DEADLINE: Essay Introduction Draft MUST be handed in Thursday 18 Dec 2024
DEADLINE: Final Essay MUST be handed in Fri 31 Jan 2025
Literary sources: Go to this blog post here: Theory: Literary Sources and copy relevant key texts relating to the subject of your essay and list in alphabetical order in your bibliography. In addition, find your own key texts in relation to artists selected for in-depth analysis in your essay and list these too. These texts could be interviews with the artist, or reviews/ critique’s written by others. See useful online sites/ sources here .
- Research and identify 3-5 literary sources from a variety of media such as books, journal/magazines, internet, Youtube/video that relates to your personal study and artists references .
- Begin to read essay, texts and interviews with your chosen artists as well as commentary from critics, historians and others.
- It’s important that you show evidence of reading and draw upon different pints of view – not only your own.
- Take notes when you’re reading…key words, concepts, passages, page number to be used for in-text referencing etc.
Essay Plan
Make a plan that lists what you are going to write about in each paragraph – essay structure
- Essay question:
- Opening quote
- Introduction (250-500 words): What is your area study? Which artists will you be analysing and why? How will you be responding to their work and essay question?
- Pg 1 (500 words): Historical/ theoretical context within art, photography and visual culture relevant to your area of study. Make links to art movements/ isms and some of the methods employed by critics and historian.
Discuss the male gaze vs female gaze
- Pg 2 (500 words): Analyse first artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
Justine Kurland and how she has constructed her images in Girlhood, ie. staging images using models/ runaways based on on her own girldhood experiences
– consider her own female gaze
– staging her staging of images taking inspiration from history painting, eg. Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe - Pg 3 (500 words): Analyse second artist/photographer in relation to your essay question. Present and evaluate your own images and responses.
- Conclusion (250-500 words): Draw parallels, explore differences/ similarities between artists/photographers and that of your own work that you have produced
- Bibliography: List all relevant sources used
Literary sources:
Kotz, L. (1998) ‘”Aesthetics” of Intimacy’ in Bright, D. (1998) The Passionate Camera: Photography and bodies of desire. London: Routledge
van Zoomen, L. (2019). ‘Feminist Theory’ in Dixon, M. Media Theory for A-Level Students. London: Routledge.
Jansen, C. (2017). Girl on Girl: Art and Photography in the Age of the Female Gaze. London: Laurence King Publishing.
Healy, C. M. (2023) Girlhood, London: Tate Enterprises Ltd.
Sontag, S. (1977) ‘In Plato’s Cave’ in On Photography. London: Penguin Books.
Question: How is feminism and identity manipulated through the evolution of social media?
Introduction:
Feminism and identity is manipulated through the evolution of social media as the media is generally more popular through the younger ages, who are typically vulnerable to online information. I have chosen to focus my personal study around femininity and girlhood, exploring the realism of their lives with the impact of social media- the positives and negatives. I think feminism and identity is manipulated through social media as individuals born between 1997 and 2012 have grown up with this technology and therefore it has been a significant part of their lives. Having grown up with this technology, girls nowadays are becoming more aware of the troubles with social media, like gaining insecurities through unreasonable stereotypes. Younger girls have also grown up with pressure in terms of their appearance and how they present themselves in their own photos on social media. I will be showing the development of the impact on teenage girls through my photoshoots. The artists I shall be using as inspiration is Justine Kurland and Francesca Miller-Hard, as I feel like they explore contrasting ideas around feminism. Justine Kurland explores the fierce side of girls, who are portrayed as runaways and rebellious. Kurland portrays her subjects as masculine and independent, focusing on their lives in the wilderness. Whereas, Miller-Hard explores the realistic side of girls through the display of aesthetic beauty of the girls, the aspect of girlhood and feminine relationships and connections. Miller-Hard bases her photography around her personal experiences, which I would like to continue through my work and show the realistic sides to girlhood.
female gaze on the female body