Final Project Idea- Arianna G

 

Weekly Selfie 1/31

The Cindy Sherman Effect by Phoebe Hoban for ArtNews

“Her work has in some ways presaged the media age that we live in now and also absolutely responds to it”

“I think it has made me realize that we’ve all chosen who we are in terms of how we want the world to see us,”

Cindy Sherman's work is definitely relevant to our current media age where identity and self-representation are constantly being explored and redefined. Her use of self-portraiture to challenge societal constructs seems to be a criticism of the era of social media that is subject to a specific type of beauty standard.

We each have a hand in crafting our own image like picking out an outfit, we decide which parts of ourselves to show off and which to keep hidden. A lot of who we are is up to us to define. It’s a reminder that we are all playing a role in our personal stories that changes and continues as we go along.




New York Times | The Ugly Beauty of Cindy Sherman

“In fact, her images are so foundational to feminist art criticism, to notions of the “male gaze,” that it can be difficult to see them for themselves — they come to us encrusted with theory”

“Their vulnerability pains me — how badly they want to achieve some kind of glamor, how magnificently they miss the mark. A face “just floats there in front of you,” Marilynne Robinson once wrote. “It might as well be your soul, for all you can do to protect it.”

Sherman’s work is not just distorted pictures but also questions the way women have been portrayed and perceived through art and media. Shermans art often portrays the raw and sometimes uncomfortable efforts to attain a certain standard of beauty or lifestyle. It’s a powerful response to the vulnerabilities that come with our inner desire to be seen and admired.

Ugly Beaty - Cindy Sherman

Weekly Selfie 3 - Ana Mendieta - BinChao Yang

Ana Mendieta, Untitled: Silueta Series, 1976-1978

Recreated

Female Gaze: Art that Looks at What Women See | NYTIMES

“The female artists’ gaze is shaped by their lived experiences, which are different for women and men.”

- In life, men and women encounter different problems, solve problems in different ways, and look at problems in different ways. 

Ana Mendieta: Artist Who Pushed Boundaries | NYTimes

“She was always very dramatic, even as a child — and liked to push the envelope, to give people a start, to shock them a little bit. It was who she was, and she enjoyed it very much. And she laughed about it sometimes when people got freaked out.”

- Ana's personality shapes her artistic style, which gives her artwork a distinctly personal touch.

Ways of Seeing, Chapters 2+3

 “The way the painter has painted her includes her will and her intentions in the very structure of the image, in the very expression of her body and her face.”

- People are used to viewing women as beautiful exhibits and taking pleasure in doing so.

"But the essential way of seeing women, the essential use to which their images are put, has not changed. Women are depicted in a quite different way from men -- not because the feminine is different from the masculine -- but because the "ideal" spectator is always assumed to be male and the image of the woman is designed to flatter him."

- People view men and women differently because stereotypes about men and women influence people's perceptions.

What is the Male Gaze?

- The Male Gaze refers to the perspective and representation of women in media and art, where the viewer's (assumed to be male) point of view is central. It often objectifies and sexualizes women for the pleasure of the male viewer.

What is the Female Gaze?

- The concept of the ‘female gaze’ could be seen as a response to feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey’s term, the ‘male gaze’, which represents the gaze of a heterosexual male viewer along with the male character and the male creator of the film.

Final Project Jackie Logan 4-24

 

Control

For my final project I wanted to take another crack at Dadaism. Hannah Hoch being my main inspiration. In my first pieceI made it about great black women in history and brought it together in a Hannah Hoch Style. But I don’t think i used surrealism at all in message or imagery. Not to mention how celebratory it was in comparison to “Cut with the Kitchen Knife”. So I very much wanted to get more critical. I went through a few thoughts, but ultimately I decided on the entertainment industry. The dark side of it and underlying controversy that takes place in it. I also wanted to add some drawing to connect all of it into one idea. 

“For all the new visual material, it is often hard to be sure what we are seeing when we look at today's world." Page 6 How we see the World

This quote from The reading illustrates a lot of The entertainment industry is. We only see what they show us. And even what they show us can be hard to distinguish. It’s coming through a lenses of what they want us to see. So it is never clear what we are looking out. There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes. It can also be unclear in what is true or not. We hear a lot of stories and a lot of versions of stories. There is no way to know for sure what is going on. Just what someone wants to show us. 

“We only see what wee look at. To look is an act of choice. As a result of this act, what we see is brought within our reach - though not necessarily in arm's reach." page 8 Ways of seeing

At the same time we engage I what they bring sometimes even despite of what lies underneath. They catch your hearts in a way to wear we can sometimes be blinded to what is truly there. It is something that is brought close to us as if so something that we are meant to engage in. 

“creating a vessel through which she viewed artistry as the absence of complexity, a vacuum through which she was led to a state of complete relaxation of mind" yono oko article

If anything my piece is showing you only a small part of the inner complexities of Hollywood. It is a very large world and there is a lot to see. 

I called it control because of how everyone in it including us feels like a pawn to what controls it on the top. Which is Capitalism. As the same few companies own pretty much everything. And that is a scary thought. 

