Transformation Project

            Since the feminism movement started forty years ago, woman’s role in society has changed dramatically. Yet, media’s representation of women has remained the same. Women in media tend to be represented with the following “feminine” characteristics: beauty (narrowly defined), small physique, emotional (as opposed to intellectual), and dependent (as opposed to independent). Does this reflection mean the status of women has not really changed? I’m not sure. But men have also fallen victim to misrepresentation in the media. “Masculinity” is rigidly defined with the following characteristics: strength (physical and intellectual), power, large physique, and independent. These “typical” male/female stereotypes inspired my transformation project.

            I wanted to address gender misrepresentations in the media. While flipping through the February 2010 issue of Glamour magazine, I ran across a five-page photo spread of Katy Perry. Each photo clearly portrays the “typical” male/female stereotypes. In the first photo, five young, attractive, strong, male models hold Perry in their arms. Their large muscular bodies dominate Perry’s small physique. She lies passively on her side, depending on them for support. She wears bright pink lipstick, a short blue dress and powder blue heels. She clearly represents the “typical” female stereotype of a small, beautiful, weak and dependant woman. The men wear large baggy blue jeans and white tee shirts. They also clearly represent the “typical” male stereotype of strength, power, large physical body and independent man. I had found my image of gender representation in the media. 

            To transform my image, I wanted to mix-up the “typical” male/ female gender stereotypes and give Perry a stronger persona.  Since she is a popular pop musician, I wanted to represent her as a powerful and solid woman.  Perry sits alone confidently, on top of a Pedi stool away from her admiring fans.   Her body language exudes confidence and self-esteem. She is wearing a suit but still has on many accessories from the original photo spread including: a pink belt, a heart shape ring, and  the power blue heels. The male models are represented as secondary to Perry. Their presence in the photo is simply to show Perry’s popularity. That is why they are located at the bottom of the image. I chopped their bodies and intertwined them to create a male mass, which represent Perry’s fan base.  I cut hearts out of the material from one of Perry’s dresses and glued them around their heads. The message I tried to convey is that Katy Perry is a successful female musician who is independent and strong.  She is popular and is admired by many. -Robin

Versace Remix

This image was taken by by Mario Testino, and features models Anna Selezneva, Iselin Steiro. The two females in the photo are stereotypical of what we see in advertising today no matter what magazine or internet website we are traveling to. These models are showing off their bare bones physiques and are trying to sell the handbags and dresses that they are wearing. This photo is typical of advertising today that places women in unreal situations, and uses stereotypes of the "perfect" body to sell their product. These women are thin, made up and sexy. Sex sells. After searching several magazines for this project, i finally went to the web for my inspiration. This photo was taken as part of the Fall/Winter 2010 Versace Campaign.

Remix: I remixed this image by making the two models the poster children of hunger in the United States. The viewers sentiment for the actors are flipped upside down. You now feel bad for the girls and their hunger instead of thinking they are sexy. Notice the pose and the look of desperation in the faces of the models in the original picture. This is what made it an easy changeover. I decided to juxtapose the skeletons into the image to show the similarities between the two.

Louis Vuitton Remix

Original Image

The image I chose to remix was a Louis Vuitton advertisement that I found on page 69 of the April 2010 Town & Country magazine. The advertisement features photographer Annie Leibovitz with dancer/choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov. In the image Mikhail Baryshnikov stands barefoot on a podium while Annie Leibovitz gazes up at him from the floor. Mikhail Baryshnikov is photographed as a strong, healthy, iconic male, while Annie Leibovitz is shown as strong, quiet, photographer sitting comfortably on the floor next to her camera. While looking at the image the viewer is able to see the trust and respect that is evident between Annie Leibovitz and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Remix Image

As I looked at the way Annie Leibovitz is shown sitting, it reminded me of Adams pose in Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam. I decided to remix the image as if Mikhail Baryshnikov is Annie Leibovitz’s husband and changed the meaning of the original photograph to show Mikhail Baryshnikov as a God in the eyes of his wife, the one who provides and gives life to his wife and family. Mikhail Baryshnikov is still shown as a strong male but in remixing the image the power was shifted from Annie Leibovitz to Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Margaret

Transformation Remix

Gender roles in today’s advertisement and digital media are largely based on gender stereotypes. Not only are advertisements conforming to gender stereotypes, but also to contemporary ideals and standards. The new media literacy of performance explains the “roles” in which individuals are placing themselves into. These roles are defined by stereotypes and contemporary ideals. The advertisements that I have investigated cleverly place women and men into specific situations that are gender specific.

