Project Development: Potential Outputs III

Figure 1 Murray, J. (2021) Exhibition Mockup Perspective 2 Using ArtSpaces.

Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic continues finding a gallery space that is suitable and available, within current covid regulations has yet to be possible, to date I have not been able to find a suitable opportunity to exhibit my work in physical form, as a second method of publication, this year. As I have yet to finalise a location and booking slot, I’ve instead made mock-ups of how I might exhibit in a physical space.

As a physical exhibition hasn’t been possible (yet), I’ve instead created several potential mock-ups, of how I might exhibit in a physical space (one of which is viewable in my previous post Project Development: Potential Outputs II ) Figure 1 is my second mock-up and a perspective which could be one of the branches from the original post’s image or an option I could consider with a smaller exhibition space in that the big screen could rotate and flicker thorough the various different animations on a loop, whilst the table would host a series of flipbooks and digital books constructed through use of LCD screens or recycled tablets. As I have mentioned previously including flipbooks in a physical exhibition would mean visitors could take home a memento of the experience to peruse at their own time.

Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) Web Presence Layout for ‘Heretic’

My primary method of display for Heretic is via a webpage allowed scale and display methods to have variety, as size would be dependent on viewer’s devices, focusing on the temporality of online imagery and following the standard social media approach of a long scrolling stream of images, in contrast to modern social media the images are not directly below one another, making the viewer hunt for the image and mirrors early net aesthetics. Having tested my website on a variety of screens I realised my own monitor was not of usual ratio, with less than a 4% share globally as a size (1600×900), so I ended up borrowing a relatives screen to make sure that for the majority of web users (1920×1080 at 20.52% for desktop and at 8.37% overall) would not encounter a webpage with a large amount of black space. I also checked other artists who use the same web hosting, and noted that they too went with 1920×1080 ratio (e.g. Molly Soda).

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Open Calls, Residencies and Opportunities

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Over the last few weeks I’ve been applying to various open calls from online residencies, Instagram takeovers, interviews, talks, virtual exhibitions and physical exhibitions that I thought resonated with my practice or were on the lookout for recent graduates. Most I am unlikely to hear back from until the 20th or later so it’s unclear currently whether or not I will be successful in any of the applications I have made, though I have tentatively added my applications into my FMP to show what is going on in the background for the possible near future. One of the applications made me re-think how I might potentially display my work under tight limitations. The proposed space is 6ft by 6ft, with no option of wall or ceiling hanging so anything proposed had to be freestanding.

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Figure 3 Murray, J. (2021) Application Flat and 3D Plans using FloorPlanner.

Due to these limitations I tweaked my original concept quite significantly to work within the space limitations, which made me reconsider how to display my work in a physical space with no power, and how I might get viewers to interact with my work and reflect on the messages I am trying to convey within this space. As I am ultimately making a comment on censorship particularly of women in today’s society I thought one way to get the viewer to interact personally would be to have a clothes rack or backdrop stand with prints hanging from clips and a table with a selection of prints (Figure 3) so that the viewer interacting could construct their own narrative on what they feel heretic means to them. Obviously their would be some limitations given covid, in that to interact visitors would need to sanitize their hands before and after handling any prints or objects within the space.

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Infinite Mix

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Figure 4 Infinite Mix x Hayward Gallery (2016) Installation Shot

In my last supervision meeting with Laura on the 27th July, she mentioned I might find The Infinite Mix exhibition (2016) as a potential influence for how I might enact a physical representation. Like my mockups most of the install shots show the installation screen filling the wall leading the viewer into the image or video being projected, in fairly dark surroundings, the only illumination being the projection (Figure 4).

References

Figures

Figure 1 Murray, J. (2021) Exhibition Mockup Perspective 2 Using ArtSpaces.

Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) Web Presence Layout for ‘Heretic’. [Online] Available from: https://jasm.hotglue.me/ [Accessed 02/08/2021]

Figure 3 Murray, J. (2021) Application Flat and 3D Plans using FloorPlanner. [Online] Available from: https://www.floorplanner.com [Accessed 13/08/2021]

Figure 4 Infinite Mix x Hayward Gallery (2016) Installation Shot. [Online] Available from: https://theinfinitemix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2016/08/The-Infinite-Mix-Hayward-Gallery-x-The-Vinyl-Factory-Michael-Wilkin-Photography20_0001_The-Infinite-Mix-Hayward-Galle.jpg [Accessed 08/08/2021]

Bibliography

Infinite Mix (2016-) [Online] Available from: https://theinfinitemix.com/ [Accessed 06/08/2021]

Soda, M. (2021-) [Online] Available from: mollysoda.exposed [Accessed 05/08/2021]

Statcounter (1999-) Screen Resolution Stats Worldwide. [Online] Available from: https://gs.statcounter.com/screen-resolution-stats [Accessed 02/08/2020]

Statcounter (1999-) Desktop Screen Resolution Stats Worldwide. [Online] Available from: https://gs.statcounter.com/screen-resolution-stats/desktop/worldwide [Accessed 04/08/2021]

Statcounter (1999-) Desktop Screen Resolution Stats United Kingdom. [Online] Available from: https://gs.statcounter.com/screen-resolution-stats/desktop/united-kingdom [Accessed 03/08/2021]

