The Identity Project. Artists to Consider…. (Joseph Dillon) charcoal.

The Identity Project

Artists to Consider….• http://aniartacademies.org/image-gallery/artist/501 (Joseph

Dillon) charcoal• http://melissacookeart.com/graphite.html (Melissa Cooke)

graphite• http://www.josephcroneart.com/drawings.html (joseph crone)

colored pencil on acetate• http://ianingram.com/work/ (Ian Ingram) charcoal and pastel• http://www.janlarsenart.com/suarez.html and

http://ghostprintgallery.com/2009/05/24/written-on-the-body/# (Alicia Suarez) coffee, graphite, mixed media

• http://www.patrickarrasmith.com (Patrick Arrasmith) scratchbook

The objectives:

• AIV.5 The student will demonstrate confidence, sensitivity, and advanced skill in applying media, techniques, processes, and craftsmanship to achieve desired intentions in works of art.

• AIII.26 The student will debate the perceived intentions of those creating works of art.

Sensory, Expressive, and Reflective concerns for this project:

• Evidence of a Powerful Presence in the Persona of your Portrait

• Use of expression/gesture/body language/costume/background to tap into your “power” and sense of identity wherever it comes from..

• A sense of vulnerability and truth in what you show us of you…

• A deliberate intent to either engage the viewer and make them react OR allow them to “watch” you from a distance

Formal and Technical Considerations:

• Compelling balanced composition that avoids cliches and encourages depth

• Accurate Contours and Proportions

• Consistent Markmaking

• Atmosphere/Depth

• Clear Figure-Ground Relationships

• Superior Craftsmanship and Completion

The Research

• Where do your directions on what kind of image you should aspire to come from today?

• Where and how do you respond to those directions?

Back in the day….

Marketing and Kids:

• Gatekeeper model is gone-ads now talk directly to kids-not mom

• At age 18 months-they recognize logos-by around three-they believe brands communicate their personal qualities-like cool, strong or smart

• Know 200 brands by 1st grade• This results in a viewing of 40,000 commercials per

year on average• 2003: Martin Lindstrom says: 80% of all brands require

tween strategy (6-12)• “to a child growing up immersed in the culture of

images, it appears the most natural thing in the world. It appears, in fact, to be nature.” –Todd Gitlin

Macrocosmic evolution

• In the 40s, we see some regulations in advertising for kids

• the 50s –we saw a backlash against advertising-books came out on the subject

• In the 60s-we see marketers looking to the customer for clues-then we see the development of feedback loops-where the advertisers are watching the kids but the kids are watching the advertisers watch them

• In the 70s: the identity of teenagers as a prime market category with independent spending abilities is born

Macrocosmic Research: Television

• In the 80s-80% high school kids said on average more than 2 hours of MTV per day.

• Kids stated they did it to try to understand the world and develop an identity within it-

• So there were trials and studies for the better part of the second half the 20th that established 3 ways kids are impacted by TV media:

-Social Learning Theory: Desensitization results in a higher likelihood of being comfortable with certain behaviors

-Cultivation Theory: violent tv= mean world syndrome and results in people who live in fear of a scary world

-Cognitive Priming Theory: behaviors encoded altering response to real-life situations

Macrocosmic Research: Magazines and Advertisements

• 50%-70% of teenage girls in America read teen magazines• 70% of images are women-most aren’t doing anything-they

are being looked at.• In the 80s and 90s-there was little deviation from the 1950s

archetypes of females in the teen magazines-although years where the feminist movements were more active showed some “improvements”-1945,1975,1995

• Generally, in teen magazines: black, Asian and white girls are stereotypically associated with specific things.

• In the 90s, ads aimed at white, middle-class Americans began to be linked to inner-city neighborhoods and young black men-connecting to drugs and criminality in a subtle way.

Do your own research:• Find 3 images online that you feel are directly speaking to you as an

individual about who you SHOULD be, what you SHOULD look like, and what you SHOULD want. Create a folder.

• Consider your identity as you see it relating to a broader “umbrella” identity today. This may be a sub-culture: could be about gender/race/ethnicity/ religion/regionalism/age….

Answer in your workbook on a new page: What is this identity and how do you see this “umbrella” identity sometimes being marginalized? What images in our culture contribute to that? Why are you vulnerable to these images?

*Now-Look at the history of this identity in art. Find 3 specific examples of artwork throughout history that address this identity. Put these in your folder as well.

Drag and drop the images individually into my Virtual Share folder: gpdowdy/CFA III/onlineimages….I will print them for your workbook….

Analyze the images you found:

• Glue in the images from our own visual culture that you feel are directed at you:

• Answer the following questions:– How do these images make you feel?– What is your response to them?– Are they powerful?– Why would someone who WAS persuaded by

them be convinced?

Analyze the images you found:• Glue in the images you found that are images

from Art History that depict the image “category” you are interested in identifying with yourself.

• Answer the following questions:– Does the depiction of this identity change throughout time and

culture? How?– Did you find a hint of yourself in these images? Which image do

you identify with the most? Why? Which one the least? – Are any of these images stereotypes? What makes them

stereotypes? – What makes these images convincing or powerful? Answer for

each….

Finally: Where does your sense of identity come from? Questions A & B & C

A: How do you see your identity in connection with this history and culture of image? Do you feel connected to the images you saw? Do you feel in opposition to them?

B: Think back to “The Help”….and the character you identified the most with. What made them a strong powerful character? What kept them grounded in who they were?

C.What keeps your identity strong as an individual-what grounds you in a world of persuasive imagery?....

• How can you use image to enhance a strong image of your own identity-that tells us something about you and how you see yourself (Expressive, Reflective)? – What position will you be in?– Where will you be?– What will you wear?– Who or what will you interact with?– How will you react and relate to your viewer?

Barbara Kruger

Barbara Kruger

Richard Avedon

How can you use artistic tools (formal/technical/sensory) to enhance a

strong image of identity?

Kehinde Wiley

Robert Longo

Rebecca Wescott

http://www.jasonyarmosky.com/DREAM-OF-THE-SOFT-LOOK-2013 (Jason Bard Yarmosky) oil on

canvas

• Write some ideas now in your workbook-even consider a thumbnail or two at this stage….

Student Examples: National winners at Scholastics

with powerful portraitsin previous years

In partners, look at the slides (one will be assigned to you) and consider the following things to share with the class?•What makes this person’s identity accessible in this image? What kind of persona do they have? What makes them feel that way?•What gives them a powerful identity?•What gives them presence (makes them feel like they are really THERE in the work)?•How do the technique and ground play a role in these things?•What could be improved to make this a stronger piece aesthetically/communicatively?

Our own Allie Ayers! National Scholastic Gold Key Winner with this project: 2010

Portraiture Project: Due for progress crit: Nov 14th..Final version Due Nov 21st

• Step 1: Research images that are directed at you and glue into your book –make some comments about how you think you want to portray yourself in your book. Look at some example works and record your analysis.

• Step 2: Determine the persona you want to put forth and practice poses (gestures, positions and expressions that allow it to show)… work to create a persona for yourself that showcases an aspect of your identity you are empowered by.

• Step 3: Take photographs of yourself considering composition and lighting that add to the presence and power of your image.

• Step 4: Select and crop the photo you feel best creates the most powerful expressive work with a strong composition and opportunity to develop markmaking and figure/ground relationship.

• Step 5: Choose your paper and materials and do a practice square to go in your book that includes an eye at the size you will do your final.

• Step 5: Create an artwork based on the photo that demonstrates mastery of the formal and technical skills you have practiced throughout this nine weeks to communicate the identity you have created for this project.