For my ‘Manifesto’ project, I produced two A3 posters. Ideally, these images should be on a much larger scale due to issues with legibility, as, to understand the imagery and the typography on a smaller scale, the audience has to come closer to the piece. Along with this, while being exhibited in a large space, the images run the risk of being swamped by the other imagery on display and drowning in the space.

I believe that a successful manifesto should demand attention from its audience; being large and bold so not a single person can ignore its presence and importance. Therefore, the manifesto pieces I produced remain too modest- especially for the subject matter I am dealing with. In order to fully encompass the spirit of gender fluidity, freedom of expression, and Queer Theory, the piece needed to be bigger and bolder.

Had I had more time to produce my ‘Manifesto’ pieces, I would have utilised professional print processes to create extremely large, glossy images- preferably 8ft X 4ft. The likely outcome of this would be more overwhelming, overpowering pieces that demand the full attention of the audience. Therefore, becoming a better representation of a triumphant manifesto and a dominant subject matter.

My blog has transformed my way of thinking while I was not conscious of it. The tasks majorly increased in difficulty for me, however, due to valuable research, I found myself thoroughly engaged in a subject matter I am truly passionate about.

I found the most challenging of the tasks to be ‘Task 7,’ of which we had to compare two texts; one by Leo Steinberg, and the other by Richard Serra. The reason for this was because of the vocabulary used by each artist and attempting to interpret the conclusions that each artist made. Although I found the Richard Serra text far more understandable, I still struggled to find the comparison between the two texts.

I became extremely engaged in ‘Task 9,’ relating an aspect of theory to a piece of contemporary art. This task aligned perfectly with my ‘Manifesto’ project, as, in my study of Queer Theory and the Gender Binary, I was able to find such a wide variety of contemporary artists who live the subject matter. I became invested in the work of (Heather) Cassils from this area of study, and utilised his emotive performance ‘Becoming an Image’ in relation to Queer Theory. However, I found ‘Task 10’ allowed me to turn inwards on my practice and summarise the way I work and where my interests lie.

What I have taken away from this process is a more concentrated knowledge of how I work and what I want to produce work about.

‘Gender schmender,

Put it in the blender

and drink it.’

I challenge the social construct of gender. I have chosen these 10 words to represent my practice as they are non-sensical and whimsical; yet destructive, reflecting the physical nature of my work. The idea of physically consuming the gender binary implies a sort of violence towards it; wishing it to jump down your own throat and dissipate forever. I have crafted my words as if like a poem; softly rhyming at first, but incorporating caesura to add impact to the vicious final line.

I came to university as an oil painter, only exhibiting portraiture; however, I now have a growing interest in new media of which I will explore further in the ‘Worn’ project. While my practice is maturing, I know that my main interest will always be depicting individuals. My choice of image- my own tribute to Leigh Bowery’s iconic overdrawn lips- is highly reminiscent of the club-kid scene in the 1990s. I chose to replicate this imagery because it is key, iconic history to my main focus. It was made by painting lipstick around my mouth in the form of an emphasised upward smile; almost clown like. Interesting, as a clown is an entertainer for all, yet is a commonly accepted and ungendered form.

Heather Cassils’ ‘Becoming an Image’ reflective of Queer Theory and the Gender Binary

Cassils, a transgender bodybuilder from Montreal, states that “I resist the idea that you have to live as a man or as a woman;” immediately indicating that he resists the gender binary while referencing the ideologies of queer theory of which “challenges the cultural acceptance of heterosexuality as the only natural and normal sexual identity” (2) and the counteraction of the “expectation that two sexes exist” (2). This is especially evident in Cassils’ performance piece ‘Becoming an Image’ of which he explores the “senseless acts of violence against trans and queer bodies beyond the historical lens” (1) through the violent manipulation of a tonne clay block through the artist’s anatomically female body.

“It is with sweat, blood and sinew that I construct a visual critique and discourse around physical and gender ideologies and histories” (3) says Cassils of his piece. What the audience is allowed to see of his performance is almost a “series of “live” photographs” (1) due to the surroundings of the performance being totally dark; illuminated by “intermittent flashes of camera” (1). It could be interpreted that this visual stimulation could overwhelm the senses of the audience, imposing upon them the harsh realities of the LGBTQ+ community and the refusal to conform to the gender binary.

Bibliography:

• https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/oct/03/heather-cassils-transgender-bodybuilder-artist Frizzell, Nell for The Guardian, October 2013, ‘Heather Cassils: The transgender bodybuilder who attacks heaps of clay’, accessed 22 November 2017
• Queer Theory. By: Cornstock, Nancy W., Salem Press Encyclopaedia, 2015.
• http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/22646/1/the-artists-subverting-the-gender-binary Yeung, Peter, Dazed, November 2014, ‘The Artists Subverting the Gender Binary’, accessed 23 November 2017

Leo Steinberg’s account describes a change in artists’ way of working to more radically changing fields, of which he believed was harshly critiqued by society due to their strict regime of working at the time. He makes the case that Rauschenberg believed that the flatbed picture plane would deal with a different order of experience for the viewer, no longer being a head-to-toe correspondence with the human posture- an exciting new prospect for artists.

In comparison to Steinberg, Richard Serra talks of his own practice in site specific works, and how he was first introduced to the world of sculpture due to his work in steel mills since the age of seventeen. Serra believes that works dedicated to one site should be constructed in that site and be inseparable from their location; rather than being made in a studio and shifted from one space to another. Unlike Steinberg’s description of Rauschenberg’s entry to a ‘Nature in Art’ exhibition, hanging a square patch of grass in a gallery and returning to water the piece daily, transitioning the piece from nature to culture in a radical manner. Serra continues to describe the importance of site specific works as they can be inferred as representative of the institutions around the piece, so the artist must be careful not to offend. Along with this, corporate funded works could be read as a public service; therefore, meeting these needs could be suggested as giving into consumerism.