PHO 705: Critical Review of Practice

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References

Figures
Figure 0 Murray, J. (2021) The Glass Sealing
Figure 1 Murray, J. (2021) Eye C U
Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) Severed Connection
Figure 3 Murray, J. (2021) Digital Prison
Figure 4 Val, C. (2011-2013) from the series ‘Feminist’. [Online] Available from: http://www.catrineval.com/proj/feminist/ [Accessed 14/07/2021]
Figure 5 Schrager, L. (2017) from the series ‘PS’. [Online] Available from: https://leahschrager.com/portfolio/ps/ [Accessed 10/07/2021]
Figure 6 Stenram, E. (2013) Part 6. [Online] Available from: https://www.evastenram.net/pages/mumpart.htm [Accessed 10/07/2021]
Figure 7 Minter, M. (2015) XOXO. [Online] Available from: http://www.marilynminter.net/photo/xoxo/ [Accessed 22/07/2021]
Figure 8 Murray, J. (2021) Set Building (Fence)
Figure 9 Murray, J. (2021) Fence Set
Figure 10 Murray, J. (2021) Historical Censorship. [Online] Available from: https://jasmphotography.wordpress.com/2021/07/06/project-development-heretic-2/ [Accessed 15/07/2021]
Figure 11 Murray, J. (2021) Janet Leigh & Censored Tony Curtis from 1959/1960 Film Show Annual (Original photographer unknown)
Figure 12 Murray, J. (2021) Screenshot of Heretic’s Website v1.0
Figure 13 Murray, J. (2021) Flipbook experiment. [Online Animated Version] Available from: https://jasmphotography.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/flipbookexperiment2.gif [Accessed 16/07/2021]
Figure 14 Murray, J. (2021) Faux Book Prototype. [Online Animated Version] Available from: https://jasmphotography.wordpress.com/2021/07/07/research-project-development-feedback-and-potential-outputs/ [Accessed 16/07/2021]
Figure 15 Carter, R. & Carter, N. (2009-2012) Transforming Still Life Painting. [Online] Available from: http://www.robandnick.com/rn882-transforming-still-life-painting [Accessed 08/07/2021]
Figure 16 Murray, J. (2021) Exhibition Mock Up Using ArtSteps.
Figure 17 Murray, J. (2021) Ren’py Development

Bibliography
Assange, J. et al. (2012) Cypherpunks: Freedom & the Future of the Internet. pg 1. O/R Books.
Banisar, D. (2000) The Privacy Issue: View from the US. ‘Big browser is watching you’. Index on Censorship, Volume 29 No 3, May/June 2000 Issue 194. pg 53. UK; Thanet Press.
Bartlett, J. (2018) The People Vs Tech. How the internet is killing democracy (and how we save it) pg 20. UK; Ebury Publishing.
Bezos, J. (1998) C-Span Video Library: Bezos in 1998 at Lake Forest College. [Online] Available from: https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4461513/jeff-bezos [Accessed 14/07/2021]
Burke, D. (2000) The Privacy Issue: Interactive TV. ‘The spy in the corner’. Index on Censorship, Volume 29 No 3, May/June 2000 Issue 194. pg 67. UK; Thanet Press.
Burton, C. (2017) GQ: Rob and Nick Carter: The art of innovation. [Online] Available from: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/rob-and-nick-carter [Accessed 08/07/2021]
Chan, L. M. (1972) The Burning of the Books in China, 213 B.C. The Journal of Library History (1966-1972),7(2), 101-108. [Online] Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25540352 [Accessed 18/07/2021]
Cotton, C. & Hoogwaerts, R. (2016) Mossless 4: Public/Private/Portrait. Introduction. pg 6-7. Winnipeg; Prolific Group.
Crawford, K. & Paglen, T. (2019) “Excavating AI: The Politics of Training Sets for Machine Learning. [Online] Available from: https://excavating.ai [Accessed 30/06/2021]
Dworkin, A. (1994) “Against the Male Flood. Censorship, Pornography, and Equality.” pg 20. [in] Letters for a War Zone. (Secker, M. & Warburg, 1997). [Online] Available from: http://pzacad.pitzer.edu/~mma/teaching/MS110/reading/feminism&pornography_pp19-38_94-120.pdf [Accessed 15/04/2021]
Frary, M. (2020) “Nothing in life is free.” Complicity: Why and when we choose to censor ourselves and give away our privacy. Index on Censorship, Volume 49 No 1, Spring 2020. pg 31. Norwich; SAGE Publishing.
Freud, S. (1919) Uncanny. [Online] Available from: https://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/freud1.pdf and http://courses.washington.edu/freudlit/Uncanny.Notes.html [Accessed 04/07/2021]
Jacobsen, C. (1991) “Redefining Censorship: A Feminist View.” Art Journal, Winter, 1991, Vol 50, No.4, Censorship II. pg 42. CAA. [Online] Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/777322 [Accessed 16/04/2021]
Jane, E.A. (2016) Misogyny Online: A Short (and Brutish) History. pg 44. UK; Sage Swifts.
Jentsch, E. (1906) On the Psychology of the Uncanny. [Online] Available from: http://www.art3idea.psu.edu/locus/Jentsch_uncanny.pdf [Accessed 04/07/2021]
Jolley, R. (2020) Complicity: Why and when we choose to censor ourselves and give away our privacy. Index on Censorship, Volume 49 No 1, Spring 2020. pg 1. Norwich; SAGE Publishing.
Jurgenson, N. (2019) The Social Photo: On Photography and Social Media, pg 87. London; Verso.
Kholeif, O. (2021) Art in the Age of Anxiety, pg 36. United Kingdom; MIT Press.
Looser, C.E. & Wheatley, T. (2010) Psychological Science 2010 21: 1854. “The Tipping Point of Animacy: How, When, and Where We Perceive Life in a Face.” [Online] Available from: http://pss.sagepub.com/content/21/12/1854 [Accessed 06/07/2021]
McFarlane, J. (1990) Index on Censorship: Women and censorship: Introduction. [Online] Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03064229008534940 [Accessed 20/03/2021]
MdbK (2020) Link in Bio: Art After Social Media. Germany; Kehrer Verlag Heidelberg.
Minter, M. [in] Frank, P. (2015-2017) Huffington Post: 15 Feminist Artists Respond To The Censorship Of Women’s Bodies Online. [Online] Available from: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/artists-respond-female-body-censorship-online_n_7042926?ri18n=true [Accessed 24/07/2021]
Mori, M. MacDorman, K.F. Kageki, N. (2012 | 1970) 不気味の谷 The Uncanny Valley. [Online] Available from: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6213238 [Accessed 08/07/2021]
Munson, I. (2021) Real Life: Mirror of your mind; How algorithmic feeds conflate identity with diagnosis. [Online] Available from: https://reallifemag.com/mirror-of-your-mind/ [Accessed 20/07/2021]
Orwell, G. (1950) 1984. pg 80. New York; Signet Classics.
Ravetto-Biagioli, K. (2019) Digital Uncanny. pg 57. New York; Oxford University Press.
Reed, I. (2007) ‘Why Salem Made Sense: Culture, Gender, and the Puritan Persecution of Witchcraft’, Cultural Sociology, 1(2), pp. 209–234. doi: 10.1177/1749975507078188.
Rosenberg, D. (2013) Slate: Removing the Sex From Erotica. [Online] Available from: https://slate.com/culture/2013/09/eva-stenram-drape-and-parts-rework-1950s-and-60s-pinup-photography-photos.html [Accessed 10/07/2021]
Smith, M. (2013) The erotic doll: a modern fetish. New Haven & London; Yale University Press.
Stenram, E. [in] Photoworks. (2015) Interview: Eva Stenram. [Online] Available from: https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-eva-stenram/ [Accessed 10/07/2021]
Storr, W. (2017) Selfie: How the West became self-obsessed. pg 17 (The Dying Self). London; Picador.
Williamson Bechtold, M. (2016) A Woman’s Thing: Three Questions with Leah Schrager. [Online] Available from: https://awomensthing.org/blog/three-questions-with-leah-schrager/ [Accessed 10/07/2021]
Wilson, E. (2000) Women who Censor: Overview. Index on Censorship, Volume 29 No 2, March/April 2000 Issue 193. pg 43-44. UK; Thanet Press.
Zhang, Y., Gao, H. (2016) Human Flesh Search Engine and Online Privacy. Sci Eng Ethics 22, 601–604. [Online] Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-015-9672-y [Accessed 02/07/2021]

