Exploring different areas of identity involves looking at what influences a person and their make-up and this has a variety of different manifestations.
Femininity vs Masculinity
The concept of contrasting femininity and masculinity in their respective intricacies can create very interesting studies, as they can both be interpreted in multiple different ways.
At its base level, and in its most generalised form, femininity is made up of emotive, nurturing and gentle traits, whereas masculinity is highly juxtaposed with this as it shows a more assertive and independent profile. ‘Traditional masculinity includes norms that encourage many of the aggressive behaviours whereas traditional femininity emphasizes aggression very little.’
In the presentative sense, the social constraints of what is expected of women consists of being small and slender with long hair, long eyelashes and as little body hair as possible, dressed in ‘feminine’ clothing which includes dresses and skirts. In Western society, is expected that women are dressed relatively modestly whilst also not appearing ‘prim’ or overly covered up. This contradiction is just one of many that is pushed on to women as a result of the patriarchy we have always have and most likely always will find ourselves in. The likelihood of sustainable change is at this stage not very realistically within reach because of the build up of these attitudes over time. Whilst it appears there is much more liberalism in this area in recent years, the ideas of what a woman (or man) should be, whether we would like to admit it or not, are irrevocably engrained into society. There can be changes made of course, and this is seen more and more as we move into what is seen as a more equal society. Frida Kahlo famously played with the ideas of female societal expectations in her Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair, 1940, among other works.
In contrast to this, we see the narrative pushed on to men as the complete opposite – with a need to be strongly built with short hair and nails. This is, in essence the appearance that lends itself to practical work, and of course this is where it differs from female presentation, as, in history, women have not been placed in hard labour roles whilst men have been expected to go out and hunt or craft for his family’s needs. Men are also expected to not show emotion in the same way that women are – it is seen as a weakness (perhaps demonstrating and furthering the agenda that women’s traits are presented as weak, especially when present in a man). This is important as it shows the damage that the patriarchy does not only to women, but to the men who created it, and this is demonstrated by the high suicide rates among young men. This is most often because they feel that it is their only choice; they cannot ask for help because of the culture surrounding this presenting it as a weakness, and thereby, a loss of their masculinity.
Therefore, there are clearly a lot of interesting ways artists can explore this topic because it is something that has a heavy influence on a person’s identity – no matter which gender someone is, the effect of it (either positive or negative) will be apparent on their available opportunities and wider life. Claude Cahun was an influential artist in this area of exploring the boundaries of gender and sexual stereotypes.
Environmental Influences
People’s identities are also influenced by the environment in which they exist, both in childhood and later life. Home life, relationships with others and place of upbringing all have impact on the way that one presents, expresses and sees oneself.
For example, someone who grows up in council housing will have a far different outlook on life than someone who had a more middle-class upbringing, similar to the likelihood that someone who is born into an abusive or broken home is to develop issues with self esteem or confidence whilst someone whose home life is content and settled is not as likely to have these issues.
Those who have close relationships with their family are much more likely to be influenced by their opinions and beliefs, and sometimes those who want to create distance from or already have negative relationships with their family can work to actively disagree with these outlooks. We see this manifested in choices in later life as well as who they choose to surround themselves with.
Also, the connection that people have with their own heritage is a strong source of inspiration for many artists across time as it allows them to look past what they may present themselves as and explore where they came from. One example of this is the work of Kemka Ajoku and specifically his series Finding Common Ground which focuses on how he feels distanced from his white peers as a child of African immigrant parents and his relationship with the idea of ‘home’.
This then links to the importance of cultural influences on identity – specific cultural practices within the home will form an integral part of a person’s make-up. For example, a heavily Christian upbringing will have the effect of either making the subject extremely modest in how they present or perhaps the opposite, where they feel the need to rebel against this. Alternatively, the exploration of one’s family’s culture and lifestyle can create interesting studies and one example of this is the multi-media work of Nilupa Yasmin, who draws inspiration from her own South Asian heritage and how it manifests in her life in South London.
Political Influences
This branch of identity is, like the others, dependent on the conditions of the others – i.e., someone’s political standpoint relies upon their identity (gender, race, upbringing, religion, etc.) because this dictates their opportunity, which is essentially the basis of democracy.
This links to how one presents oneself as usually someone who is more liberal in their political thinking will differ strongly in style to someone far more conservative. Therefore, it is an aspect of identity that artists can take inspiration from. It also links to ideas of identity politics, which I will explore later on.