And artist who inspired me a lot is Cindy Sherman. I already knew who she was before the class but what I like is how she uses contextualize stereotypes of women in her work. She isn’t really projecting more than just showing what they are and making us think about them. It is something I hope to do as a fellow under represented group in media creation. 

(4/24) Final Project - "Anger Management" - Kyle Pangilinan

Anger Management

Digital

Physical

Mental

        I am the main subject of my photo series, Anger Management, portraying how I deal with my anger. Each photo contains a unique setting apart from each other. I chose to do my final project in a digital medium as it is what I am most comfortable using. Every cut image has been neatly put together and altered further through Photoshop. Initially, I wanted to make a single collage of my work, showing my self-help journey; but then I made it into a photo series, expanding each of them individually. I categorize my work as a digital photo series. I went to a boardwalk near Bayonne where I took multiple roaming selfies, relating to Carrie Mae Weems. I made several poses and expressions, narrowing down the ones I would use for my final and using smaller assets from others that I took. Each emotional or physical expression was vital in capturing my arduous journey to getting better, through confronting my inner self. According to Berger, “If we accept that we can see that hill over there, we propose that from that hill we can be seen. The reciprocal nature of vision is more fundamental than that of spoken dialogue. And often dialogue is an attempt to verbalize this – an attempt to explain how, either metaphorically or literally, ‘you see things’, and an attempt to discover how ‘he sees things’,” (Berger 9). The first photo depicts two of me fighting in a digital realm, like the MATRIX franchise. This represents one of my ways to relieve my anger, watching shows, playing video games, and scrolling through social media. The next one presents another fight, more dangerous than before as the sun explodes and both of me are fighting; where one shoots, and the other creates a force field for protection. This conveys me getting my stress out through physical exercise and expression, getting all the negative emotions out of my system; all while not trying to hurt myself. And the last image shows a more peaceful approach to dealing with my anger. In this beautiful, ethereal plane, I simply nap; allowing myself to calm down and prepare for the next day.

        The artists that inspired my photo series, were Carrie Mae Weems and Cindy Sherman. Weems' "Roaming" photo series was the base for my landscape, and Sherman's bizarre self-portraits affected the themes for each photo. My photo series conveys the internal struggle of someone fighting for a better life, revealing the steps taken on my self-help journey. My first two self-portraits reveal similar underlying themes of my internal struggle. But the only difference between them and my final is that my final shows a progression of me taking steps to get better. At the time, the first two photos portray single images; one telling the viewers I want to get better, and the second week conveys my desire to relax in my room. The other major difference that exists, is my Ana Mendieta photo recreation, a photo of a chopped tree relating to Imágen de Yágul (Image from Yagul) 1973. Before starting, I planned to make my final project into a collage, presenting different variations on how I would approach it. However, after receiving some recommendations, I decided to expand on each key part of my project’s story, as a multiple photo series. I have pushed myself more to convey my message within this photo series, especially from Carrie Mae Weems’ Roaming series. A deeper understanding of the artists I learned from this class allows me to acknowledge and better myself on what I need to do to live my life.

        The images and messages we see in the media shape our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us. They can influence our sense of self, values, and beliefs. In today's world, social media platforms have become a powerful tool for self-presentation. People use these platforms to create a specific persona or image of themselves. They carefully curate and select images and messages to present themselves in a certain way. This can lead to both positive and negative consequences. According to Mirzoeff, "Media no longer prize form so much as content. A book might be available as an e-book, an audiobook, a video, or a Braille text, as well as a printed volume. Broadcasting itself has largely shifted to “narrow casting,” organized around content rather than form. Broadcasting was a mass medium, in which the audience was given very limited choice over content but was able to receive the form very widely and usually free or at low cost. Narrow casting aims at specific audiences organized around preferences for content, such as channels devoted to specific sports, independent films, home decorating, and so on. The audience may be substantial but are more alike than different. Narrow casting usually has to be paid for and is often expensive. Truly mass audiences now tend to gather for ritualized media events such as the Super Bowl, the World Cup, or the Oscars, whose content is not wholly known in advance but has very few variables,” (Mirzoeff 52). It can be empowering to have control over one's self, however, it can create unrealistic expectations and contribute to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. According to Berger, “Publicity speaks in the future tense and yet the achievement of this future is endlessly deferred. How then does publicity remain credible – or credible enough to exert the influence it does? It remains credible because the truthfulness of publicity is judged, not by the real fulfilment of its premises, but by the relevance of its fantasies to those of the spectatorbuyer. Its essential application is not to realty but to daydreams,” (Berger 146). You may believe you’re seeing a person present themselves as their true selves, but that online persona could be a fraction of who they really are. The relationship between the spectacle/media and identity is complex and multifaceted, and it is important to understand how these forces shape our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us.

Works Cited

• Mirzoeff, Nicholas. How to See the World: An Introduction to Images, from Self-Portraits to Selfies

• Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. Penguin Books, 2008.