Project Development: Potential Outputs II

Figure 1 Murray, J. (2021) Flipbook Experiment 2

After my Flipbook experiment failure, featured in July 7th’s post, I decided I would try the process again, but with one of my images which depicts more obvious movement. The outcome (Figure 1) was significantly far more successful than the last attempt in that movement and motion is detected between each flick of the page far more noticably to the human eye. The main difference between this outcome and last time’s attempt is that I used less frames per loop and repeated the loop more than once to highlight a fast paced change as you might view if viewing the image digitally. The tactile and interactive nature, I feel is a good method of being my images into the physical realm, in an accessible way. As this experiment has been successful I plan to making more mock-ups of my other images, in the hopes this one method I could make my work accessible to being taken home by viewers going to a physical exhibition, to explore at their own leisure, no internet or power supply required.

Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) Potential Exhibition Setup (Mock up made using ArtSteps)

I’ve also been considering how I might place my work into the physical or digital realm in the form of an exhibition, producing a mockup in ArtSteps (Figure 2). My current intentions are to have several large display screens spaced out throughout the space so the viewers, have to physically move and in some instances hunt for the images in question, as well as smaller screens peppered in between. Obviously this intention could be problematic in the event a venue is smaller in scale, so a potential solution could be to have the images flickering and swapping amongst the screens effectively making a venue a ephemeral maze of transience and disorientating change, in the hopes to create longer engagement and time to reflect and think critically on what they are seeing (bearing in mind that current research suggests viewers spend on average 15 seconds looking at a piece of art – Leow, M. 2021).

Figure 3 Harris, R. (2021) Installation views of ‘Masterpieces in Miniature: The 2021 Model Art Gallery’ at Pallant House Gallery.

Another idea I’ve been considering is to make a small scale miniature version, that is not just a mock up, but also could be an installation piece in it’s own right, a good example of this concept is an exhibition currently going on at Pallant House Gallery called Masterpieces in Miniature: The 2021 Model Art Gallery which features a selection of high-profile British artist’s works in a miniature dolls house come white cube art gallery space, which would arguably tie back to the notion of the Uncanny, how I manipulate scale and the use of dolls in my work. As Riley writes in the Hundred Heroines piece the choice of using a model gallery makes the work within to be amplified “…as viewers lean in, peer more closely, and enter into an awareness of the finer details.” (Riley, K. 2021) this I feel would suit my current series as a lot of the movement is subtle, meaning the finer details really are minute and something you would have to focus on. However with less than a month left, I don’t think making a physical version would be possible to a standard I would be happy with, so this is something I plan to explore post-MA.

