Foundation/Blush Make-up....As a symbol?

The symbol can come in various shades and colors depending on an individual preference. It usually comes in the shape of either circles or squares and can last a few weeks depending on the excessiveness of the use. The product is foundation make-up. It’s a popular symbol in today’s culture and is used widely across a variety of people. Foundation/blush make-up is a symbol within today’s 21^st century society as it arises a culture dependent on materialistic notions and purchases. Its particular occupants are women of many ages and therefore possess and reflects a certain degree of femininity.

Foundation presents many connotations, such as beauty. The idea that this product is a symbol of beauty and a presenting this notion that without this particular symbol within your life you aren’t considered “beautiful”.

I believe this due to the mass amount of pressure and enforcement that has been associated with make-up in general. Looking at people such as models who constantly enforce this idea to society, by the amount of make-up they wear.

It also connotes a sense of power, due to the various shades of color that it can come in, expressing a lot about an individual. For example, by wearing red, people associate this with power and therefore seeing a woman as being dominant and forceful.

A big connotation that foundation/blush make-up reflects is the idea of covering up or hiding something. Even more importantly it comments on the culture and society we live in now, and how e are masked by these materialistic notions to see true meaning within the world and how we are controlled and hidden by certain aspects in society.  the idea of putting foundation/blush make-up on as a means to cover up suggests the idea of blending in and how everyone needs to be the same to be apart of the “norm” and to cloak our identity in a sense.

Foundation/blush make-up may seem as another materialistic object used for own personal reasons, but in a broader sense it comments on the type of society and culture we live in now.

Morbid Curiosity...

Going to the Chicago cultural center was a fun time. Being in there I saw many pieces of artwork that stood out to me in terms of the atmosphere or vibe it created. One of my favorite artists and pieces was Roger Reutimann, who constructed the piece “The Death of Venus”. I really liked his work and was fascinated by the meanings in which it portrayed. The pieces of work was a sculpted women painted in a glossy bright red. She wore no clothes, but her face was taken over by the bones of a skull. When I first looked at the piece I found myself unsettled as I didn’t like the whole concept, it took me a while and I came back to the piece again and really looked at the detail and the meanings that could have been trying to be portrayed or at least what I thought them to be. I found the bright red the most appealing factor due to the eye catching color but also the various connotations that it presents, such as on one hand, love, power, and affection and on the other, anger and death which I find intriguing as he juxtaposed good notions with bad. This piece made me think about the whole concept of ourselves in society, and the women symbolizing the darkness within us, due to the skull face and how in society we tend to only see the superficial good elements of person compared to really looking within them to see their flaws.

The whole exhibit was juxtaposition on the idea of beauty and death and how these contradicting elements can be so closely linked, and this concept struck me as I never took notice to how death is so closely linked to the idea of life and its beauty, that in a second it will be gone, and who will know that you existed. This exhibit brings light to the bad and negativity of death but also the aspect of remembrance.

Its culturally significant by documenting the society we live in and the effects that its having on us that we don’t take notice of.

Jodie Carey Research..

Jodie Carey was born in 1981 in London where she currently lives.

Having looked at various pieces of her work such as Untitled (Bruises) and Untitled (Flowers) the pieces reflect the use of found and common objects. Such as the bruises pieces are on a mount of white wallpaper, which has cigarette ash and coffee stains on them in order to construct the piece.

Her artwork focuses on the aesthetic of construction and collage in terms of piecing together various materials. Her work vastly differs in content such as flowers, to room pieces, to artwork and meaning but you can see the same artistic style is presented in the use of paper, wallpaper, wire, coffee etc. used together to create a sculpted piece or an artwork.

It was stated that her work and its “aesthetic function only to serve as an eloquent framework for unsettling and determined dialogues.” – SeventeenGallery.com

I view this as a way of commenting on how her artistic ability the way in which she composes and places the cigarette stains and the coffee serve as a boundary into a broader and deeper message and when looking at her pieces, it made me think about our society and how it is corrupted, commenting on the access of cigarette buds on the floor, destroying the environment and the coffee possessing the idea of a work driven society.

