my true self. 

final project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7V9XyrpcbI

I really enjoyed our group project. For the earthworks, our group wanted to explore the ideas of technology in society today. We also wanted to address the differences between nature shown in real life and nature shown through technology. For the video project, our fairy tale was Little Mermaid. We had our scene be of ursula, when she is turning Ariel into a mermaid. This too played upon the idea of beauty. Our original video clip showed Ben as a mermaid, in the paper tail, wig and tin foil bikini top we made. The clip ends with him about to drink from a glittery cup, a secret potion. The next scene calls for a volunteer and in our presentation we called up a girl to sit in a chair in front of the projector screen. We then showed a video clip where we had recorded us in black moving about in front of the same projector. In our real life presentation, we were once again in all black and moving about the now present girl sitting in the chair. Our projection and our presentation in real life made it so you could not tell what was real and what was reality. We used brushes to look as though we were painting on her, as well as putting the mermaid tail on her and the tin foil bikini. Our group did a good job of making this look believable and we were all pleased with the outcome. You could tell by the reactions of the audience that they thought it looked cool and interesting with all of moving around in black, and the distinction between the video and reality not very clear. 

Our group's dynamics were great and it was a very fair division of labor. Everyone contributed to the earthworks photos, as well as the final video project. Generally, we worked on all of it together. Rachel and I did a little more of the camera side of things and Wynonna and Ben did more of the designing of the mermaid tail and such. This worked well for our group, as it used our strengths equally and we were all able to contribute talents that we felt comfortable in. Creating the actual video and then making the final edit was also a collaborative effort and everyone's opinions were in line and very helpful in completing the project.

mask

1) (1-2 sent.) One issue that my mask addresses is the idea that we all live by a script. My mask explores the idea that as women, we are expected to follow the script of beauty written for us; a beautiful woman is often seen as the woman who can best capture a man's attention & who always looks put-together.

2) My mask related to the Modernism language of Formalism. It analyzes the purely visual aspects of beauty and why we do the things we do. Formalism also explores the basic elements of art such as color, line, composition, and texture, all of which are shown in this mask. The mask has the classical elements that girls seek to have-full rosey lips, thick eyelashes, and skin/hair that is seemingly perfect.  The bright colors are meant to play off of the real colors we often see painted on women's faces. The mask is very literal, while still being very much unnatural and incredibly sterile. The silver paint reflects this almost robot-like feeling, and thus a sense of unattainability. The texture is not perfectly smooth, yet the silver paint covers it up well. Even this reflects the very real way that models today can feel very fake and cold. As you look at pictures of celebrities, one can desire to look like them all the while feeling like they don't look real or like the women we know in real life. The body language in this photograph also plays into this idea of Formalism, as the lines and composition are very purposeful. The arms are very straight with not much bend, while the hands are curved in a showy way, showcasing the face and drawing attention to the face and hair as the hair is being pulled back and to the side. Girls are taught from a young age the right body language to master to capture guys' attention and create a confident facade. All of these elements are very symbolic and yet this Formalist photo is very portraiture-like. I like the way that created a sense of reality and fantasy, something I think is common in the way beauty is perceived today.

3)

Visual Culture Reference. 