References

Figures

Figure 1 Murray, J. (2021) Flipbook Experiment 2

Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) Potential Exhibition Setup (Mock up made using ArtSteps)

Figure 3 Harris, R. (2021) Installation views of ‘Masterpieces in Miniature: The 2021 Model Art Gallery’ at Pallant House Gallery. [Online] Available from: https://hundredheroines.org/exhibition/influential-british-women-photographers-join-the-tiniest-museum/ [Accessed 30/07/2021]

Bibliography

Leow, M. (2021) Design Taxi: Italy Recruits AI Museum Cameras To Judge ‘Attractiveness’ Of Art. [Online] Available from: https://designtaxi.com/news/414917/Italy-Recruits-AI-Museum-Cameras-To-Judge-Attractiveness-Of-Art/ [Accessed 29/07/2021]

Murray, J. (2021) PHO 705: Research & Project Development: Feedback & Potential Outputs [Online] Available from: https://jasmphotography.wordpress.com/2021/07/07/research-project-development-feedback-and-potential-outputs/ [Accessed 29/07/2021]

Riley, K. (2021) Hundred Heroines: Influential British Women Photographers Join The Tiniest Museum. [Online] Available from: https://hundredheroines.org/exhibition/influential-british-women-photographers-join-the-tiniest-museum/ [Accessed 30/07/2021]

Project Development: Heretic (Final Sequencing)

For some years I’ve been exploring and investigating social media, looking at the underlying tensions between the real life and the digital world, how the phenomenon of the curated self is an online oxymoron, a distorted ‘fake’ plastic representation through the lens of photography. However, it was not until recently that I considered the coercive and manipulative nature of censorship through the lens of The Uncanny, its dialetic of power, and its critical reflection on what we upload to the internet and social media, an epitaph for the limits of our tolerance and sense of unreality.

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Heretic
/ˈhɛrɪtɪk/

Researches and explores the control
Of women and women’s bodies
And the digital means by which women
Are controlled by men
And the algorithms of social media and the Internet
A paradox of one-way censorship and self-censorship

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(Exhibition Mock Up)

Research & Project Development: Feedback & Potential Outputs

“You don’t have 1984. In fact, you never had 1984. There is no such book as 1984.“

Zittrain, J. (2021)

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Feedback

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This week has been a busy one in regards to gaining feedback, and suggestions on how I might improve my current work in progress, as well as how I might display them. Talking to Laura in my 1-2-1 this week, gave me a lot of insight in why I felt the June 29th post sequencing was still missing something (a more in-depth reflection on this feedback can be found at the top of the June 29th post). I subsequently added an additional image and tweaked my sequencing, in the evening after my meeting with Laura, in preparation for the two portfolio reviews I had on Wednesday, which also proved insightful, although the feedback I received did differ.

My review with Sharon Young, really made me rethink how I might sequence my work, in that my work ultimately has several armatures of historical taboo that direct relate to the modern contemporary issues. When I brought up about taking my work into the physical, both Colin and Sharon seemed surprised that I would do so, as to them it made more sense for the work to be an online interactive piece and would lend itself well to a website. Sharon suggested Adobe Sparks might be a potential source of output in that they offer a viewer led experience, where the images could be group together under subcategories or captioned, as the current sequencing was quite confusing and I might benefit in making a mind map and the philosophies certain images are referencing to, possibly hyperlinking to the researh underpinning the work, the choice in representation and stereotypes.

Colin mentioned in passing that my choice in branding didn’t fit the type of photographer I am today, in that it looked too commercial leaning, and to change my logo, which to be fair was an outdated relic from back when I did my BTEC in the early 2010s. Like Laura he advised me to start thinking about gathering critical feedback, particularly from individuals who specialise in curating digital content.

Although I had felt that my work had significantly changed topic from the last time Colin had seen my work in PHO704, though Colin disagreed that ultimately my work was still fundamentally about the control of women and women’s bodies, the digital means by which women are controlled by men and algorithms, the outcome may be different but it’s ultimately another aspect of a wider guide, a glossary of control as an antidote, to the dark side of the internet, and this is how I should place my work, linking back to previous modules. He advised I should focus in on what I’m truly interested in as the current series is going in to many different directions.

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Potential Outputs

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Figure 1 Godfrey, M. (2021) Laura Owens x Van Gogh Installation

In my meeting with Laura on Tuesday she mentioned I might find looking at Laura Owens’ digital book installations (Figure 1) in the Owens x Van Gogh exhibition at Arles interesting. I haven’t been able to find out much on the web how Owens’ made these ‘faux’ books exactly (as her website doesn’t seem to show their existence), however from looking at the videos I have seen from the exhibition on social media it looks like she has used an iPad sized display screen to play videos, hidden within a beautifully bound mock book with framing. Prior to opening these mock books the disguised outward appearance looks no different to a traditional book, with the digital element of the work being a ‘surprise’ found only upon opening.

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Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) Digital book test

My initial ideas in regards to a physical output in exhibition was to have projections, and digital screens as that is what I have traditionally seen as the vehicle of display for works like my own which incorporate moving elements in the stills, however seeing Owens installations at Arles, has inspired me to think about doing more than just placing a screen on a wall, but also a tactile experience in the form of a digital book, I have created a prototype of how I would display as a digital book upcycling an old tablet cover and using the same approach of using old newspapers as I did for the redacted backdrop (Figure 2).

