I will do a series of fashion shoots with 2 distinct styles. Half of the shoots will consist of bright bold colours, with positive connotations. Whereas the other half will be more monotone and serious. The bright shoots will also feature brand name clothing and other elements which can show social status. While the darker shoots will feature lower-end clothing, possibly worn, which will help capture the serious and joyless perspective.

• ‘Judging a book by its cover’ we judge people by their appearance.
• Can the way we dress affect our self-confidence.
• Buying clothes for other people’s approval rather than your own.

“Once you have a person in front of you that oozes this kind of energy, by dressing them up or allowing them to wear their own styles, the strength of their personality instantly comes out.” (Iordan 2015)

As Hassan Hajjaj says in the above quote, people’s styles and clothing play a substantial part in expressing their personality. And if you allow them to wear what they’re comfortable in their personality does instantly shine through. This also plays a large role in social identity; the way we dress affects both how we view ourselves, as well as how others view us, and possibly judge us on the way we dress. In this personal project I will focus on exploring social identity and how it is shown/expressed through fashion. I will do this mainly through portrait photography and more specifically full body shots; implementing the style of Hassan Hajjaj into my work. I will do this by trying to capture the subject’s personality and strengths through their style and body language, I will also implement the same contrasting bold colours into my work. I will also try break fashion stereotypes such as in Hassan Hajjaj’s ‘Kesh Angels’ portrait series where he photographs the Kesh Angles biker group who wear Hijabs and ride around the city, in most places in the area this is either looked down upon or illegal. I will also try implement close-up portraiture into this project, in the style of Rankin who heavily focuses on face and top 1/3 portraits. Rankin focuses a considerable amount on social identity throughout his work which I will take inspiration from in my project. This includes projects such as “Selfie Harm” (Hosie 2019) project; where Rankin took portraits of teens and gave them 15 minutes to edit their portraits to a ‘social media ready’ standard. I will also possibly include elements of tableaux photography in my project, I will try use this to help exaggerate the above mentioned themes through acting, in hopes of achieving an image which shows exaggerated levels of confidence, or the lack of it. I will use this to show the contrast of how fashion can affect us mentally.

Throughout my personal study I will explore specific fashion items which society views as valuable or desirable, as well as comparing them to fashion items which have been similarly desirable throughout history. It is very interesting to look at the most desirable fashion items throughout history as they have remained without change for the most part. In the Victorian period the most desirable fashion items were most commonly jewelry, and more specifically earrings, necklaces and rings. Some other desirable items for men included side chains; which were long and very detailed, usually reaching lengths of over 60 inches. When compared to modern desirable items they are extremely similar, with there still being a very high interest and demand for for jewelry such as necklaces and earrings. The only differences are a shift in rarity of rings (as much cheaper rings are available today, starting at prices of around £1-2) and the way chains are worn. Although they did exist in the 19th century as previously mentioned, they are worn in a different way in modern times, as well as having a different meaning to what they did throughout history. However, all of these items still have the same base purpose, to establish individuality and show class. This shows how society and its views have barely progressed in the last 200 years or so, as the same items are still used to show social status, and although this has slightly evolved, we still use the same methods to express our social identity. And in certain aspects this has become worse, because as a society with value what the society thinks of us drastically more and to the point where it is unhealthy; even causing people to self harm or commit suicide because they don’t achieve the standards set out for them.

• How social identity is shown through fashion/ how it has been shown throughout history

• Pop art movement

Bibliography:

Marina Iordan (July 15 2015) Karima: A Day In The Life Of A Henna Girl – Interview with Hassan Hajjaj Art Radar Dec 13 2019 https://artradarjournal.com/2015/07/15/karima-interview-with-hassan-hajjaj/

Rachel Hosie (Feb 5 2019) A photographer asked teenagers to edit their photos until they thought they looked ‘social media ready,’ and the results are shocking Insider: New York City https://www.insider.com/selfie-harm-photo-series-rankin-asks-teens-to-edit-photos-until-social-media-ready-2019-2 Dec 13 2019

How does fashion shape social identities?

-Opening quote-

-Introduction (250-500 words) Focus on portrait photography, possibly parts of tableaux as well. Artists: Hassan Hajjaj, Rankin, possibly Andy Warhol. I will implement the same bold colours into my work, possibly break stereotypes such as the Kesh Angels portrait series by Hassan Hajjaj. Rankin Focuses a considerable amount on personal identity, through mainly face and top 1/3 portraits. Link to Hassan Hajjaj, fashion can show our social status/ rank in society. Such as how in certain countries women wear hijabs and aren’t allowed to drive or have other rights. Link to Rankin, can express our personality, through colour or style. Or (link to article) try change our identity through editing our photos.

Notes:

• Explain how I interpret the question.
• Identify issues that I am going to explore
• Give a brief outline of how I will deal with each issue, and in which order.
• Use at least one quote

Question – How does fashion shape social identities?