I find her work intriguing due to the natural and everyday substances she uses to convey a meaning about the society we live in. This sense of ambiguity.

Descriptive Piece...

The aroma of a sweet floral fragrance fills the air as I sit here. The sweetness of the fragrance reminds me of my past. The feel of heat cloaking my skin comforts me, whilst the exterior remains cold and lonely. My mouth is consumed with a dry bland air, as if my taste buds weren’t ever formed.

The four cream walls connecting into an enclosing cube contracts and pulls me in.

The faint dimness of the light casts shadows of large abstract shapes against the ceiling. Surrounding the walls are various sized cases stacked up, piled with personal belongings that have no space to be displayed and shared. The lack of sunlight and air confines me as if I were in an ant in a bubble.

 The pale white sliding panels which separates two worlds creek like crickets as you pry inside.

The howling of the wind that chaotically blows rattles against the walls, amplifying and amplifying as the day goes on.

The thundered footsteps that roam above feel as if someone is in my head banging with their fists upon a large wooden drum. On me is a warm, soft, velvet layer spreading across my body, encapsulating me, as if its telling me that I am never allowed to leave.

Identity Exploration Free Write....

How do others see me? Do they see me in the way that I want them to? At my site I assume that I am perceived in a way that is different to the way, say my family perceives me at home. I believe that at my site, others view me as the “British girl” who is quiet, shy and kind. I get this impression simply because that’s what I’ve been told. So what’s with Identity? Who am I? Do I come across as a different person to what I perceive. Me. Quiet, shy, kind. I dress according to the environment I am in.  I dress to be apart of the role I am required to be. Dressing in black which to others I guess connotes the idea of authority and power. Yet do my interactions with fellow employees affect the way that I am portrayed?

Others see me and create judgments about me by the way I portray my sense of self. At work I am fun, I laugh a lot and tend to always have a smile . I guess this gives off the impression to others that I am an approachable person. I would say the happiness and laughter that I contribute to our work environment with others views helps create and establish that sense of family.

I value the essence of helping and respecting others which I try to implement at work. Helpfulness. Kindness. Respect. Love. I guess this is a foundation or a definition of family right?

 Always looking for the good within people, helps me analyze a person and what they are like. Not judging a book. But do others judge me? Being British, I guess they think that I don’t understand things that they say sometimes. Is this a barrier in my identity? They see the public I more than the private me.

Laughable, sweet, kind, quiet, fun, caring. That’s what I hope they perceive me to be. But is it really? I’m punctual and hard working and when others aren’t I guess it annoys me. Do I judge them for not doing the same as me? Seeing my friend at work for the first time, I judged her. Skinny girl, long brown hair. Hardly spoke to me. I considered the idea she was stuck up and rude. I was wrong. So if I judged her, she judged me, right? What did she see?

I’m quiet compared to them and I can see that they notice.

Identity. Its complex. Private I and Public Me, very hard to differentiate....

Assuming a tattoos significance...

 The significane of the tattoo has a symoblic meaning due to the concept, color and the style. The tattoo reflecting the idea of a solar system/ galaxy signifies that this person is creative and open minded. The galaxy symbolises a far away free open space which I feel the tattoo is signifying the want to be free.

             From the bold blue color  this person is male and the idea that we generally stereotype space and sci fi aspects with men. The outward spirals makes me think of the idea of breaking away from something but also the many curves makes me think about repetition in life and so it may have strong significance to him.

This is a young boy  in his late teens who is fascinated in outer space and galaxies and who is probably intrigued by the environment. He  is activley involved in the environment.

This person is expressive, due to the size of the tattoo and where its placed on the body.

He is a student who is middle class.  This person doesn’t hold strong value or importance to religion or God and also he  values his friends a lot in comparison to his family. Lastly this individual values art as a form.