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Figure 3 Murray, J. (2021) Flipbook test

Other approaches I’ve been thinking about, is the notion of using sealed hidden pages as a means to expand on and widen the narrative back out from one type of censorship to another, however more recently I had been thinking about flip books as a potential method of display, in that viewers would end up invested in looking for the minute transitions, unfortunately upon testing this idea I found that the details are just so minute that in flipbook format it looks like nothing is happening at all (Figure 3). I was however impresed by how professional and easy it was to bookbind now I have the correct needle and hole-making tools.

Figure 4 Murray, J. (2021) Potential web output

The other avenue for display that has been my fallback position is to display my work on a website (Figure 4), in the past I’ve usually stuck with using portfoliobox as my website of choice however, I felt that the options are quite limiting so I’ve been on a lookout for something which would allow more movability and customization. I noted recently that Molly Soda whose website I greatly admire as being a creative destination as well as a website uses hotglue.me, so I’ve been experimenting with the various options it offers. I’m pretty impressed by the fact you can host a website within a website.

References

Figures

Figure 1 Godfrey, M. (2021) Laura Owens x Van Gogh Installation. [Online] Available from: https://www.instagram.com/p/CQRKH6FFi_C/ [Accessed 07/07/2021]

Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) Digital book test

Figure 3 Murray, J. (2021) Flipbook test

Figure 4 Murray, J. (2021) Potential web output

Bibliography

Murray, J. (2021) PHO 705: June 29th. Project Development: Heretic. [Online] Available from: https://jasmphotography.wordpress.com/2021/06/29/project-development-heretic [Accessed 07/07/2021]

Zittrain, J. (2021) The Atlantic: The Internet Is Rotting. [Online] Available from: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/06/the-internet-is-a-collective-hallucination/619320/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB [Accessed 07/07/2021]

Project Development: Heretic

How do you believe what you see on Social Media? We interpret it through our own personal lens, our own spatial phenomena, projecting our world views onto what resonates with us, creating a paradox of one-way censorship and self-censorship, failing to challenge our own pre-conceived assumptions, through an implicit and automatic trust of selected elites, influencers and algorithms. <- This question and comment has arguably become my intent for Heretic, however on reflection of feedback gained this week, and my own thoughts, I don’t feel like this intent and the current sequencing and output tie correctly, so I think I need to reshoot and kill some ‘darlings’.

Project Development: Heretic

In response to my thoughts and observations on the 18th June 2021 post about the sequencing and narrative of the series, and personal critique of this mock-up, I have produced a second mock-up of my sequencing. Despite, being a clearly obvious improvement on my last edit, I still feel it is missing something either in order or in content produced, not helped I feel by the amount of images that use a bell jar with a female figure trapped inside.

Since publishing this post, I have since gained some feedback during my 1-2-1 with Laura, which I felt was incredibly insightful in explaining why I felt something was still missing, she agreed with the observation that their was one too many bell jar images. She suggested the reason the sequencing didn’t sit quite right, was because the current mockup contained an imbalance of literal and doll images and that it would be advisable to include more without the dolls, that are also less literal, top help break up the series to keep suspense and a state of surprise.

References

Figures

Figures 1 – 13 Murray, J. (2021) Work in Progress from the series ‘Heretic’.

Bibliography

Murray, J. (2021) PHO 705: Project Development: Sequencing & Narrative. [Online] Available from: https://jasmphotography.wordpress.com/2021/06/18/project-development-sequencing-and-narrative/ [Accessed 29/06/2021]

Research & Project Development: Cancel Culture

“Tis the age of the internet clapback. Within mere seconds, a celebrity or Popular Internet Person can find themselves pummeled with a slew of vicious hot-takes. Oftentimes, debate is warranted: one could argue that those who profit from the internet, should be held accountable by the internet. But debate is not the same as decimate.

Recently, I’ve noticed a worrying trend. When a male celebrity screws up, he is duly lambasted, before rising, a few weeks later, from the keyboard’s ashes. But when a woman screws up, her error is used as a calling card for her total erasure. Her mistake is no peccadillo; it is proof of her worthlessness.”

Sykes, P. (2019)

Despite coming from an article for Elle, now nearly two years old, Sykes commentary and observations on the double standards of cancel culture and ultimately online censorship resonate with my own observations, especially during my research last module which looked at the manosphere and misogyny, that a gender disparity exists in what repercussions are faced by those set to be ‘cancelled’ by the mob. For women especially the past few years have ultimately harked regressively backwards to a Victorian era notion of being seen, but not heard, to not take any risks or try anything new or look at the world critically beyond the notion of inherent goodness and inherent badness, where no one can make any mistakes or errors.

Last week Chimamanda Ngozi Adachie ‘sparked controversy’ (Alter, The New York Times 2021) and created a furor with a blog post critiquing the notion of cancel culture using her personal experience. Whether you agree or disagree with the comments deemed to be problematic from Adachie in the past, the blog post in question makes similar observations that resonate with comments and observations made by others on this topic, like Sykes that social media has become an incredibly polarised place, depending on the platform, with arguably secular cults of ideologies and positions.