-Opening quote-

-Introduction (250-500 words) Area study, what artists are you analysing, why, how will you respond to their work, how will you respond to essay question.

Explain what the essay is going to do.

• Explain how I interpret the question.
• Identify issues that I am going to explore
• Give a brief outline of how I will deal with each issue, and in which order.
• Use at least one quote

-Paragraph 1 (500 words) Art historical/theoretical context, photography and visual culture relating to area study. Make links to movements/isms + methods used by critics and historians.

• over the first thing I said in my Introduction that I would address.
• Consider using subheadings
• The first sentence of the paragraph introduces the main idea of the paragraph
• Other sentences develop the subject of the paragraph.
• Include relevant examples, details, evidence, quotations, and references showing understanding of relevant theory and reading
• Set the scene for the next paragraph.

-Paragraph 2 (500 words) Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.

• The first sentence or opening sentences, link the paragraph to the previous paragraph, then introduce the main idea of the new paragraph.
• Other sentences develop the paragraph’s subject.
• Set the scene for the next paragraph.

-Paragraph 3 (500 words) Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.

• The first sentence or opening sentences, link the paragraph to the previous paragraph, then introduce the main idea of the new paragraph.
• Other sentences develop the paragraph’s subject.
• Set the scene for the next paragraph.

-Conclusion (250-500 words) Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced.

• The conclusion contains no new material.
• Summarise my argument and the main themes.
• State my general conclusions and evaluate my findings.
• Make it clear why those conclusions are important or significant.
• In the last sentence, sum up my argument very briefly, linking it to the title.

-Bibliography – List all relevant sources used

This mind map shows in a very general view, of how fashion and clothing affects our lives and essentially creates loops of high and low confidence and status, which feed themselves and are difficult to get out of. It also touches on social media and how it promotes potentially unnecessary clothes buying habits, and an artificial need to have nicer clothes to get more likes and attention.

This is a moodboard I have made of my inspirations and similar ideas to photo shoots in my personal study.

How does fashion shape social identities?

Investigating how 90’s grunge style has resurfaced and shaped contemporary fashion and it dissemination through social media.

How do photographers Maciej Dakowicz, David Moore and Rut Blees Luxemberg record on to photographs their sense of community and identity?

How does the contribution of colour aid the creation of bold and dramatic statements within the work of Rankin?

Bibliography

Rachel Hosie (Feb 5 2019) A photographer asked teenagers to edit their photos until they thought they looked ‘social media ready,’ and the results are shocking Insider: New York City https://www.insider.com/selfie-harm-photo-series-rankin-asks-teens-to-edit-photos-until-social-media-ready-2019-2 Dec 3 2019

Rokas Laurinavičius (2019) Photographer Asks Teens To Edit Their Pics Until They Look ‘Social Media Ready’, Posts The Alarming Results boredpanda: Vilnius https://www.boredpanda.com/teenagers-edit-photos-social-media-selfie-harm-rankin/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic Dec 3 2019

Hidrėlėy, Li Nefas, Jonas Grinevičius, Julija Nėjė (2019) People From Around The World Edited These Man And Woman Headshots To Look Trendy In Their Country (27 Pics) boredpanda: Vilnius https://www.boredpanda.com/how-countries-define-fashion-style-groomandstyle/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic Dec 4 2019

Hassan Hajjaj:

https://myartguides.com/interviews/an-interview-with-hassan-hajjaj/

https://www.okayafrica.com/hassan-hajjaj-kesh-angels/

https://www.bjp-online.com/2019/10/hassan-hajjaj/

Harvard System of Referencing:

Bibliography:

Frizot,M.(1998) The New History Of Photography Konemann: Koln

Quote inside your text:

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- Critic Michel Frizot says; ‘These daguerreotype portraits have a symbolic quality which goes beyond mere likeness-‘ (Frizot 1998: 133) -_-_-_-_-_-

We went to visit the ‘Invisible Hands’ exhibition in the Jersey Arts Center. It is a series of photographs about the potato farming industry produced from the perspective of the workers themselves; all of the photos in this exhibition have been taken by them. This exhibition has a high significance as seasonal farming work has been an important part of the Jersey economy for over 150 years, yet their presence is mostly undocumented, limited to staged photographs by local media or marketing photos.

Through this the exhibition urges farmers to provide better living and working conditions for Polish and other immigrants working in their farms. One worker says ‘We work very long hours, sometimes 12 hours and sometimes longer than 12 hours, regardless of the weather – whether there is rain or a cold wind, we are still working, and sometimes we work on Sunday, which is not great for everybody.’ They work in very poor conditions for long hours all for minimum salary

As a result of this the project includes a list of eight requests to improve working conditions for Polish migrants, as shown in the below photo. Those eight points (requests made by the workers presented in the art project and displayed in the exhibition) include reforms to the health and social security system that currently mean workers are not eligible for benefits until they have been in the Island for six months, and improvements in living conditions and wages for those undertaking the most difficult jobs.

To add an artistic element to the list; the eight points have been written by an automated arm as shown below.