Identity-Views & Values in relation to Research topic.

            If someone were to ask me to explore or talk about the origins of my identity, I wouldn’t know where to start, as I believe my identity is constructed by many elements, my opinions, my views, ethics, what I value in life, what I look for in life, the culture I’ve grown up in.

            The origins of my identity I would say derive from values and views that I have constructed and picked up on growing up in two different cultures; British culture and an Indian culture. Growing up I learnt the traditional Indian values of what a “good Indian daughter” should have and what she should do. For example learn to cook, clean the house and be educated. This is often similar amongst everyone else’s values. As time progressed I would say my views and values expanded as instead of seeing the world through how my parents wanted me to see it, I could see it from my point of view. For example I am a strong believer in peace and equality, that each individual is entitled to their own perceptions. I value the goodness and humbleness within people and their generosity. I feel that its not so much myself that makes up my values and views but it’s the people in whom I am in contact with, that construct them.

            I believe my existing views and values will influence the way in which I interact with my research and my site. The site being a restaurant and one that I am apart of constantly, is an open friendly atmosphere so I believe that the way in which I interact with this research and the site will be heavily determined by the values of openness and equality. I value respect and so I believe that when interacting with the site I will offer the same respect to others that I am interviewing that I myself would want. Also I see myself to be a shy, silent observant type of an individual in which with this research it will be played to its strength, as I will be able to analyze situations and observe without making a scene. I would strongly say that my sensitivity would also influence the way I interact with my research in a positive light as I would be able to empathize with any situation and be able to see situations from various perspectives as I see the world in an optimistic open view. Lastly I think my friendly attitude will work well, due to the environment I am in and also seeing the participants are my friends it will make the research more exciting and enjoyable for me.

Due to being a caring person, I feel this can both have a positive and negative outcome with the relationship that I have with my research topic, as being able to care, support, empathize with a situation will work in creating good research, but I also need to be aware to step out of this caring attitude at times in order not to just “find and research” certain aspects that I want to, but to create a broad analysis.

Also I view myself to be a cautious person, aware of others and their feelings and so I usually try to watch how and what I say in order to not cause offense to others, which will surely influence the way I interact with my research site in a positive way.

I also feel that this research my even make my relationship with this site even closer and connected, as I may begin to value and appreciate artifacts or subjects more than I do now.

Reading a Cultural Text

This picture is apart of a series called ‘The Bloodless War’ by artist Manit Sriwanichpoom and it depicts a group of people carrying chanel bags and clothing whilst walking barefoot along a train track whilst followed by three men in suits. All of the people in the foreground have worried and saddened looks on their faces as they face the camera, whilst the three men in the background are oblivious and are not looking at the camera.

From looking at the image there are various elements in which I can gather that comment on our society, the time period and the whole aspect of culture.

Firstly the use of such branding within the image of the chanel bags and designer clothing enforces an idea upon our society about the capitalist culture and high class culture in which we are constantly bombarded by. This image reveals vast amounts in order to reflect a sense of what the time period and society was like at this time period. For example the use of three men wearing suits following the people in the foreground who are wearing loose clothing and no shoes reflects the idea that in this society the poor are scrutinized. It connotes the idea of suppression and struggle. Which if looking at this text as a piece of not only a reflection of this culture and living but as our global worldview we can see how demanding and overpowering our government and law is and how it reflects this mindset to us, that this is the “norm” and how it should be.

This image raises such questions for me as, why should we conform to this notion? How have we let such a notion control our lives? When did we allow the extremism of capitalism and political force to control our culture and define who we are as a culture?

A sense of ambiguity is also enforced due to the black and white color. It suggests the idea of whether our sense of what we believe our culture to be, really plain and simple, black and white?

The way in which the image is arranged, forcing the people towards us, encapsulates the idea of culture being fast moving and such instances and topics of poverty, capitalism is overlooked as not much attention is given towards it.

Lastly it presents the notion of high levels of consumerism, emphasizing an outlook about our culture to be overly materialized and ignorant.