Taylor Swift 2014 ACM Awards

4) My mask definitely bears relationship to the concept or True Self/False Self. I have realized recently more than ever how much pressure I feel to always look beautiful. As a young woman, looking beautiful is considered the ideal self. Whether it is to fit in with other girls, to impress a guy or simply to create the facade of having it all today, we are implicitly and explicitly pressured to look good. Almost every woman struggles with the issue of feeling like they are not enough. They are not enough without makeup or hair product. They are not enough without a man's affections. My mask raises the question of why. Why do we make these standards of beauty? Why are thick eyelashes, clear skin, full lips, and a thin physique the things that when perfectly combined together are considered perfect and gorgeous? Why do girls alter their body language only to create a seductive persona, that isn't really them? Why do we still want that cookie-cutter look when we are aware of the fact that it is so cookie-cutter and unoriginal? I hope my mask might alter the script given to us by culture by showing how unrealistic these standards are. There is no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all answer to "what is beautiful." The photograph shows that the mask is clearly not me. You can see elements of me-my brown eyes, hair, the structure of my nose and lips. Yet it is clear that it would be so much better if I removed the mask and if I had a less forced pose. This is true to real life as well, not only photography. When people let their real self show, it truly is beautiful in a raw and natural way. It shows true confidence when a girl doesn't have to wear makeup everyday and if her hair doesn't always look perfect. It shows true beauty when a girl can be around guys and not feel the need to draw attention to herself or have all eyes on her. Imperfections make us unique, which really is a lovely thing. I think the reason for that is because we are created in the image of God, and because of that we have God-given beauty, that doesn't need any man-made alterations. 

landscape 

This photo has very vibrant colors, with the contrast of the blue and orange creating a very strong color palette. The yellows and oranges are what make it clear that it is Fall, which I think instantly brings up emotions of comfort and warmth. The blue adds a coolness and briskness that is soothing but also very strong. The point of view in this photograph is especially unique for a landscape image as it is taken from the ground looking up at the trees. You can make out the direction of the branches, telling of where the ground is, though the ground itself is not shown in the image. The leaves create very intriguing lines and shapes, and adds a lot of creative energy to the image. They are playful, not perfectly placed, yet the lines of the branches themselves show a sense of purpose and stability. The simplicity of the photo adds to its beauty coming from the nature alone. There is no heavy editing, and the colors are natural. There is also energy in the photo, feeling as though the leaves could at once fall down into the photographer's face.

This is a painting by Jan van Goyen from 1630-1635. It is an example of "tonal" style in Dutch Golden Age painting. This style of artwork was very classical phase, having an atmospheric quality, but with compositions that were more expressive, as well as stronger contrasting light and color. I believe my image is similar to this in having very contrasting colors, yet not being incredibly dramatic, just as the images in Van Goyen's pictures are pretty neutral. Compositions like Van Goyen's are often anchored by one single subject.  My image does have leaves as its subject yet there is not one single leaf that is the main focal point. Van Goyen's paintings also have fairly neutral colors, as well as a typical landscape composition to it. It is very traditional and simple. My photo is definitely more modern, with a unique camera angle and its vibrant colors. It is similar in the sense that it shows the simple beauties of nature, specifically the wind in both of these images. It is subtle but it is powerful and strong. 

Compared to my earthworks image, the leaves photo is much more constrained in its viewing field. It is concentrated on this small section of leaves on the tree. My earthworks image here is a lot more collaborative and creative. It also has human interaction incorporated into it. The photo of the leaves has no owernship in it; the leaves simply belong to the tree which belong to nature (which ultimately belongs to God). In this earthworks image, the question of ownership is definitely raised. Is the man one with nature? Is he controlling it? Or is nature controlling him? Like most art, there doesn't have to be one definitive answer, but rather the raising of these questions is an awesome thing for an art piece to do. I like the mystery and almost confusion with this photo, since the composition is so unnatural with the man's head and hair being framed into the natural landscape. It looks odd and yet in a strange way it still looks pretty natural and not incredibly out of sorts. I believe the black and white edit helps in making this transition between the man and landscape seem a lot more natural.

portraits | 12-4-14

kaylen

Kaylen's comments: 

