Contextual Studies: Assessment task three

Cultural, social and personal identity are all themes explored widely by many artists. Identity is our own comprehension of who we are, and is integral to the way we view others, the way we are viewed and the way we dress, speak and function. An individual’s struggle to establish, discover or to come to terms with their identity can be captivatingly emotional from both a viewer’s and from their own point of view. The portrayal of multiple identities can also be similarly compelling. The essay has been written to explore the way that Kalliope Amorphous and Alison Brady depict identity in social, cultural and personal context, and how their ideas are expressed through their work. Despite that the majority of her body of her work consists of self- portraiture and photography, Kalliope Amorphous states that she is “not a photographer or a narcissist.”[1] Instead her work confronts arguably more important and substantial themes than vanity- death, morbidity, the struggle of women and the way that society views us in relation to who we are. Much of Amorphous’ work reflects on the portrayal of stereotypes through costume and drama. “Surfacing” is part of Amorphous’ “Resurrecting Ophelia” series, completed in 2010. It is a subtle piece; the limited colour palette and light create an eerie and morbid atmosphere for the viewer. The overwhelming theme that this piece communicates to the viewer is one of death and mortality. By using her own body as a prop in the photograph, Amorphous is reminding the audience of their own mortality. The pallid greys of the photograph, a result of the graduating light, reminisce of old age and death; grey is a colour generally associated with the elderly, depression and negativity and thus with our own mortality. The blackest point of the photograph is indicative of death as the unknown, as are the weeds reaching up to grasp the subject’s feet, which inspire panic and fear in the viewer. Amorphous wants the viewer to feel this fear and to be aware of their own mortality as well as her own. “Surfacing” is a poignant reminder of the value of life and the ability or opportunity to express personal identity. Amorphous’ ‘Ophelia’ in the piece appears suspended; not quite sunken, not quite fully revealed, but in the process of ‘surfacing’, as the title suggests. This could be indicative of the artist’s personal struggle to find and articulate her identity- feeling as if she has almost achieved this but not quite. By using herself as the subject of the photograph, though under the guise of ‘Ophelia’, she is revealing this vulnerability to the viewer. ‘Ophelia’ acts as Amorphous’ costume or mask; a comment on the ironic necessity of using a character to communicate struggles with personal identity. “Untitled” by Alison Brady, is a disturbing piece. Brady largely deals with female identity and societal struggle in her work, commenting on domesticity and the media’s portrayal of women. The photograph first appears almost whimsical- the combination of soft blues and pinks that are the dress of the subject, coupled with her tumbling golden curls and apron create an atmosphere of innocence and domestic femininity. Brady uses this to lure us into a false sense of security; when the piece is viewed more closely, the themes change to those of a disturbed loss of identity and violation. The dress of the subject, though chastely buttoned to her throat, is sheer and the exposure of her breasts is somewhat pornographic. Brady uses this to comment on the way women are viewed in society and what the ‘ideal’ woman is perceived to be- domesticated, beautiful and obedient. The way the subject holds herself, rigid and straight, yet with her head encased in a suitcase, suggests the struggle of women to match up to what society believes they should be. The suitcase in particular is poignant, as Brady suggests in a rather disturbing way that the minds of women are trapped and wandering; almost disconnected from their bodies, as implied by the suitcase’s travel connotations. That the subject’s face is hidden from view suggests her loss of identity, and the exposure of her breasts references the anonymous nature of pornographic magazines and the way women are portrayed through this and other media. The setting of the piece is equally disturbing. That the subject is laying on the muddy ground with her pristine white apron on indicates Brady’s suggestion that women should break from societal expectations and reclaim their individual identities. More darkly however, the bare patches of ground suggest that another person and a struggle have been present, creating an atmosphere of foreboding and leaving the viewer feeling violated. The way that Brady has presented the subject to the viewer- her breasts in the immediate middle of the photograph, and her head hidden from view, is uncomfortable to look at. Furthermore, the viewer is forced to look down at the subject as if standing above her, giving a sense of authority and power and compelling them to question the identity of the woman in the photograph, and equally, the struggle between individual female identities, and the perceived desirable collective identity of women in society. Conclusively, using photography as a realistic and accessible media for the viewer, both Amorphous and Brady have communicated ideas about the role of women in society, personal identity and a poignant look at the confusion and distress that loss or lack of discovery of one’s identity can cause. Both artists question the identity of women, and how we view our own identity in relation to those other than ourselves. Word count: 929 Tutor: Malcolm Moseley Bibliography [1] Kalliope Amorphous- Artist’s Statement- http://www.kalliopeamorphous.com/about Kalliope Amorphous- 'Surfacing': http://www.kalliopeamorphous.com/album/resurrecting_ophelia?p=1&s=UA-10258672-3#1 Interview with Alison Brady- written by anon, at Nymphoto http://nymphoto.blogspot.com/2009/01/conversation-with-alison-brady.html Alison Brady-"Untitled" http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_LNwVDiKTH0g/SUL8VlZw8eI/AAAAAAAACK0/JaKiKmS3u0A/s1600-h/copyrightAlisonBrady07.jpg