I feel this image brings out the negative aspects of our global culture, truly reflecting what our culture is made up of, poverty, consumerism, capitalism etc.

(citation for image) - Scriwanichpoom, Manit. The Bloodless War No 3. 1997. Photograph. Rama XI Art Museum. Artist:Manich Scriwanichpoom. Web. 26 Jan 2012. <http://www.rama9art.org/manit_s/>.

Paper Topics

For my initial set of ideas there are two that I think could be used for my study in Writing and Rhetoric II.

One, is a topic based on my work environment and probably looking at the aspect of family, possibly the idea of how strangers can become family and how I transitioned into this “family” that our work has. The reason why I think this could be an interesting topic is because being in that environment a few times a week I will be exposed to a lot of observation and information in which I can work on notes and seeing as I have been there a few months I can talk from my past experiences, when I first started there. I want to explore this, as before getting a job I never knew this kind of relationship or atmosphere existed and now it’s just instinct, its apart of my culture and who I am. I want to explore how, when and why we suddenly transition into these “families”.

Another topic I was thinking about maybe exploring is the idea of living amongst two prominent cultures. Coming from a British background and now an American but also being apart of the Sikh religion I can see the difference in my American cultured life versus my Indian cultured life. I feel that maybe this idea is a bit basic, but if I could make it more specific it may be a successful topic. I am interested in this as I want to see how or if these cultures merge at all or meet in the middle, due to beliefs, values etc.

I hold a strong relationship to both of these topics because with one I am constantly apart of its like second nature. The other it’s a place like home, a place where I am happy and feel apart of and have strong feelings towards.

Assignment 1 - Introduction

            My name is Harveen Sandhu and I was born and raised in the United Kingdom where I have lived for the past eighteen years. This past June I moved to the state of Illinois where I live in the suburbs and commute to Columbia College three days a week. People tend to ask me why I chose to move to Chicago and attend such a school as Columbia, and all I can say to them is that it was time for a fresh start and a new change. Having lived in England for so long, it was a huge adjustment for me when I first moved to the states, as neither places felt like “home”. Well they still don’t, to be honest, but I believe there was a reason for me to move to Chicago at this age, a chance to experience a new way of living.

            I have various interests that range from reading novels, drawing and photography, to hanging out with friends and watching movies. I am highly interested in the media, and so most of the activities and hobbies I have, revolve around this aspect, such as watching tv, reading magazines, surfing the internet.

            My favorite artist would have to be Beyoncé, as she has become a figure that I not necessarily look to as a significant role model, but when I see her perform, act or when I go to the stores and see her clothing line, I see the success in life that I also strive to have. On another note, I do enjoy listening to her songs too.

            For fun I love to spend time with family or friends, just hanging out, ,watching tv, playing games. I value the small, humble moments in life and its what makes life fun for me.

            I chose to come to Columbia as I pictured it as the one place of opportunity for the field that I want to work in. My major is interactive arts and media and so being in a known college, studying media, is all that I could ask for at this very moment. But when it comes to expressing myself through a particular type of medium, I am torn. I associate my emotions and feelings of the day towards a medium, as some days I want to express myself with photos, or other days with drawing or film. But if I had to pick one medium as a way of portraying myself,, it would have to be photography, as I love the way a picture can reveal many stories and can present my life in different ways.

            From this course I hope to become more confident in expressing my ideas to a collective. Also I hope to broaden my knowledge and view on various topics and aspects in the world that people bring forth for discussion. I also want to fully understand the whole idea of ethnography and how many media could create one final project.

But I do have some fears about this course, and particularly it has to do with the idea of expressing myself in the written word such as narrative in contrast to a media form, as I feel when it comes to writing I doubt myself in how much I can write upon a subject. I fear that my ideas that I come up with may not be good, or that it will take me much longer to come up with ideas compared to peers in the class. But this is something that I feel throughout the time in the class, I will overcome.