Birmingham museum and gallery: Coming out; Sexuality, Gender and Identity exhibition

“This major exhibition will feature over 80 modern and contemporary artworks by internationally renowned artists who explore themes of gender, sexuality and identity in art.
A ground-breaking and vital exhibition which marks the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of male homosexual acts in England and Wales (1967 Sexual Offences Act). Taking 1967 as a starting point, the exhibition will reveal new research into LGBT history and visual culture showcasing artworks from The Arts Council Collection, National Museums Liverpool and Birmingham’s collection”
 
 
 
Grayson Perry: Claire’s Coming out dress, 2000
 
Grayson Perry is an artist and activist, there is a strong autobiographical element in Perry’s work, in which images of Perry as “Claire” his female alter ego and and “Alan Measles”, his childhood teddy bear, often appear.
 
Perry describes himself as a ‘transvestite’, in this piece Perry is dressed as Claire, wearing a dress with penises embroidered onto it and other works that are suggestive of transitioning and transgender. Personally, I like the concept of this work and the way the dress and the embroidering contradict each other.
Birmingham museum and gallery: Coming out; Sexuality, Gender and Identity exhibition

Tampon tax illustrations

The illustrations created were based on facts about the tax on female hygiene products in the UK. I wanted to make a piece that was visually inviting, so bright and bold colours. My intent was to contradict the brutal facts with soft typography and imagery.

I also created a set of patterns using sanitary towels and tampons.I also included facts about prices of other ‘female’ products in comparison to ‘male’ branded products, through research it was clear that there was a bias and 800 female targeted products cost 7% more than products aimed at men.  I was highlighting the issues present in society.

 

Tampon tax illustrations

THE MUSEUM OF TRANSOLOGY EXHIBITION AT BRIGHTON MUSEUM

“This bold, brave and profound collection of artefacts and photographic portraiture began with donations from Brighton’s vibrant trans community. It is now the largest collection representing trans people in the UK – if not the world”
 
I visited Brighton museum to view the Transology exhibit, I found the items on display to be interesting and gave a valuable insight on being transgender.
 
One of the more interesting images was of a transgender man photographed with what was once his breasts in a jar, the image embodies pride in himself and his transition.
 
‘E-J, photography by Bharat Sikk, Reimagine, Brighton Photo Biennial, 2016’

THE MUSEUM OF TRANSOLOGY EXHIBITION AT BRIGHTON MUSEUM

Dada Workshop

This workshop was inspired heavily by the Dada movement; through research it became clear that the international art movement was largely based on collage and over time it formed the basis of surrealism after the war. The movement was politically driven due to the impact of the war.

My collage was inspired by the political element of the dada movement, in my illustration I wanted to highlight the historical prejudice against women, regarding the role they play in society. I wanted to emphaise the misogyny and the bias views that have been inflected on women through time.

The imagery that I used for the collage was of a woman from the 1950’s with a kitchen pot, who would have once played the stereotypical role of a women (a housekeeper) I then contrasted that image with an image of a nude woman, with a strong and bold pose, with a middle finger.

I collated all of these images together to acknowledge the historically prejudice role of the woman and to make it clear that myself as a woman will not accept this bias. Ultimately I wanted to tell society and their views to fuck off because I don’t care for them.

Dada Workshop

Lithography: Tate Britain

As a part of our lithography module we visited the Tate Britain to view a selection of lithographs by artists including Jasper Jon’s, Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg and many others.
 
Robert Rauschenberg, Lawn, 1965
In Rauschenberg’s lithograph there is an very expressive nature, experimenting with textures and what he can use to create line and shape. Personally, I like this work because of the organic shapes that he has created using his hands and fingerprints which I find interesting.
Henry Moore also used lithography as a way to document his sketchbook work and development for his sculptural work. I like the use of colour in his work and the way he has used layers to create shade and form.
Lithography: Tate Britain

Tate Modern

 Artist room: Bruce Nauman

 
We also visited the Tate modern and viewed the artist rooms including Bruce Nauman’s.
“Throughout his career, Nauman has investigated who we are, physically and mentally, using the human body and the space it inhabits. His own body became an important tool and reference point, whether performing in videos, or being cast to form part of a sculpture. Using self-imposed limitations and systems, he exposes the body’s vulnerability, as well as the human potential for violence and our need to communicate’ – Tate website
Words are a very heavy subject in his work and can be seen as thought provoking use of wordplay, the neon pieces focus on everyday phrases. The artist room also exhibits some of Nauman’s installations.


Untitled 1994 Bruce Nauman born 1941 Purchased 1996 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/P77803
‘Nauman identified these two men as clowns and explained “the traditional role of a clown is to be either funny or threatening – their position or function is ambiguous and i like that” As clowns can move between provoking laughter and fear’
 
This is a Lithograph by Nauman, untitled from Fingers and Holes series 1994. Personally I like the use of layers to create movement of the hands and to also create a tone and line. Also I like the organic nature of the lithograph and the brush strokes, maybe I could trial with this.
 
Tate Modern