Lecture aims:
- Historical concepts of identity
- Foucault's 'discourse' methodology
- To place and critique contemporary practice within these frameworks, and consider their validity
- Postmodern theories of identity as 'fluid' and 'constructed' (Zygmunt Bauman)
- Identity today, especially in the digital domain
Theories of identity:
- Essentialism (traditional approach)
- Our biological make up makes us who we are
- We all have an inner essence that makes us who we are
- POSTMODERN THEORISTS DISAGREE
- Postmodern theorists are anti-essentialist
Phreneology
Phreneology explores the concept that the way in which a persons brain is broken down is what defines them, as there is a balance in the brain. For example, an imbalance forms when 'animal' part of the brain is larger than the 'moral' part. In this, it suggests that criminal behaviour is inherited.
Physiognomy:
It was suggested in Western Europe that white european races are both physically and mentally superior
The image above shows how intelligence was graded, promoting racism and attempting to give scientific proof to racist ideologies.
For example, Arian races were considered to be superior in Nazi Germany over other races.
This was a way to insinuate a superiority over some races.
The image above is an example of this concept, with the inclusion of highly exaggerated facial features of Jewish men that supposedly sent Jesus to his death.
Chris Ofili uses the above painting to exhibit the Virgin Mary as a different ethnicity to white European, as she is ordinarily portrayed.
Pre-modern Identity: The idea that personal identity is stable, and defined by long standing roles in society
Modern Identity: Modern societies begin to offer a wider range of roles within society, allowing people to 'choose' their identity, rather than being born into a family of eg. farmers. Because of this people start to become more concerned with their identity.
Postmodern Identity: accepts a 'fragmented self'. Insinuates that identity is constructed
'Secure' Identity:
Showing the related institutional agencies with vested interest -
Farm worker ............ Landed Gentry
The Soldier ........... The State
The Factory Worker ................ Industrial Capitalism
The Housewife ............ Patriarchy
The Gentleman .......... Patriarchy
Husband-wife (family) ........... Marriage/Church
Modern Identity
19th and 20th Centuries
Baudelaire introduces the concept of the 'flanuer' (gentleman stroller) which is in reference to an upper class male who is out to be seen in their best clothes. It is representative of patriarchy and a male dominated society. There were no 'Flanuese' (female) because women were not to be wondering alone.
The concept of the 'flanuer' suggests that men who can stroll as oppose to going to work are of a higher social class than those who do.
Georg Simmel's theories
The Trickle Down theory:
Lower classes mimic the upper class and copy their fashion. It is the aim of the upper class to stand out and in doing so they regularly change their fashions, showing their wealth in buying something new.
Strollers here are painted in a different light, showing people to be overly consumed with their appearance that they appear vacant in expression, as if they are alone.
"The feeling of isolation is rarely as decisive and intense when one actually finds oneself physically alone, as when one is a stranger without relations, among many physically close persons, at a party, on the train, or in the traffic of a large city" - Georg Simmel
Simmel suggests that:
Because of the speed and mutability of modernity, individuals withdraw into themselves to find peace. Simmel describes this as 'the separation of the subjective from the objective life'
Postmodern Identity
Discourse Analysis - Identity is constructed out of the discourses culturally available to us. This leads to the notion of stereotypes:
- Age
- Class
- Gender
- Nationality
- Race/ethnicity
- Sexual orientation
- Education
- Income
Etc.
Discourses to be considered:
- Class
- Nationality
- Race/Ethnicity
- Gender and sexuality
Class
Much of written history is about white, middle class males, which creates a sense of 'otherness' for surrounding people who don't fit this class.
Humphrey Spender
Pictures of working class life - the worktown project:
Audience of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' shows that culture is available to people, but there are only select few taking advantage of it.
Martin Parr - "'Society' reminds one of a particularly shrewd, cunning and pokerfaced player in the game of life, cheating if given a chance, flouting rules whenever possible."
Parr photographs British peoples lives, in such a way that mocks the classes above them.
Nationality
Alexander McQueen - "Much of press coverage centred around accusations of misogyny because of the imagery of semi-naked, staggering and brutalised women, in conjunction with the word 'rape' in the title. But McQueen claimed that the rape was of Scotland, not the individual models, as the theme of the show was the Jacobite rebellion."
Race and Ethnicity
Chris Ofili uses african models and is one of the first black artists. His own Jamaican heritage allows him to look at perceptions of black people and the manner in which they are represented.
No Woman No Cry- makes references to Bob Marley, and mounted on elephant dung as an interpretation of what people think of as black culture.
Gillian Wearing - Signs that say what you want them to say
Gender and Sexuality
'La Garconne' is the female boy a term brought about when women began to become able to look more androgynous
'If you're dealing with a feminine subject matter, women almost always have to use themselves.' - Germain Greer