Final Project - Arianna Guevara

 

The World Is Woman

I made this collage art piece with the intent of coming from a feminist standpoint. I used elements of Wangechi Mutus collage art style making a human-like creature. This piece shows a woman’s body with the head of a fierce animal holding up both the world and the sun. There are plant -like vines  wrapped around the creature's legs, waist, and arms pulling it down to the ground. I used the vines to represent the challenges women face that try to keep women down regardless of how we try to progress over the years. Women still face challenges today such as gender inequality, workplace discrimination, and societal expectations. We still have gender pay gaps and limited opportunities for career advancements. There are also ongoing efforts to restrict women’s reproductive rights. The eyes on the bottom also represent the criticism and judgment  towards women that choose not to conform to societal expectations. Society often places pressure on women to follow traditional gender roles and expectations such as getting married, having children, or prioritizing their appearance. Some can be labeled as “unfeminine” or “selfish”. I placed the sun and the earth in the woman-like creatures' hands to emphasize the important contributions women make to the world. Women have made contributions to various fields including science, politics, arts, and most importantly hold the gift of giving life to both men and women. 

This work is similar to the previous pieces I’ve done in a sense that I usually incorporate feminist ideas and appreciation of women and the body. However, the style of it is a little bit different. I made this piece with a couple of more textures. I included the use of different materials such as pipe cleaners, paint, glitter, Pom Pom balls, sticky notes and magazine images. I also expanded the collage using a bigger canvas. 

FINAL PROJECT - ARIANNA ALMAGUER

 

*DUALITY*

My final project I wanted to dive deep about how women are perceived as or looked as in people’s eyes and this final project is something that I had dealt with my teenage years and even ongoing. I put myself in the work, where you see the different side of a woman. On the left you see the very sweet, colourful candy like, dream like girl and this is what people are attracted to and what people think that this is how girls or women are supposed to be or look. On the right, you see dark figures, dismembered bodies and even though it is revolting, but it is also fascinating to look at, you can’t look away. I am the only child in my family, and I am always told that I had to dress a certain way when I was younger. I was told that I had to dress girly just to be attractive. Imagine being told at 13, that I had to dress in order to be seen as attractive to other people.  

My project is a combination of Natalia Seth work and Wangechi Mutu. 

Natalia Seth work is from her dreams

    - "When I’m falling asleep, I force myself to think of ideas, and then, just let my train of thought go wherever it may please. That’s a cool time to clear out my mind and think of creative things, just clear out all the clutter from the day." - Natalia Seth

I am the same way, I also get my ideas to draw something from my dreams because sometimes trying to think of something when you are wide awake, nothing comes to mind but once you sleep you start getting these dreams that you never imagned of having. I feel like dreams are much better to get your ideas than thinking hard and making your mind hurt. 

I can also relate to Natalia of making friends, the only way I can actually make friends or even associate with people is with my art. 

    - "As a child I was super awkward and shy, and finding this medium has allowed me to channel my weirdness through my images. When I couldn’t express my feelings in words, I created images instead". - Natalia Seth

With my art, I am able to actually start having conversations with people about something that we are interested in. 

Wangechi Mutu centers her work on the female body so through her collages, sculptures, and video works, she creates these powerful matriarchal hybrid figures from elements of human, plant, animal, and mechanical forms. Her art dives into gender, race, art history and personal identity themes. Mutu’s art is deeply concerned with reshaping narratives around womanhood, challenging racist and misogynistic views prevalent in Western culture. 

    - "Females carry the marks, language and nuances of their culture more than the male. Anything that is desired or despised is always placed on the female body." - Wangechi Mutu

This quote suggests that women often bear the weight of cultural expectations, both positive and negative, more intensely than men. So the marks could be a physical or symbolic like lets say a traditional clothing, body modifications, or how women are expected to carry themsleves and not look like slobs. For language its about women learning and embodeying the cutural norms, customs or language at such an early age therefore they become like a carrier for these cultural expressions. Nuances is just a sublte aspects of culture, like social roles, how to behave, rituals, they are ingrained in women's lives once they are born until they die. 

This also talks about the desired and the despised aspects of women. Society values or disapproval is always aimed at women. Desired are to be considered women's beauty, their nuturing qualities, modesty, and self- sacrifice meaning giving up on your own interests or any wishes just to help others. Despised are the ones that has flaws, doesnt know the norms of a woman, and behaviors that challenges on what women are supposed to be doing. 

Lets also talk about the placement on Female Bodies. The female bodies becomes a canvas for cultural expression, expectations and judgements. So we have no say in our own body but other people can have a say on our body. The desired traits are always emphasized with adornments, makeup and fashion which thats what we always see on magazines and on social media, women wearing clothing brands and some of the clothes are sometimes very scandily leaving with no little imaginations. The despised ascpects of women are lead to the body shaming, objectification, or restrictions on the bodily autonomy. Meaning, the despised women are women who are not seen beautiful are always shamed because of their body or their face. We are always having a restrictions on our body, we can't go to clinic without being controlled by men. 

LINKS:

Wangechi Mutu’s Magically Intertwined World | Art & Object (artandobject.com)

Wangechi Mutu | MoMA

Natalia Seth, A Multimedia Artist With A Dreamy Vision Of The World – Collective World

Natalia Seth: A Digital Artist Using Social Media To Express Herself and Create Change — Pulse Spikes