For example, going back to my research done last module, Reddit is considered the platform of use for those who prescribe to the beliefs of the manosphere – a subgroup under this umbrella in 2014, pressured corporations to withdraw advertising from media outlets under the guise of ethics in journalism, that had previously criticized the lack of diversity in the gaming industry (Gamergate), as well as terrorizing female gamers and writers with rape and death threats. Adachie I feel aptly summarises the current situation of the past decade writing: “And so we have a generation of young people on social media so terrified of having the wrong opinions that they have robbed themselves of the opportunity to think and to learn and to grow.” (Adachie, C. N. 2021)

I think for young women of my age and younger this is particularly truthful in that we grew up and came of age as Web 2.0. blossomed, and the manosphere rose, that we had to be careful in what we shared with others, furthered by instances such as Celebgate (The Fappening) and revenge porn. Fisher’s comments made in an article in 2013 about exiting the vampire castle have become all the more relevant as the polarisation of various internet tribes and subgroups has become more apparent, and arguably the best example of this polarisation in the UK in recent years has been the camps of Remain and Leave during the Brexit referendum.

Ultimately Fisher sums this best in that by using: “…identitarian classification, the Vampires’ Castle seeks to corral people back into identi-camps, where they are forever defined in the terms set by dominant power, crippled by self-consciousness and isolated by a logic of solipsism which insists that we cannot understand one another unless we belong to the same identity group.” (Fisher, M. 2013) or in regards to Web 2.0. as Jurgenson notes, and I have quoted before that the: “The infamous ‘New Yorker’ cartoon joked that “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” But then, as the story continues, social media became commercialized as it went mainstream; it got normal, and, along the way, spontaneous anonymity became replaced by a demand for consistent identity. Now that everyone knows you’re a dog, it’s difficult to be anything else.” (Jurgenson, N. 2019; 87)

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Project Development

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I’ve just started to feel myself again, the Pfizer vaccine knocked me out for the count that it’s taken me 2 weeks to feel well enough to experiment and shoot more and to catch up on my timetable schedule plan (I fell a little behind on my CRJ and CROP plans). As I mentioned last week I have re-edited Figures 5 & 9 in the last post (Figures 1 & 4 in this post). The re-edits I feel tackle the issues I had with the images and instead of feeling weak the images now are much stronger in their message of censorship and it’s pressures and in visual appearance. The images I shot this week Figures 2 & 3 reference more towards historical methods of censorship particularly to the era of witch trials in terms of a visual output, yet is in part a reference to the modern equivalent of cancel culture mentioned in this week’s research, how the repercussions faced by women are usually more permanent than it would be for the male counterpart.

Figure 1 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

Figure 3 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

Figure 4 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

References

Figures

Figure 1 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

Figure 2 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

Figure 3 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

Figure 4 Murray, J. (2021) ‘Title TBA’ from the series Heretic

Bibliography

Adichie, C. N. (2021) It’s Obscene: A TRUE REFLECTION IN THREE PARTS. [Online] Available from: https://www.chimamanda.com/news_items/it-is-obscene-a-true-reflection-in-three-parts/ [Accessed 25/06/2021]

Alter, A. (2021) The New York Times: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Sparks Controversy in Online Essay. [Online] Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/books/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-essay-tweets.html [Accessed 25/06/2021]

BBC Newsbeat (2016) Meet the man behind the leak of celebrity nude photos, called the fappening. [Online] Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-35820521 [Accessed 25/06/2021]

Fisher, M. (2013) openDemocracy: Exiting the Vampire Castle. [Online] Available from: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/exiting-vampire-castle/ [Accessed 25/06/2021]

Jurgenson, N. (2019) The Social Photo: On Photography and Social Media, pg 87. London; Verso

Ministry of Justice (2015) Revenge Porn. [Online] Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenge-porn [Accessed 25/06/2021]

Mishan, L. (2020) The New York Times Style Magazine. Notes on the culture: The Long and Tortured History of Cancel Culture. [Online] Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/t-magazine/cancel-culture-history.html [Accessed 25/06/2021]

Sykes, P. (2019) Elle: The Internet Trend for ‘Cancelling’ Women Has To Stop. Addressing the era of trial by Instagram. [Online] Available from: https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/elle-voices/a26881483/pandora-sykes-on-cancelling-women/ [Accessed 24/06/2021]

TIME (2015) I’m Making the Case for Public Shaming. [Online] Available from: https://time.com/3995794/im-making-the-case-for-public-shaming-unless-you-publicly-shame-me-for-doing-so/ [Accessed 25/06/2021]

Project Development: Sequencing & Narrative

This week I’ve been thinking about the sequencing and narrative of the series, with the below my initial mockup of narrative sequencing, however I feel that upon seeing all the images together certain images need more tweaking in that the message I want them to convey is clearer in some than others. Figure 9 I feel might work better as an opener than an ending, especially in that the origins of censorship as we know it today was recorded in the Qin Dynasty burning Confucius’ work, and even since has lead to history repeating itself time and time again, with either the written word being censored or the entire individual. The latter, being particularly prevalent when it comes to women set on sharing their own views and experience, historically has lead to being labelled as a heretic, a witch and killed. Whilst today thankfully tends to not be a death sentence for a censored woman, the repercussions faced by women facing such censorship are usually worse than what men face in that the triggering point for censorsing is a much lower bar and the response tends to be more violent with graphic rape, dismemberment and death threats made as well as the usual attempts to silence the individual.

