To start my research for the Brief on Activism, I firstly did some brainstorming to decide what kind of activism or specific movement I wanted to focus on. Having informed myself on the different waves of feminism characteristic of a particular era in history, and on the current political issues occurring in the world, I thought that exploring third wave and post-feminism could be very interesting for this brief, as we know that this movement that fights for equality is now stronger than ever, especially due to the advent of social media, which, apart from reaching a wide audience and making campaigns and protests easier to organize, it is a space for self expression where people raise their voice through images, posts, etc.

For a styling & photography outcome, I thought that the type of visuals, color palette, typography and slogans relating to this movement are very eye catching and interesting to analyse as well as to produce. I looked at various female activists as well as artists, who express their views through captivating imagery, bold statements and strong messages. Guerrilla Girls is an anonymous group of women activists that stand for women’s equality and representation in the art world and entertainment industry, where patriarchy is still visible. Their gorilla masks and type of clothing created a strong identity that has left a mark. Their slogans and messages in bold strong typography, really make the audience think.

Like American artists Barbara Kruger (born 1945) and Jenny Holzer (born 1950), the Guerrilla Girls appropriated the visual language of advertising, specifically fly-posting, to convey their messages in a quick and accessible manner.  (Tate.org.uk)

I looked at the conceptual artist Barbara Kurger. The use of the contrasting colors red, black and white is reiterative in her art work, creating a strong image and straightforwardness. ‘‘Kruger’s work was concerned with the arresting of the gaze by the power of an image, aided by the slippage between the rhetoric of that image and the slogans she overlaid’’. (Fashion & Modernity, pp184)

What attracted me from Pussy Riot is their aesthetics, colorful balaclavas and stockings, and identity politics. This way of dressing in a way represents a political ideal, evokes revolution and discontent. In an interview for V Magazine, one of the members of the group, Nadya Tolokonnikova, explained her views on the aesthetics of punk performance and why she wanted pussy riot to look clownish.