After gathering a substantial amount of research to inform my ideas and understanding of modern day discrimination, I began to explore a range of disciplines within Art and Design in order to create a visual communication, promoting anti-discrimination.
I decided that I want to work with Type, Photography and Film; so that I could practice communicating in different visual languages to my usual illustrative style. Highly influenced by the high contrast photography by Don McCullin, political art movement Constructivism, Imperial War, Nikki S Lee, Guerrilla Girls, Shirin Neshat and Hannah Wilke, I created the following, attached artworks.
Using self-photography, I captured an emotionless image with likeliness to Hannah Wilkes Starification series. By reducing the saturation and warmth, and increasing both brightness and contrast, I attempted to replicate the emotional effect of Don McCullin's war photography. Using a feminist poem by Margret Atwood in a masculine font, I concealed my identity, in the same way that a women's individuality is often concealed by inequality and degrading. I created two versions, the original, and a Constructivism piece. I was highly inspired by Constructivism post my attendance to the Imperial War museum, where Nazi posters communicated a powerful message through the use of this art movement. I chose red due to its popularity within Constructivism, as well as its effectiveness to communicate anti-discrimination.
Still inspired by Constructivism, I then decided to create a series of propaganda posters. I began using the word "WHORE" in order for women to own such a word, in the attempts that it can not be used against us (just like the Guerrilla Girls did with the use of the word, 'Girls', only with much more of a powerful and shocking effect). Within my designs W.H.O.R.E stands for: Women's rights, Homosexuals (LGB&T), Opinions, belief & faith, Race, Ethnicity and Culture. The letters were created using collage on card to create 3-dimentional objects that were photographed.
I began by using a Constructivism colour palette, red, black and beige; however I decided to experiment and develop my designs by addressing appropriate colours to each 'topic', in order to further emphasise my idea and the cause. I used reliable research to inform my colour choice, for example, Women's Suffrage and and Political Union in England used purple and white - thus my choice of colours for Women's rights/Feminism.
Using existing Asian male and female portrait drawings that I hand illustrated using pencil, I created the image on the left. I created the layered effect through the use of light behind both drawings, allowing both images to come through into one. I captured this image using photography and then utilised Adobe PhotoShop CC to add text. I felt that the use of the word 'DISCRIMINATION.' used alone should speak volumes. I opted for an Asian male and female as this covers: equal rights (feminism), sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion etc. I de-saturated the image to once again create the 'Don-McCullin-effect'. I explored a variety of compositions when layering the illustrations, as well as when using PhotoShop for adding type. I feel the below left image suggests domestic abuse and could be a very powerful image.
Returning back to the 3D WHORE letters, I decided that I wanted to get more use out of them. Using light and shadow I experimented by creating my first short-film piece, using iMovie to edit the footage and to record and edit sounds. I decided to start with 'W' first, and if the video turned out to be successful, I could create full length footage with all of the letters. All sounds were created by myself along with artwork and video footage.
I will continue to experiment with outcomes until I find my final series of designs.
