Skymall Liberation and Others

The following pieces are part of a Power of the Image assignment based on an art project by Evan Roth called "Skymall Liberation". They were created by the Savannah, Georgia CAGS cohort for a media literacy assignment. Each group picked their own magazine. -sam smiley


GROUP 1: Candice, Hope, and Holly
MAGAZINE: National Geographic
COMMENTS:
As our group looked at the images from National Geographic, we noticed that the images represented a variety of ages, skin colors, and cultures. Therefore, we focused in on the positions and angles of each face. Many of images were facing forward so we decided to position them based on head orientation. We sorted the faces into distinctive groups that consisted of right facing images, left facing images, and forward facing images. We placed the forward facing images in the middle of the paper. Then we placed the other images on the sides according to the direction they were facing.

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GROUP 3: Rhonda, Becky and Triona
MAGAZINE: Good Housekeeping
COMMENTS:
For this project our group chose a copy of Good Housekeeping as a source for head collection. Unfortunately we did not get the date of the issue before we disposed of the waste paper. The assignment was to collect all the heads/faces from a magazine, then arrange them in an organized fashion on a support. After we cut out the heads we chose to arrange them on the page from largest to smallest. We put the largest head on the top left and the smallest on the bottom right. While we were working we noticed that the majority of the heads, especially the largest, belonged to white females aged between 25 and 50 years, most smiling and looking at the camera lens. The next largest group was children. A small group of minorities and men were also represented.

Stereotypes of Women in the Media

My class asked of me to post my images that I created based on the stereotyped images that the media (more specifically, magazines and printed advertisements) portrays of women.

Late Powerful Image

Diane Beauvais
Late Powerful Image
7, May, 2010


This image was retrieved from MSNBC’s Week in Pictures website from: (March 18-25). The boys are playing in an Afghan refugee camp in a Pakistan neighborhood. It is an excellent photograph, compositionally, with close up clarity of the boy’s facial expressions in a shallow depth of field. The colors are somewhat muted, but representative of the situation. The photo brilliantly captures the juxtaposition of the innocence of children (pink balloon), and the terrors of living in a war torn landscape. The gun is a toy and it is being directly pointed at the photographer. Is it play or practice for the future?

Gender Scale?

For my second Gender Collage, I wanted to focus on an individual’s personal point of view on “gender” and what it means. My image illustrates a female individual in her house. She looks into a mirror and recognizes her reflection of that of a man. For me, this is an interesting phenomenon, and one that I believe happens on multiple levels to many people at any given moment.

Now, in order to better explain my work here, I suppose we need to consider the definition of “gender”, so that we can purpose our interpretations of it. Dictionary.com defines “gender” as: “one class of such a set”. From this, we chose to use the work “gender” to distinguish between male and female. So, according to the definition, by using gender to distinguish between male and female, we must see them as clearly separate and distinguished items.

Personally, I regard gender as a sliding scale, especially when we put into account the impact that our commercial and social world has on our perception of “what a man should be”, or “what a woman should be”. At any given moment, I for instance, will feel more masculine then feminine, and vice versa. Of course, modern culture has a term for this too – “tom boy”.

The point of my work is it possible that we all may have a little essence of the opposite gender in us, and it is our struggle to deal with each side as it presents itself. Should we struggle, or should we except? I chose to take myself as I am every day.

(my magazine images were taken from:
woman – Women’s Health – 12/09; p.120
man – U.S. Weekly – 01/11/10; p.35)

Gender and what it means to our relationships

The original image represents a “cool”, “laid back”, and “smart”, and seemingly environmentally aware. In the image, he stands alone. In context of the magazine, he is used to represent a particular “brand” of guy, as the article writes about types of men in their ideal, vogue stereotypes. My feeling from this image is as if this type of man is for sale. Not literally for sale, but they are marketing a particular personality. This man is supposed to be appealing to women because of seemingly attractive qualities.

