Write a Statement of Intent that clearly contextualises; What you want to explore? Why it matters to you? How you wish to develop your project? When and where you intend to begin your study? Make sure you describe your chosen theme (IDENTITY & COMMUNITY), subject-matter (topic, issue), artists (inspirations, references) and final outcome (photobook, film).
Statement Of Intent
The discussion of teenager’s mental health is growing in everyday society, some disregard it and some understand it’s increasing prominence; I wish to create a study on the theme ‘Identity’ surrounding the topic of anxiety. I have personally suffered from generalised anxiety disorder from a young age, it has always been a part of my life and I am still learning to deal and live with it, however it is not something I am ashamed of. I am grateful for the knowledge I have that I am not alone on this journey, many of my friends and family are also affected by it so can understand and help each other through any days or moments in life that are particularly difficult. I really want to use photography as a medium to explore how I have coped with anxiety throughout my life, focusing on the idea of finding safety and comfort in certain places around my home, family member’s homes and areas around the island that have always made me feel less anxious. The whole concept of anxiety has been quite normalised in today’s society, having both positive and negative effects, as some feel less alone while others feel less seen. Highlighting this topic, by studying the positive areas of life where I have felt most safe, is very important to me; what matters to me most is creating a truthful display on a personal topic. My ideas for the development of this project are to capture some still life images around my home, using windows in many compositions with reflections of sunlight being a reminder of hope. An artist that has interested me while researching this type of imagery is Daniel Blaufuks, whose are naturalistic yet orchestrated scenes in his images hold questions around memories and nostalgia. Additionally, I have really connected with the work of Robert Darch and his project ‘Vale’, where he documents rooms in and around his home that he has lived in isolation with throughout his struggles with illness. I would really like to develop my project by taking inspiration from Darch’s photography, possibly capturing moments of countryside walks I would go on when feeling anxious during lockdown or visiting the woodlands I would explore as a child – highlighting the idea of ‘escaping reality’ through made up stories and games to keep my mind away from getting worried or scared. I aim for my final outcome to be a photobook that is able to capture and focus on the positive memories dealing with anxiety, where I’ve felt safe and loved by those around me while also showing moments of fear and realism to contrast.
My projects central focus will be around the complex idea of identity. I want to explore this theme through emotional and aesthetically consistent imagery and videography. I am going to hone in on something close to me to explore the idea of identity. I want to examine the sport of rugby. I have been playing rugby for Jerseys rugby team for a number of years and have been playing the sport since a young child which will give my project the aspect of an insider documentation. I want to explore how a team conducts themselves as a whole and the notion of finding identity within a team.
Jersey Reds mini rugby coaching Sunday session
Picture: MIKE KENEALY
However the main focal point of my project will hone in on one person to explore their identity. In this way I want to focus on the idea of identity in terms of ideologies of masculinity and also the idea of escapism. I believe this is important to explore; growing up rugby has always been a sport that carries with it many stereotypical notions. I believe rugby carries pride, patriotism, brotherhood and endurance within it. It was always a measure of toughness and strength. Two elements that are held in high value. However, these notions can loose their value when seen from the wrong perspective. Often these ideas associated with rugby can mutate into very toxic pressures placed on individual players. Hypermasculinity can have quite a negative effect when talking about identity. With my project I want to explore a rugby player who resembles the stereotypical Viking-like nature of rugby players and strip the ideological walls down and explore a real identity not just the face value aspect of ones identity. I have already began collecting images that represent begin to explore this idea.
What will the future of Jersey look like as a community in the metaverse?
Diverse Digital Immersive
The future of jersey’s community as a metaverse will be unhackneyed and evolving.
The future of Jersey’s community as a metaverse will already bring all social elements that are used in todays society to the digital platform, then evolve it through knew social norms/ understandings on a digital point of view. Islanders will be able to communicate to one another whenever they would like at any given location physically in Jersey or even across the globe! I would imagine this happening on high advances of technology potentially through Virtual Reality. I feel like the metaverse will be a very free, consistent and the modern way of people communicating to one another. In addition, I fell like this would be perfect for Jersey as the community could come out of this “bubble” that Jersey has hiding it from around the world, in order to potentially get glimpses of what the real world is like.
