- 'Discourse' methodology (Foucault)
- 'Fluid' identity theory. (Bauman)
Essentialism
> biological makeup that makes us who we are.
> inner 'essence'
Post modern theories disagree
Physiognomy
Cesare Lambroso
- founder of positivist criminology.
the notion that criminal tendencies are inhereted
Looks at features of the face, suggests that sloped face etc show criminal tendencies. Diagrams explaining this theory show those more likely to have criminal tendencies as African/black men.
This theory almost legitimises racism...attempts to give it some kind of scientific basis.
Phrenology
No real theory of scientific evidence.
Based upon parts of the brain formulating the person you are.
Each section of the brain controls an element of you as a person ( animal etc)
These sections are held in a balance.
If one section is larger in a person then another suffers as a result and will be smaller.
ANGLO - TEUTONIC > seen as racially superior.
Nazism
- Aryan race
blond hair // blue eyes // caucasian.
Heironymous Bosch (1450-1516)
christ carrying the cross.
Chris Ofili
Holy Virgin Mary (1996)
> paints the virgin Mary as a black woman
> exaggerated features.
> paints with elephant dung
Pre-modern identity
-Personal identity is stable - defined by long standing roles.
Modern identity
-Societies offer wider social range. possibility to choose identity rather than being born into it.
People then 'worry'.
Pre modern identity
institutions determined identity.
Marriage, church, monarchy, government, the state, work etc.
Secure identities.
Farm worker
Soldier
factory worker
housewife
gentleman
husband/wife.
Modern identity
Charles Boudelaire - painter of Modern life (1863)
Thorsten Veblen - theory of leisure class ( 1899)
George Simmel - Metropolis of mental life (1903)
People aspire to be a part of the leisure class } paying others to work //rather than in a factory.
'Flaneur' gentleman stroller
Baudelaire > Veblen
Simmel
Trickle down theory > upper classes seen wearing the latest fashions.
> lower classes try to emulate their style > it then become unfashionable because everyone is wearing it > upper class find something new to wear and the cycle repeats itself.
Emulation
Distinction
The 'Mask' of fashion.
Edvard Munch
Simmel suggests that :
Individuals withdraw themselves in order to find peace.
Post modern identity //
Discourse analysis.
-age
-class
-gender } 'Otherness'
-nationality
-race/ethnicity
Class - industrialisation brings on the emergence of the working class.
Mass observation - worktown project ( 1937)
Upper class toffs from London - photographing the working class of Britain. In this instance, Bolton.
Observing them
Northern people observed by Southern people
Humphrey Spender
Trained architect but did photography because he wanted to. There was no need for him to have a proper job because he was so upper class.
Suggest in his photos that the peoples lives are rubbish
> playing with rabbits feet 'cause there's nothing else to play with
Suggesting the people in them are dull.
Martin Parr
Claims hes documenting the world as he sees it...
Romantisising peoples lives.
People argue that his images are condescending } they show an upper class view.
Poke fun at the way people live their lives?
Parr photographs in much the same way as Spencer, with a similar consideration for humour and a way of poking fun at those in the images.
Ascot, 2003, Martin Parr
People playing out roles they don't really belong to.
Think of England
Think of Germany
> notion of cliche and representations of the countries.
Alexander Mcqueen
Highland Rape collection (1995-96)
Claims rape of Scotland by the English was the influence for the collection.
It's a jungle out there (1997-98)
Racist?
Vivenne Westwood.
Anglomania - About Englishness
> yet used Tartan, a material synonymous with Scottish-ness.
Highly controversial.
Las Vegas
Multitude of identities in a confused space // why go anywhere else when all the places you'd go are in Las Vegas.
Chris Ofili
No woman, no cry (1998)
Captain shit and the Legend of the black stars (1994)
Making link to elephant dung but also how he feels he may have been perceived as a black teenager growing up in Manchester.
Gillian Wearing
Signs that say what you want them to say and not signs that say what some else wants you to say (1992-93)
Emily Bates- created a dress using her own hair
Gender & sexuality
Wilson. E (1985)
- the fashion industry is the work not of women, but of men.
- a gigantic unconscious hoax, perpetrated on women by the arch villains of the cold war - male homosexuals.
they have a secret hatred of women
Flapper 1952
La Garconne
Masquerade and the mask of femininity
Cindy Sherman > untitled film stills (1977-80)
Making a point of the situation she is in...
objectified.
Sarah Lucas - Au Naturel (1994)
Tracey Emin - Everyone I've ever slept with. (1963-95)
Because a woman has created it, it becomes more acceptable.
Gillian Wearing > Lynn
Post modern condition
- liquid modernity & liquid love.
> identity is constructed through social experience
> Goffman saw life as 'theatre'
Bauman
- identity is something to be invented - can now choose identity
Getting a text message becomes a justification of your existence
Theodore levitt (1970) the morality of advertising
Idea that contemporary life is dull and we use art etc to make it less so.
Barbara Kruger I shop therefore I am . 1987.
Selfridges 2006
Sell out?
Sponsored art show?
Mocking the consumers?
Darley 2000 - visual digital culture
justifying your existence through your phone
Prediction for facebook.
" I like facebook", "I got a shag out of it" (Marty Edwards)
Second life Affairs // marriage
entertainment at the expense of tragic individuals.
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