Thinking about modern ideas of masculinity and hoping to show men in a different light, I contacted a bee keeper to document men in working within careers outside of corporate city life.
Percy is a bee keeper based in South London, originally having his own honey company called P Honey, he is now focusing on the wellbeing of the animals and uses his platform the educate people about keeping their own bees.
As I am planning to complete a shoot inspired by Vanitas Paintings, I have been been asking those i’m in isolation with what are their most sentimental objects and what they say about their character and achievements.
The below photos document my findings from around my boyfriends house. These are also light tests.
From this information, I want to start creating mini sets with this idea in mind.
Polly Braden. London Wall
‘London Wall’ image has inspired me to think about wealth as a modern aspiration replacing adventure. Originally planning on visiting London wall to complete a shoot, this has been impacted by coronavirus for offices closing and travel restrictions. How can I work around this obstacle? Collaging potential path? How was adventure understood originally through art? Symbolism?
Vanitas Paintings have been really interesting to study throughout this project and I have started to think about ways that they could be incorporates into this project more due to restrictions to travel.
I could consider objects that symbolise conquest in our society? From objects that allow us to work to items that we can collected from our travels.
Vanitas Paintings celebrate the conquests in life and the certainty of death. They were commissioned by successful men to capture their life achievements, so they can live on through their conquests. They depict varied versions of mortality, as well as emphasise the emptiness and meaninglessness of worldly possessions. Understanding the significance of each object, like the significance of each animal in the totem as in my early research influenced by Robert Davidson , the artist is communicating through nuanced language.
Where can we see these in society today? Hidden meanings? memes?
Cornelius Norbertus Gijsbrechts, Active from 1657 Antwerpen – After 1683 , Flemish Title Trompe l’oeil with Studio Wall and Vanitas Still Life
Who are the creators of our education system and the influence they had/have? This idea has come to me multiple times throughout my project and is something that I want to explore further. Reflecting on the power of authority or the best interests of the authority will lead to revolutionary conversations.
Where does knowledge come from?
Parents
Teachers
Family
Friends
Strangers
Who has access to information?
Should this be limited for company profits?
For my FMP exhibition piece I want to look at the idea of using a gold fame to hang my images. For my mid review show, I used gold spray paint to coat a pre bought frame. I was happy with the results of the spray paint, but want to reconsider the frame choice, maybe explore how i can make my own?
Below: image taken from midterm review exhibition. I used gold spray to coat a simple frame. I was really pleased with the effect of the gold spray paint, however I would like to consider using a wider frame and maybe exploring size.
A common theme in my research has been man’s relationship with the ocean and the possibilities of adventure.
The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition The story of mans adventure to the south pole, follows the story of the men who first attempted to reach the South Pole and the adventure they undertook. Abandoned for over a year and a half at sea, assumed dead, and all made it back alive. This great adventure highlights the significance of the ocean with adventure and discovery, and how important photography is in portraying that narrative.
Images below taken by Fank Hurley
Water signifies leaving home, is this a wright of passage?
How is water used in ritual?
Images from: https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/collections/take-me-to-the-water-photographs-of-river-baptisms
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
In moonlight black boys look blue, a play written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and film produced by Berry Jenkins is a moving film that tells the story of a young boy coming to terms with his sexuality growing up in Miami.
One scene from the film shows the young boy and his strong male figure learning to swim. The tranquility of the scene is poetic, the water symbolic of purity and love.
“I felt like there needed to be this moment of spiritual transference between the character Juan, played by Mahershala Ali, and the character Little, played by Alex Hibbert,” Jenkins explained. “So for the first 15 minutes of the film, these two characters are still strangers. And I knew there needed to be this moment where they intimately bonded, and this idea of a swimming lesson was sort of where I landed.” ““That scene, in particular, growing up in Miami, the ocean has this sort of charge, this energy,” Jenkins said. “It’s something you can always feel.”
Quote from: https://ew.com/article/2016/12/06/moonlight-barry-jenkins-swimming-lesson-scene/
Reflecting on my visit to the Guildhall, I noticed how prominent the colours red, white and blue are throughout the history of British art, especially common in portraits of men pre-industrial revolution. The colours are patriotic to our nation and consumerism has utilised this to endorse products. Taking this into consideration, I wanted to reflect on a project I’ve been working on over my time at Brighton where I have been documenting these colours present in society.
Please see document here: ww
Due to the current social distancing restrictions in place due to coronavirus, my approach to the project has had to change; my final outcomes will be greatly impacted or have to change due to being unable to access the resources I need.
Originally, my FMP was working towards a documentary photography book that explored modern masculinity in response to John Berger’s Ways of Seeing. As I am unable to access the medium format camera equipment and am unable to get my film processed, and shoot I had planned are unable to take place, I am unable to take the pictures that I had planned too and need to think about how I can create my final outcomes.