1. Brilliant's criteria
1. I don't look like what I expected. You know how in your brain you have an idea of yourself, well I am still getting used to the way I look in reality, or in these pictures, compared to how my brain presents me. I don't think either is better, they are just different. In the smiling picture I am closer to the face I see in my head when I think of myself. 
2. In the smiling photo I am friendly. The crinkled eyes make me think of how I will probably be smiling the same smile in about 50 years. Its welcoming and easy, casual. In the other photo I seem to be much more aware of the camera. I am clearly thinking about how to present myself and questioning the viewer at the same time. I also seem to be swallowing something, holding something back maybe. Not so much reserved as suspicious. Since I am both friendly and suspicious at the same time it is not surprising that these photos show two different, but true, realities. Usually my suspicion is covered up by a friendly presentation. Though I truly and genuinely am friendly, I will also truly and genuinely not trust people who I call friends, I am usually very slow to trust people, even people I like and am friends with.
3. The photos do not present much of my identity. I am clearly female, but this is not highlighted in the photos. I own clothing and earrings, which does not say much to where in society I "rank".  Nothing in the photo would suggest I am a student. 
2. I believe the photographer chose the smiling photo as the "real" and the not smiling one as the ideal. The real does look and feel less like the I was posing instead of just responding. The smile there looks like I did not think about how to present myself but was rather just expressing welcome and enjoyment with out considering how the recipient might perceive it. The 'Ideal' photo, on the other hand, clearly suggests I am planning what the camera will receive. I am refusing to turn my head to the camera, but am watching it all the same. My mouth suggests it is o the verge of communicating something, but it is unclear if it will be negative or positive. However my thought through responses to people is more of "who I am" than just friendly. In fact if asked I would say I am more skeptical than I am friendly which would suggest that what I believe the photographer has identified as 'ideal' is actually more real.
3. The lighting is very natural but strong. Nothing is hidden on the face. Not so the background. We do not see much of the setting, only dark shapes that suggest in doors. The colors are mostly bland, except the blue earrings. This and the natural strong light make both photos very real life, almost a gritty reality. 
4. As mentioned above, the portrait, while recognizing my gender does not really speak into it. While in the non smiling photo I am lower than the camera, suggesting it is perhaps male, my attitude towards the camera in this photo is not that of a traditional female subject. In fact if the two photos carry anything similarly in what I am like it is direct. Both the smile and the 'evaluation' look are frank and direct. This breaks the gender stereotype response to the camera. In the smiling photo the camera could be either male or female, but since the other photo suggests a male camera I will call it a male camera for both. 
5. As already suggested, both of these photos represent a part of my self. I find it hard to understand the concept of a 'false self'. It is usually discussed as an idea of what happens when people do not act as they would have desired to act. I would argue you can not act any other way. When giving in to pear pressure that is part of who you are. As communal beings that is naturally a part of everyone, but to differing degrees. Those who respond more are simply those people who value others opinions of them more than others do, and that is a part of who they are. Again any decision was made for a reason, and part of being human is having conflicting desires, yet always we chose the one we want most. Always we are acting as ourselves and as no one else. To my understanding there is no false self, there is an ideal self for which we strive, but no false self. 
6. Yes, it is a portrait- it is taken for the purpose of representing in my physical and nonphysical identity. 

other portraits: 

my image of God | 11-4-14

(bleeding woman, touching the hem of Christ's robe, from the catacombs)

time period: early Christian Art, before Constantine

1. This image is based off of the Matthew 9 passage where a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years reaches out to touch the hem of Jesus' robe, believing that that is enough to heal her. This image is depicted in the Catacombs of Rome. Historically, this image is significant because it showed Jesus as a healer and a miracle worker. This was incredibly radical to be associated with religion. Showing Jesus in this light portrayed the Christian faith as being more reliable than what the other pagan religions of the time had to offer. This image is very beautiful in its neutral colors and simple composition. Though the neutrality of the colors is likely due to the fading from time, it still makes for a very beautiful and simple color palette. It is very realistic looking, while still being not completely portrait like. I love how the artist depicted both the woman's and Jesus' body languages. They are natural and feel very real, creating a beautiful line between the woman and Jesus which I think well reflects what their relationship would have been like in this very special moment. The woman is in humble submission to Jesus, yet the artist drew Jesus' hand right near her face, almost as though He might gently lay his hand on her face as He beckons her to stand up next to Him. What an incredible depiction of the way a woman can have relationship with Jesus-with God, the creator of all things, our Maker.