Figures 1 – 9 Murray, J. (2021) Work in Progress from the series ‘Heretic’

It became apparent looking at my sequencing that Figures 2, 5 and 9 needed tweaking in that they were either too weak and overpowered by the images preceding and suceeding. In the case of Figure 2 I think making the two frontal figures not glitch might greatly improve the image as the message held in the placard would be properly visible, as at the moment the image has far too much movement, Figure 5 has the opposite issue of being too still in comparison to images around it. As I still plan on shooting some additional images, it’s hard to say whether or not I will tweak the sequencing order more than moving Figure 9 and inserting the new images in. I have also been thinking on how I might display my work in a physical space, and currently my thoughts are on having a viewing experience where the sizes of the images on digital screens varies in scale like how the scale of the figures I’ve been using have varied, as well as making it impossible for the viewer to see more than one image at a time.

References

Figures

Figures 1 – 9 Murray, J. (2021) Work in Progress from the series ‘Heretic’.

Bibliography

Murray, J. (2021) PHO 705. Research & Project Development: Historical Censorship. [Online] Available from: https://jasmphotography.wordpress.com/2021/03/14/research-project-development-historical-censorship/ [19/06/2021]

Research & Project Development: Jessica Ledwich; Jeremy Deller & Pieter Hugo

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Reflection on Feedback

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This week I was lucky enough to get a slot on the evening group critique with Dinu Li, which was incredibly insightful as an additional opinion and in regards to succinct pitching, in that the central position of my work comes from a feminist point of view with outbranching positions and subcategories of censorship, misogyny and transhumanity / artificial intelligence. A concern I have had throughout my MA, but most specifically within this module has been a worry that my images are better suited as a singular viewing experience, furthered by my feeling that the outcomes thus far have been ‘eclectic’ and visually individualistic. However, it was mentioned my work had a central axis, where my work splits into sub-stories within the framework, so perhaps the images being aesthetically diferent is not as important to the viewer as the overarching message in the wider scheme of the project?

A suggestion on how I might develop my series gave me food for thought, it was suggested I could further my snowglobe image, by adding a male hand rattling the globe to build the narrative I’m conveying with that image of the restrictions and self-censorship women face in the Web 2.0 realm, as well as a hint to the notion of the glass ceiling phenomenon.

It was mentioned by a fellow peer on the call that it reminded them of the Radiohead music video No Surprises, specifically the scene where the lead singer’s head becomes submerged in water coming into a diving helmet. This comparison was intriguing in that the helmet scene is arguably a depiction of lost hope, acceptance of mortality and of the status quo and arguably as a teen and a young woman growing up with and on the internet and times it has felt quite disparaging how much men can get away with saying versus what women can without bringing critique and the summoning of trolls.

Earlier in the week I had my 5th 1-2-1 meeting with Laura, where I also mentioned my concerns regarding the aesthetic outcomes of my work not being similar enough tonally or strength wise, prior attempts to make the images appear visually cohesive, such as the introduction of a blue tone did not I feel work for all my images and in some instances was not helped by the decided over literal approach such as with my image with the hand sanitizer which I had felt was the weak link to the images I currently have in the sequence. I agree with Laura’s analysis that the main issue with this image is that it is too literal and doesn’t provide the viewer with the same sense of intrigue. The work of Rob and Nick Carter was mentioned in regards to my presentation methods, particularly in how they portrayed their transforming still life paintings, into the physical realm or whether I would choose a more digital platform, at this moment of writing I’ve been considering how I might bring my work into the real, the physical space, as my work is pushing the boundaries on what photography is. Would it be too overwhelming to have a whole wall as a screen? Or would a more personal and intimate experience of viewing the work such as using a smartphone or tablet be a better solution in displaying my work.

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Jessica Ledwich

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“I am interested in creating immersive viewing experiences that motivate audiences to participate with my work.”

Ledwich, J. [in] Owen, A. M. (2015)

Dinu mentioned I might find the work of Jessica Ledwich interesting in that her work is largely feminist in approach. Her series Monstrous Feminine examines society through a critical lens on the value placed on vanity, consumerism and desire of perfectionism, through holding a mirror to the rituals several generations of women have engaged into conform to traditional gender roles and constructed stereotypes of feminine identity. Ledwich however takes these stereotypes further by turning ‘everyday’ beauty rituals as grotesque gruesome acts of mutilation as a means of challenging her viewers to reflect on just how transformative and pain these ideals and standards can be and are.

Figure 1 Ledwich, J. (2014-) from the series Monstrous Feminine

In the case of Figure 1 Ledwich juxtaposes vacuuming at the same time as performing liposuction and injecting fillers, removing fat from the thighs to her lips. This unusual juxtaposition between the mundane second shift with the beauty ideal and the historical notion of womanhood hinted via the bottom of the frame of a print of the Birth of Venus being hung in the background, invokes questions on why we hold certain expectations on people based on their birth sex or gender. Ledwich herself makes an interesting comment that her series is more than a literal reference to cosmetic surgery but also a comment on technological developments such as beauty apps and filters for your selfie, she states:

“Digital technologies are more powerful in shaping our cultural attitudes than plastic surgery. Cosmetic technologies are merely reflecting the market. Social media platforms such as Instagram are the new mediums in which identities are formed. The notion of a ‘selfie’ is a construct in which to present yourself to the world for as many likes as you can get. When you see millions of images of ‘normal’ people looking a certain way or doing certain things, the pressure to conform is immense.”

Ledwich, J. [in] Arkoun, D. (2016)

Whilst significantly different to my current work in progress, Ledwich’s series resonates with my wider practice as well as work produced in a previous module e-maGen, in that this work too critiques the notion of a beauty ideal and how social media has imacted on making this a global phenomenon of unreachable ideals.