To do this, I have created a new sketchbook that reflects the knowledge learnt from my research, with alternative solutions that I have created in response to these limitations.
Currently I am able to access a DSLR camera with both a 50mm and macro lens and editing software. Using these supplies, I need to think about potential new outcomes.
BBC4’s documentary Bacchas uncovered: Ancient God of Ecstasy tells the Ancient Greek story of Dionysus’ creation myth, revealing how this ecstatic god blurred boundaries on every level. This led me to discover Painshill Park, an 18th century landscape garden in Surrey created by Hon Charles Hamilton. He embarked on two Grand Tours across Europe before acquiring the land at Painshill. With ancient artefacts in his possession and natural beauty in his head – along with exotic plants seen on his tours – his vision was to create ‘living paintings’ in a new style of magical garden. Hamilton was a pioneer in wine making and purchased the statue of Bacchus (one of his most prised possessions) upon his travels in Rome. The Statue, now situated at the entrance to the park, greets victors to the gardens and is one of a number of sights within the grounds. Full of exotic trees, an ancient crystal grotto, bridges across different islands, a water wheel, viewing platforms and the temple itself, Painshill park makes a perfect location for a shoot. The following images were taken during a trip to the grounds and have been hand edited in the same style as I had been collaging with previously.
Air power for peace by national geographic reflects on efforts by the US government to both justify and celebrate drastic measures taken by the American’s through war and conflict. Through technological advances, America used mass destruction to obliterate its enemies land and propaganda to justify these endeavours. Modern reflection on the publication is startling; a company who celebrates the cultural differences across the world is one that thrived in its destruction.
Air Power for Peace is a reminder of social discourse. The issue hails societies initiative to obey orders from authority without question, follow procedures and find solutions with the intention to protect the rights of its citizens back home. The male’s duty given to him by God. Upon its reflection, we can see and feel its destruction. We know what came after. We herd other sides to the story.
The reason for my inclusion of this peace within my FMP is its honest words and imagery that highlight the devastating impact that the masculine has had on earth. The apollonian. Although the way we publicly document human efforts for security has changed, the same practices are still in place and exercised each day.
Various elements collided within my exploration of Fashion Communication at Brighton and have resulted in my FMP being based around John Berger’s Ways of Seeing, how we can change the way we view elements of society and break away from negative or unjust ingrained perceptions. The masculinity aspect of my project felt relevant when I began questioning that authority or the logic behind these perceptions. Where we get these perceptions from. How can we change to make the future for all of us better? As we can see through history, liberation and self-acceptance has allowed those who were oppressed by society to flourish. We must question what we learn, understand our rights, know why something is important, to allow that to be important and celebrate this within each of us.
Masculinities: Liberation through Photography at the Barbican showcases the work of a number of artists who explore and deconstruct ideas around contemporary masculinity. The collection of film and photography works from a variety of cultural perspectives allows an objective view of themes that both contradict and define contemporary masculinity, the themes covered aspects from representations of war, fatherhood, natural instincts, sexuality, competition, physicality and survival.
Thomas Dworzak’s Taliban Portraits taken in Kandahar, Afghanistan, were discovered when the photographer located a number of photo studios used by the Taliban to take identity photos. Contrasting to the archetypal image of the hyper-masculine soldier, the portraits show the Taliban fighters posing in front of scenic backgrounds with flowers and weapons as props, holding hands and eyes heavily made up. The images directly contradict the representation of soldiers throughout all cultures, especially that in an overwhelmingly patriarchal society. For a society that rejects consumerism and aesthetic social representation, that doesn’t look to other cultures for inspiration and defines its own identity, the collection of images contradicts what is displayed in media representations or our preconception of middle eastern fighters. What is most intriguing and something I want to achieve in my own work is the startling effect of these images; through one collection our notion of the Taliban fighters has been shaken and we begin to think of them in another light.
Kalen Na’il Roach’s contribution to the project centred around recovered images of his absent father. The underlying message of an absent father in the family home is widely recognised, especially within the African American community in the US, and therefore speaks to a much wider issues within western masculinity. The illustrations and techniques surrounding the images enhance the visual communication of the project. These have inspired me to experiment with old photos of my father or other influential people who surround me.
Deana Lawson’s photographs are staged and explore black intimacy, family, sexuality and spirituality. She communicates through exploiting cultural stereotypes in order to challenge them. The image presented at exhibition depicts a strong black male figure in the embrace of a new born child, to the left a figure adorned with chains holding a stack of money and to the right a collection of family photographs and ornaments. The pealing window cover in the back highlights the paranoia that surrounds American culture. The photograph is so powerful because it embodies many aspects of negative connotations, while also recognising them as a colonial discourse.
