Foucault 'discourse' methodology
To place and critique contemporary practise within these frameworks and to consider their validity
- Theories of identity
- ESSENTIALISM - Traditional approach
- Our biological makeup
- We all have an inner essence that makes us who we are
- Post modern theorists disagree
- Post modern theorist are anti-enssentialist
Physiognomy - The more vertical your face, the more intelligent you are
Phrenology
Cesare Lombroso 1835-§909 founded of positivist criminology - the notion that criminal tendencies are inherited. You can read the likely hood of someone being criminal by the way they look.
Physiognomy legitimising racism
Irish iberian, ango-teutonic, negro.
Hieronymous Bosch (1450-1516) Christ carrying the cross, oil on Panel.
Normal figure are christ and a follower, everyone else is distorted. Anyone helping to kill christ is evil; thus looks grotesk.
Chris Ofili, Holy Virgin Mary, 1996. Virgin Mary to be black, used Elephant dung within work, features to demonstrate black origins.
Historical phases of identity
Douglas Kellner - Media Culture: cultural studies, identity and politics...
Pre modern identity - personal identity is stable - defined by long standing roles
Modern identity- Modern societies begin to odder a wider range of social roles. Possibility to start 'choosing' your identity, rather than simply being born into it. People start to 'worry' about who they are.
Post modern identity - accepts a 'fragmented self'.Identity is constructed.
Pre-modern identity
Institutions in society determine who you are
Marriage, the church, monarchy, government, the state, work
Secure identities
Fram worker....Landed gentry
The soldier ... The state
Factory worker...Industrial capitalism
The housewife...Patricarchy
Gentlemen .... Patricarchy
Hisband / wife....church
Modern identities
19th and early 20th century
Charles baudelaire - The painter of modern life
Thorstein Veblen - Theory of the leisure class
Georg Simmel - The metropolis and mental life
Bauderlaire - introduced concept of the 'flaneur' (gentlemen-stroller)
Veblen - 'Conspicious consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure'
Gustave caillebottle (1848 - 94)
Le pont de l'Europe, 1876
Being ' out and about' dont need to work, showing your status as bieng above that of the lower classes.
Simmel
-Trcikle down theory
- Emulation
-Distinction
- The mask of fashion
Lower class emulate what higher class are wearing
Upper classe snot wanting to be linked to lower classes, so new clothing lines forever being evolved
Georg Simmel
'The feeling of isolation is rarely decisive andf intense when oneself physically alone, as when is a stranger without relations amoung many physically close persons, at a party on the train....'
Simmel suggests that becaude of the speed and mutability of modernitity, individuals withdraw into themselves to find peace. He describes this as the seperation of....
Foucault
Discourse analysis
Identity is constructed out of the discourses available to you.
a set of reoccurring statements that define a particular cultural object
Possible discourses
age, class, gender etc
Discourses to be considered:
Class
Nationality
Race / ethnicity
Gender / sexuality - otherness - Indicate, people who aren't white european.
Otherness - written my heterosexual men
Class
Humphrey Spencer / Mass observation, worktown project, 1937 (Bolton)
Upperclass observing lower class
The children are playing with Rabbits feet, all they can afford.
Martin Parr, New Brighton, Merseyside, from the last resort, 1983-86
Looking down on others, the way they live their lives.
Possibly poking fun
'Ascott' 2003
'Society...remind one of a particularly shrewd cunning and pokerfaced player n the game of life, cheating if given a chance, flouting rules whenever possible.'
Nationalitiy
Martin Parr, Sedlescrome, from think of england, 2000-2003 cliche stereotype
Think of germany, berlin, 2002
Alexander McQueen, Highland Rape colections, Autumn/Winter 1995
Much of the press coverage centred around accusations of misogyny because of the imagery of semi-naked, staggering and brutalised women in conjunction wit the word ' rape' in the title' But Mcqueen claimed ....
Vivienne Westwood, anglomania collection, autumn / winter 1993
Using something very scottish, to then title 'anglomania'
Las Vegas - Fluid nature of national idneitity within the contemporary world. Different identities forced into once place, 77% of americans dont have passports - they have las Vegas...no need
' I didnt like Europe as much as i liked disney world. AT Disney world all the countries are much closer together, and they just show you the best of each country. Europe is more boring. People talk strange languages and things are dirty. Sometimes you dont see anything interesting in Europe for days
'Chris ofili, no woman no cry 1998
Captain shit and the legend of black stores, 1994
No black super heros....as a teenager, feels this is how a black superhero would be viewed
Gillian Wearing, from signs that say what you what you want them to say and not signs that say what someone else wants you to say 1992
People given a piece of card, writing what they feel on them
Vauxwagon did the same
Alexander McQueen, its a jungle out there collection, Autumn/ Winter 1997
Emily bates, textile designer/ artistdress, created using her own hair
'Hair has often been a big issue throughout my life, it often felt that i was nothing more than my hair in other peoples eyes'
Titian, saint mary megdelenc - prositiute, red hair, outcast from society, the scarlet woman. - Inspired Emily Bates
Gender and sexuality
Fashion industry is the work of men - edmund bergler, dominated by men deisgning for women, fashion designers are 'queers'
Flapper , 1925
Cover of la Garconne, by Victor Marguerite
Androgyny 1920s style, from punch magazine
Masquerade and the mask of femininity
Cindy Sherman, untitled film stills, 1977
Sarah Lucas, Au naturel, 1994
Tracy Emin, everyone i have ever slept with, 1963-95
Sam Taylor-wood, portrait (fuck, such, spunk, wank) 1993
The postmodern condition:
Liquid modernity and liquid love
Post modern theory
Identity is constructed through our social experience
Zygmunt Bauman
'yes identity is revealed to us only to be something invented,...'
'i think therefore i am'
' I shop therefore I am' - barbara Kruger - Selfridges (retail graphics)
'i think therefore i am'
' I shop therefore I am' - barbara Kruger - Selfridges (retail graphics)
define self from what and where you buy
No comments:
Post a Comment