Presentation

The Presentation:

            •            Starting point (s)

At the beginning of the course I didn't really bother to understand pieces of art that I didn't like or get so didn't bother to read about it. I also didn't understand hidden messages within art, this is why it is so important for me to read and research into artists as it explains what they have done and why. But also to research into the artist to get a feel of how they work and their experiences as artists.

I was adamant that I only was interested in graphic design and that was the only path that I wanted to follow without considering the other pathways before realising that they are all closely interconnected and that I actually use all areas in my own work already without realising.

I started considering areas from the lectures in which I either agreed or

disagreed with as there are things in both that interest me and I knew I would need to look further into and research as I didn't know the subject matter.  I prefer to look at art that I strongly disagreed with as I know this provokes more of a reaction for me and this makes me more involved and interested in the subject.

I am really interested in "what is right with art" and what is going "too far" such as the artist Guillermo Habacuc Vargas who left the dog to starve in the museum, I do not think this is right or art.

Something else that I would like to look further into is the fashion industry as I

strongly disagree with the fur trade and child labour.

But the main subject matter that really interested me is how young children are being targeted and sexualised by the media such as clothing ranges, toys and advertising. I think this is the direction in which I wanted to base my research on as I feel that it is affecting how children are and how they perceive themselves along with many other factors. This was the starting point for my essay as it also involved ethical issues and is part of advertising which is closely related to my graphics pathway.

            •            Where did your thinking go next?

Now I appreciate art and do more reading when in art galleries and try and research the artists and what the work is about.

Once I had decided to base my essay on the sexualisation of children and young women I started to look into different areas in which I could research.

I started looking at all the obvious areas such as clothing, toys and adverts.

Clothing where items such as bras and high heels for young children but also words printed on t-shirts, advertising such as overtly sexualised images of

women in magazines and music videos looking dominated by the men and finally toys that where far to sexualised for young children such the bratz

dolls with overly sexualised looking eyes and clothes.

The main problem that I had found was the subject had in-depth research

done on most areas, this made it difficult as I needed to have a new

approach to the subject and not cover what’s already been covered.

This then lead me to consider how men are now featuring in similar

roles as women and this interested me the most as it’s an unusual

subject to consider. Men, who previously were shown in a dominant

position are now being shown in similar roles as women.

This is what had lead to me my chosen question and subject matter.

            •            What changed/informed your views (and was useful)?

I think the main thing that has changed my views is that art has been produced

for a reason. I think this was the point in which I realised how much the different

pathways actually cross over. When I did the 24-hour task nearly everything I

was seeing was designed but also designed through the pathways combining

the different art areas.

Most pieces of art that are seen to be horrible and not classed as art really is art and has been done for a reason, often with hidden meanings. The most shocking pieces of work are done to make people look and notice it but mainly to provoke a reaction, this is why artists try to push the boundaries about what is right and wrong in the art world.

Supporting my essay the images I found seem to provoked a major reaction for me. The images I researched where shocking and surprising. They show how men have been portrayed in advertising. Theses images provoked more of a reaction than some of the research I've been reading.

I feel this is the same for most pieces of art; you need to experience it yourself but also take into consideration others opinions.

Art needs to provoke your emotions and how you feel.

            •            What was not useful? (Or was interesting, but not relevant?)

I think that mainly fine art is my least favourite pathway/subject as I feel that old paintings and sculptures are interesting but don't massively provoke any sort of reaction as I'm just not massively interested in them, this is why I feel this was the least useful to me.

I enjoy most aspect of fashion such as old garments, fair trade and the fur trade however I wanted something that I could make links to my chosen pathway which is graphic design as then I felt it would be of most use to me.

            •            What are the conclusions you have come to?

I think the main conclusions that I have come to is that sexualisation is

damaging the future generations, giving young people wrong views about their

bodies and how they should be viewed by others.

Not only is there concern for young females but now for young males due to the

rise in men being portrayed in adverts looking overtly sexual making people

consider the way in which they look.

This is a very large subject matter in which I simple wouldn't have been able to

cover.

            •            What further research does your work now point to/ would you like to do to extend your thinking about the subject?

As I am interested in areas such as sexualisation, which was the base for my essay, I think my work now points to the research into image and identity.

But more specifically I would like to investigate the subject of an image-obsessed society. One of the main issues that arose from my essay was that people are concerned about their body and the way that they are being viewed by others. I think I would be interested in the history of how this idea of an obsessed society started to become apparent and why.

            •            Has this work informed your practice? How/in what ways?

This work has definitely informed my practice as I can now see how all the different creative path ways link together and become one instead of them being individual isolated areas within the art industry.

            •            What have you learnt through the process of doing this project - about the subject; about yourself as a researcher/student/practitioner?

There are a few things that have really made an impact on me such as there is no definitive answer to whom is saying that art is correct or wrong but it is in the eye of the viewer and is purely down to personal opinions.

The main thing I have learnt is about semiotics, as I had never heard of it before. Semiotics is a visual language that is now almost everywhere. This is where we make assumptions of the meanings because they've been around for many years.

A sign is "something which stands to somebody for something in some capacity" Charles Sanders Pierce 1977, I feel this quote explains it perfectly.

I have learnt a lot through doing this project as I have started to consider that art

is everywhere but we don't always notice it. I have learnt that things are

designed for a reason and in almost every case they have been designed to fill

a purpose, provoke a reaction or look interesting.

I have learnt a lot about the subjects as a whole. Many people disagree with

how the media is representing both women and men in an explicit way.

Clothing and toys that are clearly not appropriate for children are still

being sold and only a few items that have major complaints get removed.

It has made me think about myself as I am always body conscious and

comparing myself to other women.

As a graphic designer I will consider how I portray people in my work, especially from photographs as I feel this is something that needs to be abolished. I have previously used an image of a woman in just pants to promote safe sex however I was using the woman to provoke a reaction which is using sexualisation.

            •            What would you do differently if you were to do this assignment/module again?

If I was to redo this assignment I would do my own independent research into each subject area from the lectures and do some in-depth reading into each artist and time period so I would have been better informed and more aware. This also would mean that I would understand the artist’s thoughts and perhaps there work could influence me.

            •            What advice would you offer to another researcher/student embarking on this module?

The advice I would give to another student embarking on this module would be

consider all creative areas within the lectures even if it’s outside of your creative pathway. Absorb all the information given to you and start by reading and researching into all points suggested so you are better informed yourself about different areas that you don't necessarily know about. Keep an open mind and think broadly as art as a whole, don't have a narrow-minded thought path let the information inspire you.

For the essay subject, choose something that you find interesting and feel

strongly about as you will feel more prone to want to read more and consider

other peoples' view points, you will have your own opinion even though this

might change due to the research and reading you will do.