2nd
New Directions
No, I’m not about to post about Glee - though I’m excited for the new episode.
What I’m about to post is about statements of PURPOSE.
I’ve got thirteen days to nail down my goals for graduate study. Saying “I’ll do what I want!” isn’t a viable option. Neither is saying I’ll do MORE of what I’m already doing, or fleshing out a project plan that will probably change, and will hopefully be in progress before I even get to school. When you are creative, it’s hard to partition your messy brain into plans and statements. It’s hard to map out a direction. I don’t want to write myself into a corner, only to back pedal later. Can I write a statement about my interest in accessories as agents of seduction used in advertisements and consumer culture, while planning on making a tulip attendant costume? Do I have to justify my interest in the Tulip with images in my portfolio? Should I include work examples that involve my Dutchness? Do I need to mention everything? I want to be open to the distinct possibility that I will be smarter and clearer in grad school, and might do stuff I can’t foresee, or explain. My interest in urban gardening is something I want to pursue, and may or may not relate to my current theme of produce in high heels. My work hasn’t yet been social service oriented, but the inclusion of a garden in an urban space would very nearly require that. Am I a selfish artist if I don’t want to feed the city with my art?
I was hoping grad school would inspire me to tailor my aesthetic and thematic explorations. I was hoping to sum myself up into a sound bite. Mark Newport, for example, crochets superhero costumes. Those three words alone can suggest all of the complex themes his work deals with - every time I use them, I get an appreciative and energetic sparkle of enjoyment and understanding. The juxtaposition of the process and the object clearly say: “subverting gender roles!” It’s clever, it’s topical, it’s unique and direct. In terms of my own work, I’m finding that 500 words isn’t enough, let alone three.
At the very least, I’ve distilled my areas of interest to a few interlocking themes: Sexy, useless accessories (“garnishes”) in advertisements involving the female form (or parts of), seduction in advertisements (using motivators like food and sex), and using garnishing to seduce (the sexy underwear for that special someone). The goals of the industry making the ads piggyback on the goals of fruit and sex: to seduce the “consumer” into “buying.” Thus, assuring the continuation of life and the species. The ads are equating the bodies of sexy ladies in those ads, to the products they are selling. They, like fruit, are consumable or available for that purpose. It’s all really brilliant on the part of the machine of visual culture: employing powerful motivators like food and sex to tap into a survival instinct. You come away with the feeling that you NEED to buy this, eat that, see this movie, listen to this music, watch this show. It’s effective, attractive, and perverse.
As for what I would make with all this in mind? The sexy veggies seem on the right track. I would like to share space with the ads I’m commenting on - to be a part of that public space, and visual culture. It should be more interactive, more wearable too. Every piece could be a total work, complete with an ad campaign, an object, an event, and interaction with the audience. I want to do larger things, more costume and life sized work. Maybe accessorize to the point of absurdity, or isolate the questionable article, like the fingernails in Poke. To make work that is functional in that it points out the dysfunction of our visual culture as it relates to images of women. Why are we turned on by emaciated women with fake hair, fake nails, enhanced breasts, perched on top of shoes that are impossible to wear, looking pre-orgasmic or almost dead? It’s disturbing. It’s abusive. It’s alluring. I want my work to be all of that.
Hmmmm. I think I can use some of that!