In my remake, I decided to reform the image using collage instead of Photoshop. My reasoning for this is that I feel that collage is easier to read as a “remake”. Most of the images in magazines today are Photoshopped to an extreme. Because of this, I wanted to reform the image in a way that would be purposeful, and obviously a transformation.

I remade the “cool”, “modern” and “smart” man into a man who a woman is having an affair with. I wanted to play with the idea of this “man”, who the magazine was so attractive… and put him in a different context with other individuals to talk about relationships. The fashion industry markets the idea that what you where is an expression of who you are. If this is true, than you can change who you are by simply putting on a pair of thick framed classes and riding a bike. Now everyone would think you’re smart, and environmentally concerned (like our man in the picture). But when you take that away, and you’re not trying to sell him anymore… you can remake him into a “wanna be”, just trying to impress girls superficially. I wanted the work to talk about identity and gender relations.

gender re-mix

My source image is a Calvin Klein advertisement, starring Hollywood actress Eva Mendes. I found the advertisement not in a magazine, but on a website ironically called 'I Can't Believe It's Not Porn'. The site does not parody ads, as I was hoping it might. Instead it houses many very sexual images found in everyday print advertising. This advertisement is overtly sexual, and undoubtedly sadomasochistic. In advertising, this sort of imagery is common, though not always as obvious. 

When I started this assignment, I had high heels in mind as a typical female signifier. High heels can also be, as those of us who have worn them know, a source of torturous pain. I thought it might be interesting to put a man in the extremely uncomfortable garb that women are encouraged to wear to in order to increase their desirability.  

Combining the image of Eva with one of the strongest male athletic types with one of the highest pain thresholds- a wrestler- provides an  interesting parallel, both visually and ideaologically.

The Transformation Project

I found this original portrait in the December 7, 2009 issue of The New Yorker on page 59. The original image is the portrait of Ban Ki-Moon, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations. In this image, I think he established a sense of confidence and competence. I especially wanted to transform this image because he is representing a face of power of the world.

For my transformation project, I wanted to play with the concept of gender and power and turn the portrait around to get everyone into thinking. I wanted to keep Mr.Ki-Moon body position and combine his image with Lady Gaga look. I think lady Gaga represents all the sexuality. Moreover, she always plays around with major issues with fun and sometime serious statements. The reason why I combined those two together because I think with global issues we need to be much more adventurous and creative. We need to go beyond the original statements. There is a lot of ambiguity around the background’s images. I tried to pick up on many of the global issues that underline the empowerment topic; I want to get everyone engage with beautiful images of our world. I believe this project challenges me to risk myself, taking a chance, and open up to multiple ideas whether it is culture, gender, politics, and power.

Transformation project

I took the original image (on the right) out of Glamour magazine article from February 2010 on page 149. The article was about the different types of guys and how to approach them- no seriously. I chose the "Coffee Shop Intellectual" because even though this type of guy is supposed to be all about his smarts, the image portray more of a "bad ass" guy. So I thought, what would happen if that was an image of a woman pouring the coffee and looking like she had an attitude?

The collage image on the left, I used Adobe Photoshop to transform the face, hair, and most of the clothing. I left the leather jacket, coffee cup, and book the same to keep the same "message" of an "intellectual coffee shop" girl- with an attitude. The rest of the body and clothing I used images of various female models throughout online ads to give more feminine features. Although I am still debating the message the transformed female figure is giving off, it is definitely not as appealing as the male figure in an advertisement sense.

-Lizz Palmer

Self-Conflict as a woman

Every woman has desires as a woman. In a democratic society, she works hard in suits in order to grasp success, fame and equality. To achieve her high goals, she sometimes has to behave as a confident, fearless, and masculine man. Her busy life is intense and keen. The tight squares represent such busy life of her. Those accumulated squares represent her careers to get a successful status.