Original,

My original advertisement is for the high fashion clothing line Guess. The advertisement is for a Guess handbag. The handbag, in the advertisement is being held by a young blonde woman on a bed. This woman embodies the role of contemporary ideals, and standards of a bomb shell sex symbol. She is the object of the gaze, and is on display just as the purse is on display. The environment, in which the woman and the purse are placed in, only intensifies the feeling of luxury and sex. The composition of the advertisement is one of voyeurism. The advertisement is composed of only a few colors, White black gold and red. The red is found on the woman’s lips and the flowers, which are strategically placed next to her breast.

Remix

My remix of the original guess advertisement returns the power of the gaze back to the female figure; she is now the one gazing out. I have given her clothing, and replaced the purse with a large steak knife, and fork. I have covered the bed with a dinner table. The female figure has decapitated male heads on the table for dinner. I have done this to give her a feeling of danger and vitality. Composition is not one of voyeurism any more, but rather the viewer is simply observing. I have added text that reads “Steak House”. Steak is stereotypically a manly dinner, so I illustrated that thought literally.

-Skye

Daphne: Transformed (By Jen)

For my remix project I focused on the concept of ecofeminism. Ecofeminism combines theories of feminism and environmentalism to directly equate the social mentality that leads to the domination and oppression of women to the social mentality that leads to the abuse of the natural environment. Ecofeminst beliefs are deeply rooted in perceived, and even mythical, interpretations of gender roles and stereotypes. They imply that domination over women, minorities and nature is, and always has been, perpetrated by men through capitalist and patriarchal systems. They point to references like: "rape the land", "tame nature," and "reap nature's bounty” as indicative of men’s tendency to plunder and destroy. While ideas behind ecofeminism go far beyond the concept of the “Earth Mother” its advocates often emphasize a deep reverence for all life, and the importance of interrelationships between humans, animals, and the earth. Clearly ecofeminism reveals gender issues that relate to power and identity, and creates a gender-based context for today’s global problems.

I chose to remix an image that is typical of the sexual portrayal of women as the object of the male gaze. This image is part of a digital collection of images called the Vasta Collection: Postcards from the early 20th century featuring models from the “golden age of yesteryear”.

More information about VASTA can be found here: http://vasta-images-books.blogspot.com/

I chose a vintage photograph to show that this type of objectification of women has a long history and is ingrained in our society.

The remixed image is based on the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphne. A summary of the story can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_and_Daphne

The meaning of the original image has been altered by changing the context of her nudity from one of subordination to one of empowerment aligned with ecofeminist thought. It is interesting to equate Daphne’s preference for becoming a tree rather than spending the rest of her life married to Apollo, to ecofeminist ideas about male dominance and the female connection to nature.

Gentlemen, This is Vodka. Transformed (by meg)

Gender roles in advertising and mass media seem to typify traditional conventions of both men and women. The female stereotype varies between a collected, family-centered, suburban housewife to a sunsual, power-driven professional. The male stereotype fluctuates in the same manner from a raw and gritty laborer to a sharp and sophisticated businessman. Therefore, gender is portrayed to meet the overall expectations of masculinity and femininity.

With this in mind, I selected an ad for Kettle One vodka that represents a men-only club reminiscent of the 1950-60's era sophisticate. Gathered in this image are a group of well dressed and well groomed gentlemen, enjoying a pure glass of vodka. They're sitting at a round, wood table in large, tacked leather club chairs. The table and men's faces are spotlit while the space around them is blanketed in shadow, giving an air of exclusivity to the place. Overall, I would surmise that these are powerful, successful and respectable men - the type of men that other men would like to hang out with and that women fawn over.

I transformed this masculine fantasy by exchanging the gender role of care-taker, most often associated with women, to the men. In the remixed ad I feature three men at the playground with their children. By converting the context, the product no longer makes sense to the ad. Previously it appeared that Kettle One was an upscale, classy cocktail drank only by the finest clientele. Now, it is a peculiar, misplaced bottle of alcohol uncomfortably paired with the scene. The differing messages in these images are evidence of the persuasiveness of gender stereotyping in advertising and other media.

http://www.ketelone.com/

The Love Doll Project

These are photos from the Love Doll project. Laurie Simmons portrays these realistic sex toys in daily life stills.

I chose these because while they creep me out for being life size realistic sex dolls, I was struck by them. Artistically, I think they are well done. What struck me more was the thought on how women are shown in fashion shots. Being photo shopped and retouched until they are barely what they really are, speaks in contrast to these posed dolls. One could say they are more realistic than the models.

http://www.ufunk.net/en/photos/the-love-doll-project-la-vie-quotidienne-des-poupees-sex-toys/


Megan