I took Betty Tompkins’ ‘Fuck Painting #26’ and translated it into an A4 sized, coloured oil painting to capture the individuality and euphoria of the sexual experience. The female artist has taken the male, graphic industry of pornography and appropriated it to completely change the meaning. She had softened the image with acrylic airbrush techniques, making the action more beautiful, and increased the scale to create a dramatic impact when looked upon.

In my appropriation of Tompkins’ appropriation of pornographic material, I introduced gaudy colours through vivid oils. This was to provide a sense of ecstasy in the erotic encounter, capturing the emotions of the moment through colour. I realised that I wanted to use a complimentary colour palette so that the image flowed in an aesthetically pleasing way; therefore, capturing how the bodies naturally intertwine through the natural action. The addition of colour adds a more escalated shock value to the work. As a female artist, that works such as these are highly taboo and looked down upon by more established male artists and critics- less so in contemporary society, but this would have been the case at the time Tompkins began working (the 1970s).

reference: http://www.neoimages.com/artwork.aspx?nid=2021074, accessed 7 November 2017

The mode of practice I would like to experiment with consists of a combination between painting and installation. While I had made attempts to do this in the past during my A Level practice, I did not have full access to equipment and environments that are on offer to me at university.

I would like to produce large scale paintings of my subject matter and place them in both isolated and public environments to record the reactions of those viewing them. Primarily, I work in vivid oil paint to craft a dramatic impact, however, from ‘The Contemporary’ project, I have studied more outrageous works inspired by the artists Marilyn Minter and Betty Tompkins. The vibrant imagery, colour, and texture overwhelms the senses of the viewer. This could vary in effect depending on where the paintings are viewed. It might be useful to create an isolated booth of which people can view the piece alone as well as in a public space such as a café or shopping centre. Due to the graphic nature of some of my paintings, I would have to tone my imagery down to conduct this type of project; otherwise issues such as public indecency could be raised.

‘Anna in Venice’, Lucian Freud, 1960, ‘Unseen’ exhibition, The National Portrait Gallery

While visiting The National Portrait Gallery to see the ‘Unseen’ Lucian Freud exhibition, I was captivated by his piece ‘Anna of Venice,’ a small-scale painting of a woman in one of the artist’s sketch books.

What I noticed about the piece is how it is different from the famous textured oil techniques of which Freud is renowned for, hinting at its unpolished nature. Furthermore, the fact that the piece remains tucked away in a sketch book lowers the status of the work to me. Rather than being hung proudly, the piece was in a sketch book; within a glass cabinet in the centre of the exhibition. Its lower status grabbed me as I came to the realisation that this particular painting is an insight to the real process of the artist, becoming almost intrusive due to the private nature of a sketch book.

The neutral tones of the painting imply an element of female passivity. Reinforcing this is the averted gaze of the subject. Her eyes remain closed, shielded by a veil of lashes, while her face points downwards to the ground- conveying a modest woman refraining from vanity. She remains closed; not revealing much about herself to the audience viewing her. Therefore, we almost feel a sense of guilt and shame looking upon her.

Exhibition: Lucian Freud, Unseen, The National Portrait Gallery, Curator: Sarah Howgate

Upon my visit to The National Portrait Gallery to view the ‘Unseen’ works of Lucian Freud, curated by Sarah Howgate, I was confronted with half-finished, roughly sketched, child-like pieces of work. What was presented to the audience in this exhibition was an insight into the life of the artist, from Freud’s childhood years through to later life.

What struck me the most about this exhibition, was one particular childhood drawing by Freud; conveying an ordinary household scene. What the viewer is able to see is a house, garden, sky, and people outside. What resonated with me about this piece is how this is a picture that just about every child drew, and this drawing by Freud is no different to a drawing by any other child. One would not be able to detect that this boy would become the genius that he is known for today.

Within a glass cabinet in the centre of the room lay Freud’s sketch books, strewn open on specific pages. What I found captivating about this was that the viewer is let in to a more unpolished side of Freud. While his painting style is emotive and harsh, this was intended by the artist to be seen by a wide audience; his sketch books were not.

From this exhibition, I was immersed into the real life of Freud.

Nikki S. Lee’s photographic series ‘Parts,’ takes the viewer through the artist’s relationship with an unknown man, who has been cut from the photographs due to separation; implying a sense of hurt and bitterness towards the unknown male. Lee presents to the audience the relationship from her perspective, portraying her own emotion, forcing the viewer to focus on only her. In an interview, the artist said about the series, “The purpose of the cut is to make people curious about the missing person and to think how his identity has affected the woman who is left behind. It forces people to examine the relationship itself, even if it is only part of the story.”

In ‘Part 14’ we are presented with a particularly sullen-looking Lee with a mysterious arm draped about her shoulders. Although this gesture is intended to be one of comfort, the look across the artist’s face conveys expressions of disconnection with the subject beside her. This loosely draped arm is merely a cold presence; a metaphorical weight on the artist’s shoulders of which she is eager to shrug off. The body of the person remains at a distance from her; therefore, inferring the lack of human connection between the two. Perhaps an argument had occurred.

The title of the series provides some ambiguity to the photograph. The name ‘Parts’ could imply the fact that the couple have now parted from each other, or, to place emphasis on the different parts that build a relationship.

Bibliography:

Fluid Identities: The “Parts” and “Projects” of Nikki Lee

1 November 2013, Women in the Arts, accessed 17 October 2017

Nikki S. Lee, Part (14), 2002