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Jeremy Deller

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Figure 2 Deller, J. (2012) Sacrilege

Deller’s Inflatable stonehenge was also mentioned on the call and whilst his practice is vastly different in both output and topic the intent of critique and satirical nature resonates with me, as whilst I aim to highlight and critique the status quo, I want to do so in a satirical matter, that is more palatable to my viewers in the hope that they can reflect on their own interaction and use of technology, specifically social media as well as how they treat others within society, through the use of the uncanny. In an interview with Gosling in 2019 Deller states that he sees Sacrilege as a means:

“…to counteract what I felt was the pomposity of sport and the Olympics,” Deller said. “As it happened, it wasn’t so pompous in the UK, but the whole Olympics movement seems to be really full of itself, so I just thought, let’s do something about Britain that shows we have a sense of humour about our history and we’re willing to satirise ourselves almost and have fun with our history and identity.”

Deller, J. [in] Gosling, E. (2019)

This perspective resonates in that I feel that when dealing with topics that are arguably controversial in nature you have to bring along a sense of humour as a means of diffusing conflict and opening the floor to discussion. On reflection the reason I possibly have this approach and stance to my practice in general is based on my own personal life story and health issues, in that when you are unwell and unable to do what you used to take for granted you have to laugh at the irony of it all.

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Pieter Hugo

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Figure 3 Hugo, P. [in] TPG (2012) Deutsche Börse Photography Prize Installation at The Photographers Gallery for ‘Permanent Error’

On my 1-2-1 with Laura mentioned I might find the display methods of Pieter Hugo insightful, as screen based display has been something I’ve been considering especially with the development of my work including .APNGs, particularly his installation for Deutsche Börse Photography Prize in 2012 for his series Permanent Error, a series which focuses on young Ghanian’s who are burning discarded industrial rubbish specifically technological waste as a means to survive, ultimately a critique on the West’s fast cycle of consumption and disposal of functional technology, merely a few years old. The placement of two CRT TVs in the center of the room, juxtaposed by the prints adorning the walls depicting technological waste, the use of arguably old technology to display some of the series images furthers Hugo’s narrative and critique on how we as a society are arguably far too wasteful. Whilst his practice differs significantly from my own, the concept of upcycling old tech screens is something that resonates with one of my ideas – I’ve particularly been thinking of upcycling old tablets and phones as a means of mocking up an physical exhibition on a budget, due to Covid restrictions it seems unlikely I would be able to manage to exhibit in a space before my submission deadline however I could certainly mock up one on a smaller scale.

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Project Development

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I had hoped this week to shoot more images, unfortunately I only managed to shoot one, as I was left feeling decidely unwell after being vaccinated this week. Figure 4 (which admittedly is a composite of three frames to depict the hand grabbing the ‘glass ceiling’), is the outcome and a response and reflection on some of the feeedback I received this week about my existing images, adding the hand into the reshoot of my snowglobe scene, furthering the narrative of how under web 2.0 women are arguably more policed than ever on our views and those wth the power, the tech giant heads are overwhelming men, who see no issue in allowing toxic masculinity and misogyny to run riot on social media platforms, something I discussed in my series last module, whilst silencing women for minor indiscretions in comparison. The existing power imbalance persists despite theorists in the early days of the internet suggesting you can escape the boundaries of reality and power imbalances, by being whoever you want.

Figure 4 Murray, J. (June 2021) ‘Glass Ceiling’ from the series ‘Heretic’

References

Figures

Figure 1 Ledwich, J. (2014-) from the series Monstrous Feminine. [Online] Available from: https://www.jessicaledwich.com/work/monstrous-feminine [Accessed 10/06/2021]

Figure 2 Deller, J. (2012) Sacrilege. [Online] Available from: https://elephant.art/stupid-artwork-ever-jeremy-dellers-bouncy-castle-stonehenge/ [Accessed 11/06/2021]

Figure 3 Hugo, P. [in] TPG (2012) Deutsche Börse Photography Prize Installation at The Photographers Gallery for ‘Permanent Error’. [Online] Available from: https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/whats-on/past-exhibitions/deutsche-borse-photography-foundation-prize-2012 [Accessed 13/06/2021]

Figure 4 Murray, J. (June 2021) ‘Glass Ceiling’ from the series ‘Heretic’

Bibliography

Deller, J. [in] Gosling, E. (2019) Elephant: The Most Stupid Artwork Ever? Jeremy Deller’s Bouncy Castle Stonehenge. [Online] Available from: https://elephant.art/stupid-artwork-ever-jeremy-dellers-bouncy-castle-stonehenge/ [Accessed 11/06/2021]

Ledwich, J. [in] Arkoun, D. (2016) Metal Magazine: Jessica Ledwich – Gore feminine beauty. [Online] Available from: https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/interview/jessica-ledwich-gore-feminine-beauty [Accessed 12/06/2021]

Owen, A. M. (2015) Art/ArtH 475: Contemporary Women Artists. Jessica Ledwich. [Online] Available from: https://sites.psu.edu/contemporarywomenartists/2015/11/10/jessica-ledwich/ [Accessed 11/06/2021]

The Photographers Gallery (2012) Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2012. [Online] Available from: https://thephotographersgallery.org.uk/whats-on/past-exhibitions/deutsche-borse-photography-foundation-prize-2012 [Accessed 12/06/2021]