2. This image works for me as an image for God because it shows Jesus as so approachable and real, something that a lot of artwork portraying God does not do. Many of the images we see of Jesus are either incredibly cheesy, or they are incredibly regal and so angelic like that it is hard to view Him as a human. I love that in this image, Jesus is standing very confidently yet He still looks like a human. His body curves naturally as a human's would and His hand reaching out to the woman is natural, warm and inviting. I chose this image because it is a reminder to me that Jesus is my healer. It reminds me that He is so kind and loving while also being incredibly powerful. He can handle all of my diseases, whether that be physical, emotional, or spiritual. It reminds me that all I have to do is reach out to Jesus because He is always there, just waiting for me to reach out to Him. I have to be reminded of this daily, because it is so easy to forget God in this way-that the God of the Universe loves me and wants me to reach out to Him. He loves me and is beckoning me to step out in faith and He will show me incredible things that He has to offer.

3.

3. I chose this photo as my contemporary image of God because it challenges me to think of God in a way that I often neglect. This newborn photography is a beautiful portrayal of the relationship between a parent and child. This photo is formative in helping me realize how God views me-as His precious daughter who He loves so much. Newborn photography is very popular today, especially nontraditional portraits like this. Many of my family friends who have recently had children have had newborn photoshoots done in their homes with natural light and set in their bedrooms or the infants' nurseries. I think this is because such photographs show the amazing simplicity found in the love between a parent and child. The moments that parents remember and cherish most with their infants I believe are moments like this-when they are nuzzles into their chests, laying in their arms. So helpless and little, and requiring all of their parents' love and strength. This is how God views us- He loves us so much and wants to be our strength, and for His love for us to fill us up. How often we forget this image of God as our powerful and strong Father, and we instead think that we are the ones in charge, the strong ones. We are so weak without Him, and so foolish to try to figure things out on our own. I am also reminded of Luke 12:7 as I look at this photo. "Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows." The delicacy of this photo reminds me of how God is so much bigger and stronger and wiser than me, and because of that I can completely rest in His arms, lean into His strength, be filled up with His love, and find comfort in Him as my perfect Heavenly Father.

4. My image of God that I photographed for class is both similar and different from these two other images. When I think of God, I think of a firm foundation to lean on and my source of strength. He is the tree of life, and His roots go down deep into my heart, becoming the source of all that I am. I have seen this proven true in my life throughout the years of growing closer to God. It is a slow process but it is undoubtedly occurring-as I grow in my faith, lean into God and walk through life with Him, my roots are going down deep in Him. I remember when God and religion used to only be a part of my life. I remember recognizing that and praying that He would become my whole life. And He has answered that prayer-Jesus is my entire life now, and I am unable to separate Him from other parts of my life. He is my foundation, my source of life and love, and He penetrates all that I do and every fiber of my being. I think my image shows that, as well as showing the beauty of God through His creation. This sense of strength found in God relates to the newborn photo, of leaning into God. The look in the girls eyes shows a reassurance and trust that He is stable. My image relates to the image of the bleeding woman as it shows a sense of familiarity, as the girl is comfortable leaning on the tree. He is marvelous and majestic, yet the tree is not unapproachable. Rather it is friendly, warm and welcoming to her, inviting her to find shelter in the shadow of it's branches and leaves-in the shadow of His wings. One thing I like about my photo is the brilliancy of color that the other images don't have. I think this vibrancy is reflective of God's passionate love that He has for us. I constantly need that reminder. He is not boring or stagnant. He is fiery, passionate, jealous for us, and His love is unbelievably relentless in pursuing us.

getting lost | 10-30-14

The purpose of my slideshow was to explore the relationship between nature and humanity. I wanted the placement of the media quote to provoke ideas of pollution, and how we have the ability to either have a positive or negative effect on nature. My slideshow begins with the image looking at a man through the leaves of a tree. I did this in order to try to imagine what it is like to look at humans from the perspective of nature, almost as if the trees could talk or tell their story. The next few images show a girl laying down in nature. She is laying in the grass, in nature but not entirely aware of her relationship with it. She is then pointed up towards the tree. This hand could be her own, or it could be symbolic of the Lord's call to be aware of creation. After this call, the leave then falls on her face and she laughs joyfully. This was to show how we have the ability to have a positive relationship with creation if we make the conscious decision to. This sequence also can raise the question of whether or not creation care is not in fact something that is a commandment to all followers of Christ.