Reflecting and Reviewing Mind Map
The concept that we decided to go through with as a group to interpret the theme of community was social differences/norms through gender. The way that we will be interpreting this concept in the film will be done by having our male model, dressed up in masculine and feminine clothing, alongside feminine and masculine posses. In addition, the male model will be infront of a green screen that will be changing between the colours of blue, purple, pink and white in that specific order. For the blue background, our model will be in male clothing performing masculine poses. This will be showcasing to the audience the everyday stereotypes of men having to wear male clothing, being stiff in order to portray what society thinks is ‘masculine’. As for the purple background, our model will be in a crop top wearing jeans which will be portraying to the audience a slow transition of men being able to wear feminine clothes, being normalised in society. Moreover, the purple background is a mix between pink and blue, which is presenting men being able to merge the two types of clothing together to develop a slow transition with men being able to wear female clothes. In terms of the pink background, our model will be wearing a dress with make up on which will be displaying how men should be able to go all the way with how they would like to look in terms of being feminine or attaining that look. Finally, for the white background we would like to have a split of our model wearing the dress and wearing the male clothing. This will be portraying how men can look like whatever they want and still be comfortable in society, with the white background being a neutral colour there is no significant meaning behind it in terms of gender. However, the white background will exhibit hope/ faith in our community as a whole being more open minded in terms of how males would like to display themselves with there looks in terms of clothing, make up and even their sexuality.
In terms of the image, we will be having a split between our model wearing mens clothing and female clothing with a white background. This will be portraying our concept of social norms/ differences in men having to follow this stereotype of not being able to wear female clothing publicly because it doesn’t look masculine. Having the split of the masculine and what is ‘non masculine’ will be showing the audience men should be comfortable with wearing female clothing and they can still be masculine, men shouldn’t have to question there masculinity just because of a piece of clothing. As for the white background, this is essential because it is a neutral background which won’t be distracting, the audience can look at the focal point of the image which is the split between the masculine and feminine clothing that is portrayed. Moreover, the white background on the image displays faith and hope in our community moving forward in the direction of men being able to wear female clothing, feeling comfortable in society as well wearing these outfits and being more comfortable with their own sexuality as well.
Overall, as a group we thought the concept of social norms/differences had to be challenged. The reasoning behind this is because, in society today we still have people who haven’t been fully educated on understanding both genders being able to be comfortable with their own sexualities, due to stereotypes like men not being or looking ‘masculine’ due to wanting to use or wear female products in society.
https://commonreader.wustl.edu/why-women-can-dress-like-men-but-not-vice-versa/. On the link provided above is a Journalist who wrote down a piece on how, ‘Why Women Can Dress Like Men But Not Vice Versa’. A women with the name of Jeannette Cooperman wrote a journal about how men cant wear women clothing, yet it works vice versa. This caught an interest to me and helped me gain some ideas on how to interpret our concept into community as she challenges the topic of men not being able to wear women clothing. For example she mentions how the issue of these stereotypes could be happening because of men potentially having to prove their masculinity at all times in order to portray their sex due to ego and social stereotypes. Moreover, she preaches about how as a society we have established that men are suppose to be perceived as strong, big and had to gallop on horseback to be a man, for what appears to be to for to long of an amount of time to where men are and will struggle to be able to wear women clothing comfortably with their own sexuality or comfortability in general. This journal helped with overall ideas for our film and final image as we could gain questions in which we could ask our audience in order to make a change in society and move it in the right direction.
Here are a set of images of Billy Porter being comfortable of wearing feminine clothing in the eye of the public in order to display his sexuality and fashion.
The future of community in Jersey as a metaverse will be an extremely diverse and flourishing digital environment.
Paragraph
The future of community in Jersey as a metaverse will embrace physical elements of community and embrace them on an active and divergent digital platform. The community will flourish and connect many islanders no matter where in the world they might be. I see this being in a highly technologically advanced and immersive fashion. The metaverse will be a mostly amiable platform however I pre-empt some of Jerseys overly, patriotic, protective and xenophobic idiosyncrasies unfortunately lingering into the future.
Content
Our film will feature a seamless combination of real digital images combined with a more metaphysical and fictional animation side. We will use a split screen method to combine the two elements of film. We want to use futuristic props and a consistent, futuristic colour scheme. We want to use a futuristic, fast-paced soundtrack with an emphasise on synthesised instruments. We will also used strategically placed text to further convey our message.
