

Seminar Task 3- Site visit

We made a list of factors that could impact our experience as viewers/ consumers. Our group agreed on the date of our visit and the meeting time and place.
 It was agreed between Gina, Leigh & myself ( Rosie our fourth member was absent ) that we would meet on Thursday 31st Oct  @ 9.30am outside Tobacco factory in Bedminster. We would view and record the Street art on North Street and also visit the Grant Bradley gallery in Bedminster. We informed Rosie of our plans but unfortunately she could not join us as it clashed with a workshop she had previously booked.

 We decided to record our findings with photographs and note taking  and talking to any staff on hand.

 As Leigh is familiar with the area, he was our guide equipped with some useful local knowledge of the town's history and cultural significance.
 Gina and myself, we took photographs while I was taking the notes.

1st Stop: North Street
We started walking from Tobacco factory to the other end of North Street observing the variety of Street Art. The weather was dim and cold but it wasn't wet. We saw a  lot of graffiti art made using different techniques and styles  in all sorts of locations like the side of buildings, walls of the parking lot of Tobacco factory & Chicken Shed café,  shop shutters, green spaces .
 Naturally it was apparent that this sort of space for exhibiting art would be suitable only to graffiti artists. Weather played a crucial role in delivery/ production of this art form. Shop shutters could be viewed only when the shop was closed and its shutter was pulled down. This would impact on the number of people viewing it whilst walking along.
 The pedestrians, motorists and even the workers doing road works were very friendly and walking down the street taking photographs was not intimidating at all.

 Grant Bradley Gallery
 This was a well-lit gallery space with a more artsy feel to it.
As we entered we noticed there were a number of flyers about current and future exhibitions, other art related events happening locally like life drawing class and Big draw event . There were three main areas for exhibiting along with glass cabinets for displaying more delicate art work like small  sculptures and hand made scarves, jewellery. The smell of fresh coffee awakened our senses and soft music  with comfortable sofas and chairs made the experience quite comfortable.
The versatility of the space meant a variety of artwork could be displayed like sculptures, paintings, film, photographs and prints .
The gallery had a small café  and also provided framing services which probably made it sustainable .
There was sufficient information about the artists who had displayed their work along with business cards and mailing list forms.
 We spoke to the staff who were very friendly and helpful to find out more about how the gallery could be hired.
We enjoyed viewing the art on display though not all of it was to my personal liking.

We discussed the work  viewed both at North Street ; an outdoor space and the Grant Bradley gallery, whilst also developing a better personal relationship with each other as a team. I can safely say it was a pleasant experience  having considered all the risks and some efficient planning and time-keeping.
Well done Team !

Graffiti art on walls of outdoor café- Chicken Shed

                                                 Grant Bradley gallery space around café and shop area
                                                        Flicky flowerscapes by Hayley Jones

                                                  Art on Shop Shutters -North Street ,Bedminster

Tobacco Factory parking lot

Grant Bradley gallery mezzanine floor displaying sculptures and wall art made from felt by Chris Hubley

 

Critical Perspective on 24/10/13

Part 1- Primary Research: Fieldwork
 We had formed groups of 4/5, identified , agreed & planned sites and filled the Risk Assessment forms. We had agreed on the date & time of visit, identified and agreed what we were going to view and how we would record findings.

Part 2- Primary Research Approach: Participation or Observation
Observational Research ( Ethnographic) - positions the researcher as separate from or external to the cultural practices being studied.
Participant observation allows the researcher to take part in the cultural practices being studied. e.g.he/ she may interview the artist.
 Both approaches require planning and methodical execution.
As a group we need to decide whether we are observing or participating.
If participating then we need to be aware of some factors that can affect our research such as:

• How we dress may impact on how we are treated
•  consider how we will record our findings
• consider the ethics of how we record e.g.take consent if recording or filming
• carry our student id
• avoid taking pictures of children without their parents' consent
• not all apparently public spaces allow photography, so take permission

Part 3- What do you look at and why
 A list of factors that can affect our experience of the site:

• structure& style of building
• lighting: source, angle, colour
• environment and ambient noise ( background un-intentional sounds)
• deliberate sounds( e.g. piped music. Playing music requires license which in turn can affect the costing of the store)
•  how is the movement through the space/ gallery being controlled ( e.g. via marked routed like in Ikea, tiled and carpeted areas in stores)
• approx. temperature in the venue- does it affect how long we stay in there

What do we look at:

• surrounding shops
• smells
• explanatory notes ( gallery/ exhibition guide)including details about the artwork, its typeface, scale, medium.
• branding of the wider space
• other consumers/ viewers, their approx. age, dressing, ethnicity, gender, class.

Part 4- Seminar Task

• We had to make a list of different factors impacting our experience as the viewer/ consumer at the sites we had chosen to visit
• consider how we could record and how we should record our findings
•  take the notes to our seminar.