the body

the body | 10-14-14

1. formal observation. 

my image portrays a woman dancing. she is performing a pirouette within a dance studio, shown through the hardwood floors and the ballet barre behind her. the photo is intentionally overexposed, with harsh, bright whites and dark blacks. the photo was shot with a slow shutter speed, causing the woman's arms and feet to appear blurred, lost in the motion. lines are an important part of this image, with the lines in the ceiling and the floor drawing the attention to the dancer. the line of the barre cuts through the woman, once again drawing attention to the dancer yet this time horizontally along with the black molding at the bottom of the brick wall behind her. all attention is drawn to the woman in black. the black and white creates an elegance that is paralleled in her dancing. the blacks and whites are very classical, just as the dancer is very classical in her choice of ballet as her style of dance and her gracefulness in her movements.

2. body language
the dancer's body language is very intriguing. her form is precise, with her left leg in a strong releve and her right in perfect passe. she is tall and poised, and very graceful, like a dainty music box ballerina. her face is also very composed. she is focused on the task at hand, and there is strength in her eyes. yet her hair is down and in movement from her turn, not up in a neat bun common for most dancers. it causes one to wonder if she really is composed or if she is actually full of anxiety, with all the lights and attention on her. her arms and feet lost in motion tell of flaws behind her seemingly perfect composure. is she confident in her imperfections? or are they tearing her apart? these questions are raised yet never fully answered. having such a photograph where the subject is in motion also creates a sense of incompleteness since the viewer is never allowed to see her pirouette brought to completion, nor the rest of her choreography if there is more to it. this is another question raised through her body language, the question of whether or not she finished her turn gracefully or if she falls out of it. the viewer is most likely left believing for the best, that she is a talented dancer and completes her pirouette(s).

3. art reference

this photo is similar to signorelli's "paradise" shown above. this painting is from the Renaissance, in the 16th century. signorelli was very open and honest in his paintings of the human body, not hiding flaws or making the bodies explicitly erotic. in this image, men and women are standing together naked in simple brotherly love. there is no inappropriate gestures or relations going on in this photo, but simply brotherly love. it shows how God made bodies to not be for sex or pleasure alone, but rather as a beautiful art form, a form of worship. i believe my photograph of the woman dancing portrays the human body in a similar way. she is poised and elegant, yet her form is lost in the motion, and her hair is down and whisping around her face. she is also clearly beautiful and the curves of her feminine figure are shown, yet not in a way that unnecessarily sexualizes or objectifies her. her body is being used for good-for dance, for beauty-and not beauty to just be used by a man, but rather to be offered as worship to God, or even joy for her and possibly whoever her audience is.

4. parallelism to modern culture

nike recently ran an advertisement showing Misty Copeland, who is an incredible ballerina yet not built like the average ballerina today. she was told she had the wrong body for a ballerina, and would never succeed in the industry. she proved her critics wrong. Copeland states, "“Like many women, I was told that I wasn’t good enough and that I couldn’t succeed, but I willed myself to where I am now. I think that’s a message that resonates with all women. success isn’t handed to us: we earn it.” (Source http://time.com/3083114/misty-copeland-under-armour-i-will-what-i-want/) this thought is inspiring and thought-provoking. these two photos of dancers parallel in their strength and composure of their bodies, yet Misty appears much more in an almost unnaturally perfect state, while the other dancer feels somewhat more normal in her imperfections. dancers constantly face the tension between yearning for perfection and success, pushing their bodies to their full potential, and also being told to be beautiful the way they are. i believe both sides of this can be seen within a dancer's face and body language if one looks closely enough.