Simultaneously, such a masculine woman also has a feminine part. She subconsciously wants to be a lovely, soft, and effeminate woman like other women who rely on men. She also wants to find a love although she is too busy for her work. The blurred circles of different sizes represent her fantasies. What she always does is to oppress or hide such feminineness.

However, a part of her self, which is the woman wrapped around by the petal like a fairy, tries to draw back herself to be feminine when she realized love is also important to live as well as work. The fairy are sprinkling the petals on the masculine herself to give some space or latitude to be in balance from workaholic herself and to treat love is also essential for her life.

-Kyoko Shiga

Transformation Project

Transformation Project
Diane Beauvais


I found this image of Allessandra Torresani, who plays Zoe Graystone in the television SyFy series, Caprica, in the January 25, 2010 issue of The New Yorker Magazine, (page 5). In addition to the image I noted the caption, “The Future of Humanity Begins with a Choice”. Immediately I thought of choice of gender and how it is possible in the 21st century to actually make a choice about one’s sex, both behaviorally and physically. In this photo Ms Torresani is all feminine. She is depicted in a seductive pose with full- bodied mane gracing her flawless profile and shapely torso. She is obviously naked and portraying a coy and alluring expression, which was probably intended to attract viewers. I found it interesting that this SyFy series focuses on a virtual world, not unlike the one that we inhabit, but with far greater technological conflicts and choices. Characters are portrayed as holding themselves to their individual moral responsibilities. Each is described as devout in their own perspectives, but all are capable of excusing themselves from their own criminal, immoral, or bad behavior.
Perhaps it might be easier to adopt a gender in this realm of virtual environments.







The collaged transformed image suggests male and female characteristics which respond to the word “choice”in the left hand quote. Bulging tattooed muscles ,beard, helmet, and biker gloves still suggest male gender. Those characteristics would probably not be chosen to advertise the Caprica series. Thus I feel that television still relies on sex and the female form to entice viewers. I think of my transformation as a caricature and as a question for virtual world afficionados.
What if technology could push the envelope far enough for males and females to mix it up physically and behaviorally within the same body???

Gender Remix: Love & Marriage

The original image is for Victorinox Luggage, made by Swiss Army, and I found it in the November 2008 issue of Travel and Leisure. The ad features a young couple on the side of a road (presumably) with luxury luggage at their sides. I was drawn to this image, partly because of the implied traveling involved but also by the gazes of the young man and woman and their interactions. The young woman gazes into the viewer's eyes longingly and she looks young and innocent, seeking security from the man, by leaning into him. The man's gaze is angled down and he seems distant and disconnected. He leans against the wall with a strong pose with his arm over the young woman's legs, as if to show his 'territory' although he does not seem to be engaging with her. They both look as if they are caught in eternity waiting for something in life to come along that is more exciting.

For my transformation project, I wanted to capture the gaze of the young man and woman, but wanted to play with the concept of gender in the context of love and marriage. I changed both their 'attire' to that of a wedding gown and groom's tux, but putting the gown on the man and tux on the woman. I think weddings and marriage are the most genderized traditions in our culture, with the bride and groom each having distinct roles and dress, which is why I choose to flip the traditional costuming of each. I also wanted the image to look like an old-fashioned cameo portrait of a wedding day. I think the words around the portrait reflect the gazes on each person's faces, showing their disconnection from one another, and also questioning society's perceptions of love and marriage.

~Chandra Leenheer

Sex Sells.. ?

I found this ad in the March 2010 issue for Marie Claire on page 29. I still don't really know what the company was, or what they were trying to advertise in this picture. I can only imagine a male photographer directing the photo shoot, and trying to persuade the girl models to "get closer", snapping the picture, and thinking how "hot" it looks. Because sex sells, right? But would it be that "hot" if there were two boys this close? How about two sexually androgynous people? Would it sell that many products? Would Marie Claire allow that company to buy their ad space? This is where I think it starts to become a bit hairy...











