Identity:
Identity is constructed through the social and historical context and in relation to family, peers, organization, and any other connections that one makes in her/his everyday life
(1). A person's identity is primarily embedded in groups to which one's belong. Identity determines by the way we see ourselves and express our position in the world. Identity also determines by the way that others see or classify us, and the way we choose to engage with people around us and how we fit with other groups of people
(2). Identity is comprised of biology or physiology, hence gender, race have role to understand the definition of the identity. Ideology is also important in defining an identity. Values and ideologies are derived from family, friends, government, etc
(1).
Artists and identity:
August Sander (1876-1964):
The artist photographs address people's occupations and position in the society. Pasterycook (1928) is an iconic portrayed in one of the artist photos category that is called "The Skilled Tradesman".
Frida Kahlo (1907-1945):
The artist works address her identity. The two Fridas (1939) portrayed her internal conflict with her identity.
Jeanne Dunning ( born in 1960):
The artist creates photographs that question issues of identity, sexuality, and the interior or exterior self. Puddle 2 (1997) is from series that shows body as an important subject for the artist.
Lalla Essaydi (born in 1956):
The artist uses pattern and dress to express the cultural identity. Grand Odalisque (2008) explores the image of a woman in Islamic culture.
Mary Sibande (born in 1982):
Sibande's works explore themes of gender, class, and race.
Work's critique:
Sibande's work " Wish you Were Here" presents a critical mediation into the ways in which women of African descent have been depicted in European art and known as "othered" in European society. Sophie , the name of the woman in blue dress, appears unaware to her surrounding. her downcast eyes are only engage with her activity. Sophie holds strands of red thread that weave into a framed Coat of Arms with "s" in the middle. The strand connect the Coat of Arms to Sophie that may construct her identity beyond her personal border.The red yarn is placed on her expansive dress which express a certain identity of her dominance subject hood.
The gaze:
in visual culture the concept of the gaze deals with how an audience views the people presented. the concept became popular in the rise of postmodern philosophy and the social theory. The gaze has a role in the development of the human psyche and extended in the context of feminist theory
(8). In the contemporary art the gaze is used as a tool for communication, and a vehicle to transmit information and assumptions about the viewer/viewed. the gaze can be seen as dynamic medium that connect the art form to social interpretation
(9). Cindy Sherman using the idea of gaze in her works in order to put comment on how we as a society turn women into subject
(10).
Post-colonial Identity:
Postcolonial theory analyses the cultural legacies of colonialism and consequences of controlling a country and exploiting their resources. It also addresses the perspective of Western culture on the society and culture on non-European people. Postcolonial theory can also be applied to power over sub-population in the same nation. Postcolonial perspective is important to contemporary art because it allows artists to express their identity and culture
(11). Kimssoja is a contemporay artist who linka her works to colonialism.
Hybridity:
A hybrid is something that having two kinds of components that produce the same or similar result
(13). Cultural hybridity can refer to art that explores the blurring of social and geographic boundaries between people. for many artists cultural hybridity becomes a subject in their works. Artists may portray their new identity by differentiating or combining the different cultures that they have experienced
(14) . Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie is a photographer and artist who uses the concept of hybridity in her works.
Constructed narrative:
In photography, narrative is related to the idea of context.narrative is a product of including some elements and excluding others. It is important to understand the context to choose include or exclude
(16).
Staging a photograph is a way to take control of photography composition and stage a photography in your own way. staged photography is constructed during the twentieth century and the photographs are constructed and put on stage. All details on stage are planed for specific reason
( 17).
Sandy Skoglund uses the exponents of staged photography in her works.
Hyper-real:
Hyperreal is the condition in which the distinction between the real and the imaginary collapses. Hence, the illusion of an object is no longer possible because the real object is no longer there. One of the fundamental concept of hyper reality is the simulation and the simulacrum. Simulation is a blending of reality and representation, and there is no clear boundary for them. The representation becomes more important than real things. Simulacrum is a copy with no original, in other words it is an image without resemblance. Media culture, economics, exchange value, multi national, capitalism, urbanization, language and ideology are the causes of simulacrum and theorists highlight these causes to define hyper reality. In Baudrillard theory hyper reality is a kind of social reality in which reality is generated from ideas.photography, mass production, television, and advertising have shaped and change the perception of reality. truth and reality is interpreted to an extend that culture can no longer distinguish reality from fantasy
(19).
Paul Cadden's pencil drawings represent accurate representation of reality to give a viewer emotional perspective in which they can appreciate an affinity for everyday situation.