Consumer passions: modernity and the birth of consumer culture

Part 1: the birth of modern era
If we look back about 250 years ago much of day to day lives were taken for granted. But with the industrial revolution in 18th century in England , modern society was born.
With the Industrial revolution it meant factories could operate through the night, mass production , massive employment in the cities resulting in un-employment in the countryside. There was a shift of population from rural to urban. It radically changed how people related to the world and each other.
 eg; SS Great Britain combined steam and sail power and no longer depended on winds. It meant the other side of the world was within reach / accessible.
 Part 2: the birth of consumer culture
Mechanisation of production meant that people didn't have time to produce/ grow their own food resulting in specialists like butchers, bakers.
Standardisation of weights and measures became an integral part.
All this gave rise to consumer culture- the idea of giving meaning to repetitive labour by interspersing leisure.
It meant the birth of the ' designer'. as against earlier when people were makers.
The material culture that arose as a result of technological innovation and mass production meant the working class could also afford the more ornate and desirable objects. All this contributed to the discussion about ' truth of materials'( hand made , unique v/s machine made and mass produced)
The invention of the steam- powered printing press meant the production of printed material was abundant, giving rise to increase in literacy levels , birth of graphic design, advertising and brand, packaging, lifestyle magazines.

Industrialisation also resulted in :

• a shift of political power
• diffusion of money and hence power to the middle class
• status being defined by property, wealth and not land or titles
• increased separation of domestic and public domains
• Middle class men were demanding and getting political rights/ power that equalled their new economic power ( women and children earned lower wages compared to men)
• middle class women became extension of their man's power
• items were produced to communicate the taste and values of their consumer eg; Harper's Bazaar magazine
• objects were not valued according to their ' use value' or even the ' exchange value'( Marx) but increasingly for their ' symbolic value'. ( Jean Baudrillard)
• in a capitalist system money=power
• conspicuous consumption- we don't just buy what we need but  to show everyone ( so it is visible)
• conspicuous leisure - women were out showing power / money through their leisure activities.

Part 3: Spaces of Consumption

• In response to this new kind of consumer new spaces of consumption were created: shopping arcades, departmental stores
• the flaneur- term coined by Charles Baudelaine, someone who walks in the city
• the museum- consume culture, artifacts
• the gallery eg; Louvre changed from a palace to a museum establishing national identity and national pride.
• the theatre i.e. the entertainment industry ( the seating plan showed power and class divide)
• cinemas were re-modelled

Conclusion

•  Technology has a massive impact by radically altering our lives
•  led to modern era
• birth of consumer culture- person's identity became tied up with what they consume
•  consumption was not based on necessity but desire

Visual Culture- Innocence Lost: The Politics of Looking & Making- 10/10/2013

 

Part 1- Looking and making as a Political practice.
Looking and making  as political practices refer to the kind of values and imagery we bring with us while making or consuming.
This also means that there is ' NO INNOCENT EYE'. This refers to consuming / viewing without the influence of social, geographical, educational or financial factors.
DENOTATION- literally what we see when we view art.
CONOTATION- values and ideas suggested beyond what is literally there.
Any kind of visual image carries some ideas & values about the world.These meanings are contested i.e. we don't all agree. These meanings are not always contested as the artist may have wanted. That means multiple meanings are possible and are produced through social relationships.
Looking is a political act that we do from a particular position, with a particular idea about the world. This changes what we see.
Awareness of this helps us to move from describing to analysing.

Examples of Manet's Olypia  , 1863 v/s Titian's Venus of Urbino, 1538 ( pictures below), Alfredo jar's Venice Venice, 2013.

Part 2- Ideology
Ideology means world view: what the world is like and how the world should be.
Society masks their ideologies as natural systems of belief/ value, but in fact these are constructed.

Part 3- Strategies of Resistance
Examples of how creative practitioners have resisted the dominant ideologies, asking us to look again.
Using 'juxtaposition' to create ' critical distance'. ( taking a step back and looking twice)
 Artists like Peter Kennard, Grayson Parry, Barbara Kruger, Hannah Hoch and John Hartsfield are examples od creative practitioners who have resisted the dominant ideologies. 

 

 

 

 

Task 2 -Risk Assessment form 1of 2!

This afternoon was quite interesting. Everyone in group 9 actively participated . We were asked to put down thoughts on factors that we think affect audience response to artwork.
I took pictures of the 3 group responses(posters)...

 Does this mean when we select or look for places to display our art , we should be considering these factors?

Oher contemporaries from blogs of my fellow art students

http://conniesheppardartstuff.tumblr.com/post/62552235703/artist-1-iain-macarthur

 http://possibleigh.tumblr.com/

 Thank you to Leigh and Connie for introducing me to these artists :)

1. Gunther Uecker- found in an exhibition advert of Arts magazine Sept 2013
A German painter, sculptor and a kinetic artist.
 I was drawn to his work as I like the idea of adding a third dimension to artwork using simple materials. He has used steel dressmakers' pins to add this effect. The added advantage of this material being a shiny metal plays with light to create mysterious effect. As an audience you feel tempted to touch and experience this dimension in his work.

Nagelbild Medium: nails and charcoal on canvas laid on board.


Structured Field (1992)Medium-bond, plaster(white), nails, canvas on panel board


Andrew Salgado- Canadian portrait artist

 Colossus art blog http://www.thisiscolossal.com/
His practice explores the correlation between the concept of masculinity and the properties of the medium; generally based in paint, at times his practice also incorporates video, text, sculpture, performance, and paper-based work.

 

Iain Macarthur-born in Swindon(UK)
He works with pencils, pigment pens and watercolours.
His works comprise of logos for companies, album art, shirt designs,
He draws portraits of ordinary people embellished with intricate patterns.
Some of his work reminds me of the henna patterns that  appear in my( Indian) culture.

Seminar Task 1

 Textile artist Lindsay Taylor makes 3d sculptural embroidery on hats, shoes and furniture

 American artist Elsa Mora working in paper

 British ceramicist Billy Lloyd makes mugs and teapots

 Line drawings of Billy Lloyd