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.