In transforming this advertisement, I wanted to keep that same "sex appeal" that the photographer had captured in the original photo. However, this time I wanted the models to be a little bit ambiguous in their gender; keeping some aspects of their femininity, but also having male characteristics as well. Is this ad still capable to sell a product? Or is exploiting one specific gender, in the original case, the female gender, only really acceptable? Perhaps this is a blurry topic to most, and to many companies trying to push the limits in getting their product noticed. I wanted to portray this through the rough, uneven, unpolished look of my ad.

What type of sexuality do we as a culture feel comfortable selling?

Trasformation project

I chose an image of filmmaker, Darren Aronofsky that I found on page 227 of the November 2006 issue of Wired magazine. I was drawn to this image for a number of reasons and thought that it portrayed a strong male gender identity. The title of this issue of Wired Magazine is The New Atheism, and therefore a number of the articles and images in this issue dealt with science and spirituality. I felt this image portrayed a strong sense of man as a stoic and serious, spiritual being. The image is a portrait of filmmaker, Darren Aronnofsky, a man of ordinary appearance dressed conservatively in typical male business attire, a pressed button down shirt. What makes this image unique is the lighting and the gaze of the subject, looking to the heavens, illuminated from above. Historically, communion with God has been a male concern. To this day, men hold the highest positions of power in a number of religions. I felt this image portrays this traditional representation of man as spiritual being.

The second image is the result of my transformation collage project. I used collage techniques to transform and disassociate this image with its original spiritual identity. I wanted to move the image as far from the original context of man as spiritual being , so I chose to transform the subject into a female commodity. I accomplished this by adding features and accessories that were distinctly and exaggeratedly female, focusing on idealized female features and overstated makeup. It is interesting how much this image has become cheapened by adding these female features, and how my associations change dramatically even though this new identity is built upon the original image.

Angela L.

Stop Motion Process by Danielle Ash

Some people in our class have been doing stop motion animation..a long and arduous process! Here is a link to animator Danielle Ash..scroll down to see the process of how she makes her film. Lighting is key! This is a promo for her new film, "Pickles for Nickles"

http://www.danielleash.com/picklemovie.html

-sam smiley

wow! stencil art: kenji nakayama

please check out this amazing boston-based street/stencil artist. 

on FYC gallery's blog he provides several photos that chronicle the process of one of his multi-layered stencil works:
http://fycgallery.wordpress.com/2008/02/21/kenji-nakayama-kngee-reflection-returnal-creation/

this is his artist blog (consists mostly of images of his new work, as well as show announcements):
http://kngee.blogspot.com/ 

To serve and protect.

The news media portrays our military as those who have a tendency to "accidentally kill" civilians in the countries that we fight in. We always hear about those stories: US Marines and Army bombing civilian housing causing many women and children to die.

How many times have you heard this story on CNN- A soldier or marine protecting a child from a country where we are "fighting terrorism?" How many images have you seen of people in other countries dying, blaming the United States for their sorrows? Countless probably.

Next time you see one of those stories, think of this image. This photo is a story I hear often from my family members and significant other who have been there- too often without a camera to be seen. This is a US Marine, protecting a father and his child during a gunfight in Afghanistan. And remember our military members' oath that they take when enlisting to serve and protect. Not only their fellow citizens, but others throughout the world.

Now tell me: Which type of story are you going to be looking for on the news?

-Lizz Palmer

Image by: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters
Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35463651/from/ET/?beginSlide=9

West Point

Endlessness.






This is a photograph of an assembly of Cadets at West Point, U.S. Army Academy. In the photo, Cadets are listening to an address by President Barak Obama announcing troop increases in Afghanistan.

I find this image extremely powerful, not only because it is an impressive documentary of U.S. Military Cadets, but mostly because of the context which it is placed.

