User:Annalystad/thequestion

The Question 22.03.2017

Last Work

Description of last project: Meat Market

What: In my last project I wanted to focus on the objectification of the human body, comparing it to a meat market. [S: please give more description here, what is the work made of? what does it look like? I would like a lot more information about what it actually is.]

[in what medium? how was it displayed, or how would you like to display it?] Why: Within the last few decades the body has become more and more objectified, and now I want to see how a language can be created between meat wrapping and the body and what its affect would be. [why is this important to you, or why is the objectification of the body interesting to you? are you interested in the body as an object or a surface, the formal representation in space for example, dislocated from the mind or conscious? is is that the body is an empty vessel still living, or is it to be thought of as dead? can you explore a bit deeper the relationship between meat and the body -- is it that the body has become a factor in consumer consumption like meat, or is it fashion that is pushing this fake ideal or something?] How: By using plastic wrap and other materials to wrap the body to find similarities to the meat section at the supermarket. [can you elaborate a bit more on this, what other materials, whose body, what type of bodies are you using, are you taking pictures, what kind of light are you using, what kind of studio are you using, etc....]

General Issues: After finishing the project i came to realize that the images of the body took on a different meaning than expected. It became more about the meat industry and how animals were treated instead of the objectification of the body and how it is treated just as badly as meat (In a metaphorical way) [what is your response to this new meaning? how would you address it differently if you wanted to push your intended concept? is there something formally in the image that would better help your concept? what are the issues that are important to you and your work?]

Relation to previous work: I have always been fascinated by the human body, specifically to skin. This is why i wanted to do this project because of the differences and similarities of flesh and skin in humans and animals - comparing the exterior and interior to create a language. [suggestion: perhaps use the term visual language to be more specific about what you would like to create. can you elaborate further on why you are fascinated by skin? is it the textural patterns, elasticity, sheen, or other factors that generate interest? perhaps it is that skin serves as the interface for our external experience with the external world?]

Relation to larger context: Body objectifying is a part of our world, and it's nothing new. I am not trying solve a problem so many other are trying to fix as well. All i want is is to create images with hope that they will see their body in a beautiful manner without the sexual connotation that follows in today's society. If i can transfer affect to their lives, just like the mountains change the way i looked at myself. [hmm, I find these 2 sentences somewhat contradictory. If you are not trying to respond to objectification, then why do you care if sexual connotations are read in the images? perhaps just elaborate on your point of view, what is the problem with beauty and sex seen at the same time? also elaborate on how the mountains changed you self-view, this can probably help your overall point here]

Specific media which has influenced me: Norwegian Landscape, Francesca Woodman, pronography.

Current Work:

What: Project about reclaiming my own body based on past traumatic experience. (Nude picture of me, everyone at school saw it, I was 14 i think)

Why: To overcome something so many others goes through, taking back the power and control of my own being.

How: By photographing myself nude in a protected and controlled environment, being in charge of what happens to the images.

Similarity to last project: Based on the human body, skin. Helping others and myself.

How is it different: Before it was more about taking pices and showing them in a beautiful manner, where i would ultimately objectify the body. Now it's more based on something raw, totally exposed truth about what makes me me.

How can others help me: By having a fluent/open conversation about why I make the decisions I do, to get more clarity in the psychology behind my way of thinking. I think Paula has great insight maybe talk to her about it. Research the psychology of how others deal with such issues. Finding other artist with similar-ish experience.

Timetable, what needs to be done? Photographing myself in various ways to discover what best represents myself. Tons of shooting, different location. Print out work and live with it. Confront my old school, go back there and photograph my body in the same space i felt like i lost control over it. Find tha nude image of me as a teenages, use it in the project somehow, put it on display would be illegal, but distort is and show it as something else maybe.

Where can it lead? It can lead to be more accepting to who i am and the challenges that come my way. Make a statement when it comes to ownership of both photo and body.

Future Work:

What could it be? What form would it take? Future work about ownership of body in images. Gallery show in my previous school? (Highly problematic...) Mixing photographs and installation? Put a tracker on a images, see how far it travels (Lame..) No. Make a documentary on my process.

Who are your neighbours? Classmates, David/Ine, Tonislava Docheva, Francesca woodman for inspiration.