Pictorial space:
It is created in the tension between pairs of opposing planes that each contain the other and create tension in space. Pictorial space structure the problem of space, the evidence sought, and the methods of measuring, collecting, and interpreting the data. In the twentieth century the history of pictorial space was the history of Cezanne's influence
(21). In a two dimensional art , illusionary space which appears to recede backward into depth from the picture plan. Contemporary pictorial space is constructed on the basis of fractured shapes and flexible structures with a non-linear , unpredictable narrative. The contemporary pictorial forms are decontextualized, changed and made to interact with different artistic language such as photography and processed image.Hence, this pictorial form introduces references and allusions to reality to question what is real or virtual
(22) .
Eva Schlegel uses the idea of analytical deconstruction of pictorial space in her photography.
Symbolism in contemporary narrative:
Symbolism is an artistic and a literary movement which suggests ideas via symbols and emphasizes the meaning behind the elements of design.Symbolism is in contrast to impressionism in which the emphasis is on the reality. In contemporary narrative symbolism develops new and often abstract means to express psychological truth and the concept of laying spiritual reality behind the physical world
(24).
Peter Funch uses photography as a way to explore hidden themes such as chaos, order, repetition, and harmony.
Subjectivity:
Subjectivity refers to one's judgment which is shaped by personal opinions and feelings instead of outside influences. In subjective photography one can express his/her self through optics, physical , and chemical process. subjective photography is a personal interpretation of the subject and the composition is chosen by the photographer's personal approach and style.
(26)
Peter Keetman who joined to found the fotoform Group in 1949 is one of the photographer who coined the term " subjective photography" and emphasized the photographers individual perspective.
(27)
Example of a social narrative:
Sergey Bratkov addresses and creates the social issues and stereotypes of contemporary Ukraine society. Bratkov records images of daily life that have a certain lyrical tone.
(28)
Favorite narrative photography:
Birthe Piontek who uses metaphors and symbols to express her state of minds and emotions. Trouts is a staging photography that may appear as delicate disruption of the everyday life. However, the artists addresses themes of intimacy and morality , and exposes the desires, urges and fears that exist in people's subconscious.
Sources:
(1) http://www.criticalmediaproject.org/about/key-concepts/
(2) http://www.ebsqart.com/Education/Articles/Art-History-and-Criticism/2/Frida-Kahlo-and-Duality/5/
(3) http://www.onecountry.org/story/perspective-identity-and-search-common-human-purpose
(4) http://www.tate.org.uk/artist-rooms/collection/themes/artist-rooms-theme-cultural-identity
(5) http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/citi/images/standard/WebMedium/WebImg_000155/6539_1664866.jpg
(6) http://www.escapeintolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/essaydi_6.jpg
(7) Sibande's photo probes the stereotypical contextualization of the black female body.
(8) http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Gaze
(9) https://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/mediatheory/keywords/gaze/
(10)http://www.thedollarbin.net/shows/2012/10/9/woman-as-object-woman-as-subject-the-male-gaze-and-the-dc-comics-relaunch
(14) http://www.artsconnected.org/collection/110994/event-horizon-hybridity?print=true
(11) http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/postcolonial-art
(12) http://www.aaa-a.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Kimsooja_01-640x10091-540x851.jpg
(13) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hybridity
(15) http://www.andrewsmithgallery.com/exhibitions/hulleahtsinhnahjinnie/portraits_against_amnesia/artist_images/thHJT_1044.jpg
(16) https://www.david-campbell.org/2010/11/18/photography-and-narrative/
(17) https://stagedphotography.wordpress.com/page/3/
(18) https://stagedphotography.wordpress.com/2014/05/30/photographeroftheweek-sandyskoglund/
(19) http://csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/realityhyperreality.htm
(20) http://www.paulcadden.com/#!portraits/c18ty
(21) https://aras.org/sites/default/files/docs/00053McDowell.pdf
(22) http://piajardi.com/index.php/en/articles/13-pictorial-space-english
(23) http://www.secession.at/art/images/2005_schlegel/schlegel_07.jpg
(24) http://www.theartstory.org/movement-symbolism.htm
(25) http://peterfunch.com/wp-content/uploads/metapedia.pdf
(26) http://unblinkingeye.com/Patterns/LifeAsArt/Symbolism/Subjective_Objective/subjective_objective.html
(27) http://unblinkingeye.com/Patterns/LifeAsArt/Symbolism/Subjective_Objective/subjective_objective.html
(28) http://artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=31138&int_modo=2#.VknzHberSUk
(29) http://lenscratch.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Birthe08-544x700.jpg