I have always had a connection to West Point, as my brother-in-law graduated from the Academy in the spring of 2001. There is a superstition among West Pointers that if it rains on the graduation of a West Point class, that class will be sent to war. Well, in my families case, it did rain on his graduation in 2001, and not only four months later did the attacks on the world trade center occur. Now, I am sure this is only a coincidence that he graduated the year of the attacks on September 11th, but since then, seeing any group of West Point Cadets (as depicted in this image) brings a looming sense of dread to me.

With that in mind, I chose this image because of the many powerful implications it has regarding the Wars being fought in the Middle East. To Analise the image, there are several qualities that make it so striking. First, although the photograph was taken during one of the Presidents speeches, Obama is not a subject in the photo at all. By doing this, it focuses the attention on only the seemingly endless assembly of Cadets, capturing their cool expressions of interest, fear, anxiety, duty, and anticipation. Second, the rows of Cadets seem to go on for infinity (much like how the conflict in the Middle East feels endless). It is fitting that such an infinite image of American soldiers would be depicted to compliment Obamas announcement of the increase of troops in Afghanistan.

To me, this image and its context brings powerful memories to my mind, but to anyone else, it can still be seen as a very powerful image.

- C. Rousseau

Image: Christopher Morris / VII for TIME

Taken for Time Magazine, 2009.

The power of documentary photography

I have been drawn to documentary photography and film-making for as long as I can remember. To me these artforms provide some of the most poignant and honest images in the world of art. Documentary photography captures a sense of place, and in doing so plays an important role in the interpretation and development of culture.

This is why I chose this image of a child in Cambodia, captured by photographer Michael Cirelli.

I am particularly drawn to images that capture quieter moments and honest landscapes which tell the stories of individuals, places and things. These images capture a particular moment in time, they document history and culture and the human condition.

For me this is the power of the image. Although thus far our investigations in this class have focused on the power of the image to influence and persuade populations. I find another distinct power of the image is to document people and places as they are. To me, the power of the image is multi-dimensional.

As famous documentary photographer Dorothea Lange noted:
“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” (American documentary photographer, 1895-1965)


Please see more of Michael Cirelli's work at:

Michael Cirelli Photography/ www.michaelcirelli.com


-Angela Lembke

"Power of Image": Photographs evoke the memory of the past strife & new anti-Japanese sentiments-

"Power of Image": Photographs evoke the memory of the past strife & new anti-Japanese sentiments-

This picture is one of the photographs about the Nanking Massacre. The Nanking Massacre is that the Japanese soldiers killed massive Chinese people. It is an unchangeable truth. However, as for this photo and the other Nanking Massacre photographs are now controversial. Some scholars proved that some of these pictures were taken by the Chinese and used for the agenda to inform the Chinese about this incident. A Chinese camera man put a crying baby on the street, and took this photo.

However, it is fact that these pictures, even though the Chinese photographers made them intentionally, made the Chinese people during the war hold the memories of the Nanking Massacre more clearly and vividly. Since The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II was published in 1997 authored by Iris Chan, a Chinese-American, these old photos came out in public again. These photos bring the young generation Chinese, who did not live during the war, strong anti-Japanese sentiments.

What if we did not have these photographs? Probably, people would forget the incident. But the number of the Chinese who hate the Japanese would decrease. Nanking Massacre is the truth that a Japanese people should not forget. However, it is sad that the current Chinese people keep talking about the incident to us.

Think about the power of image. What if the Japanese have the photographs of rape by the American army in Okinawa and keep auguring it? What if Iraqi people will keep talking about the photographs, video, and images of the American troop occupation in Iraq in the future? The Japanese, the Iraqi and the Japanese would keep being sad. Because of images, the both sides must keep holding negative emotions.

-Kyoko Shiga

Photograph

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/photos/culture/academic/081217/acd0812172107008-p1.jpg

Too Busy for Happiness.

How many times out of our day, or out of our week do we actually do something we love, for pleasure? Sometimes it feels as though we sacrifice all of our time for some "mandatory" project for class, or work. Days, hours, minutes pass by with us scrambling to get somewhere on time, running all over town crossing off check lists, picking up the kids etc.. But the truth of the matter is, if we know what makes us happy, why don't we take the time to do it? Everyone is guilty of this. Us Americans are always on the go, but where do we draw the line? How much will it take before our culture realizes we are wasting our time filling up our days with idle activities, instead if filling it by being with the people we love, or by doing the things we love?

I first found A Softer World when I was in college. One of my friends had posted an image like this on her facebook (talk about the power of new media!) and I fell in love with their take on comics. Emily Horne, takes the photos, and friend Joey Comeau writes the text. The results are always witty, thought provoking, emotional, harsh, and puzzling- all in the best way possible.

What is your secret to happiness?

Visions of Blood and Ink: Body Politics of the Maori Moko

My passion for both the Maori culture of Aotearoa, New Zealand and the art of tattoo drew me into the photography exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem last winter and I was completely captivated by the powerful images created by Hans Neleman. These images are particularly powerful because they carry with them significant representations of personal and cultural identity, ancestry and history. The Maori Moko has been a traditional art form for centuries, recently revived as the Maori struggle to regain their ethnic identity and place in New Zealand society. “The revival of Moko for many of us is really exercising our rangatiratanga—our fundamental right to exist,” says Tame Wairere Iti (http://blog.art-tistics.com/?s=maori). The choice to take a moko for Maori is not just a personal statement, but a decision which involves one's family as well.

Hans Neleman, the dutch photographer of these images, had to seek special permission to capture the Maori Moko on film, which had previously been prohibited, and careful consideration has been given for the respect and preservation of the cultural tradition.

These two images had a particularly striking effect on me. I think the first image is beautifully raw and organic and projects the strength and beauty of womanhood. The second image holds a beautiful balance between tough and delicate, intimidation and innocence, father and son. Both images also show the influence of the Rastafarian culture that has intertwined with the Maori culture which I think is very unique.

~Chandra L.

Images retrieved from:

http://blog.art-tistics.com/?s=maori

http://www.neleman.com/site/book/moko/moko.html

"Barbie Girl" by Rania Matar

 

I first saw this image, titled "Barbie Girl", last spring at the Danforth Museum of Art in Framingham, MA. I was immediately struck by its power. I stealthily sneaked a shot of it with my cell phone camera. I wanted to remember it. I saw it again this past December at the Griffin Photography Museum in Winchester. And again soon thereafter in the Boston Globe, which had it featured in the daily arts and entertainment magazine (link to article here). This image is incredibly arresting in its various elements of contrast. Both stark and rich in black and white, it captures joy and pain; visions of destruction alongside visions of hope: Eastern culture juxtaposed with Western culture. This image has the ability to take its viewer from saddened to heartened and back again.

The artist is Rania Matar. Matar is originally from Lebanon, which is where this photograph was taken in 2006. It is no surprise that this image appears on the cover of Matar's new monograph, Ordinary Lives. I would highly recommend looking further into her work, which tells many fascinating stories.

It's youth and it's joy

This is the image by pencil of promise, http://www.pencilsofpromise.org and their project to help children in Laos. The first time I saw this image, it taking me back to the moment when I was in college. During my college, I sought to experience as wide a variety of experiences as I could. I had the opportunities to visit many regions of Laos and it was the most enthusiastic experience I ever had. I did not have many picture of my memory in Laos but this image became my memoir of a time that stimulated my feeling more than any other, a memory passed but not faded. To me this image involves me to feel the action, smell the air, hear the sounds of children, and feel the interactive moments that could not describe in words. Additionally, it reminds me about my youth, bringing me back to the time when I am ready to embrace on the new journey and ready to grow up. I believe that simple image can make a huge impact and tell many stories, there is nothing like being there and experiencing the real feeling by just look at the image.

Laos project Image, Retrieved from Pencil of Promise on February 2, 2010 from http://www.pencilsofpromise.org