keirafinalmajor-blog

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

SCREW POST BINDING

I initially wanted to screw post bind my publication to promote the idea of longevity. However, when it came to the finished product i realised it was far too thick to screw post bind. As a result I chose to Japanese bind the publication myself. Japanese binding and doing things by hand still promotes the idea of longevity whilst also giving it a special, personal touch. Even though the binding did not go as I had initially planned, I am happy with the outcome.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

WHY I CHOSE THE NAME COALESCE:

i chose the name COALESCE as it means to bring things together and that is exactly what my publication is. It is an amalgamation of contexts, subject matter and topics in one place, it is an entity combined with a multitude of influences. 

I chose to have the name in capitals after i did research on how people tend to remember brand names better when in capital letters. http://www.mycustomer.com/marketing/strategy/psychologist-reveals-capital-letters-are-better-for-brand-namesprobably

THE COLOUR:

i chose gunmetal grey for the branding of COALESCE for numerous reasons. One any colour of the grey spectrum in colour psychology suggests ambiguity, it is neutral and impartial.  A huge part of COALESCE’s branding is based on ambiguity to create intrigue for potential readers. I want them to explore the content freely without giving too much away. I chose gunmetal grey to give it  bit more vibrancy I'm aware grey as a colour can be perceived as quite dull so i wanted to give it some energy. Dark, charcoal grey’s such as gunmetal grey carries with it some of the strengh and mystery of black. It is a sophisticated color without much of the negative attributes of black.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

Train Spotting and Billy Elliot

When looking at more depth into the links between both kilts and skinheads, both me and my photographer wanted to look at other sources that we could use as references. Films Train Spotting and Billy Elliot came straight to mind, both films are about the imposed masculinity of working class males. Train Spotting is definitely approached from an angle of masculinity in Scotland and how this is reiterated through the kilt and expected from a working class environment. hardship is just part of life and you have to ‘be a man about it’. Billy Elliot on the other hand, explores young males wanting to escape the confines of this imposed ‘manliness,’ again reiterating the expectations imposed on boys to be ‘a man’ in a working class environment. specifically Billy Elliott focuses on dancing, something that is deemed as effeminate. This is all perpetuated by being in a time of political turmoil, showing the repercussions surrounding issues have.  

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

SKINHEADS

A great deal of the history attached to the kilt draws parallels to the emergence of the skinhead subculture. For most, the skinheads hold connotations of aggression and are often labelled as violent delinquents - an ugly representation of a youth culture. The purpose and origins behind the subculture are lost in this ‘criminal’ representation. Skinheads developed as a counter revolution that took place primarily amongst the working-class youth. Skinhead style was smart, clean and tough, to affirm a strong identity, much like the kilt and its physical representation of a clan. Similarly, they were both made for functional needs. Short or shaven hair cannot be grabbed in a fight, it was easy to maintain and keep clean and for its efficiency when working in physically demanding jobs.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

KILTS & SKIRTS

There is no definitive relationship between an article of clothing and femininity or masculinity, it is rather an arbitrary set of associations that we affiliate with a masculine or feminine persona. The skirt is a silhouette that has been around for centuries and depending on the social, historical and cultural contexts are either accepted as a garment suitable for both genders, or deemed as appropriate for only one. Designers who incorporate the ‘skirt’ as an A-gender notion often look to non-western cultures for their inspiration in an attempt to incorporate and integrate it in such a way that will be accepted, to support an egalitarian future. However, the kilt, ‘a non-bifurcated skirt- type garment ‘worn traditionally by men is a symbol of hyper masculinity that originated from Scotland.  Contemporary designers such as Burberry and Vivienne Westwood have drawn heavily on the kilts’ hyper-masculine connotations and have attempted to blur the lines between kilt and skirt by re-working elements of the kilts’ design, in an attempt to bring it not only to the patriotic Scottish youth but also to the general populace and modern male.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

A collage of kilts and skinheads. A lot of my research on the historical contexts of both the item of clothing and the subculture showed crossovers and links to each other. It was this that led me to combine the two elements in a raw and gritty shoot to show hyper-masculinity. 

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

Skinheads and Nick Knight

After the deconstruction of masculinity shoot i wanted to look at the ‘construction’ of masculinity. Symbols of hyper masculinity and ways in which men in particular would present themselves to appear more ‘manly’ and to ask why. I began my research with Nick Knights book ‘Skinheads’ documenting the style, music and behaviour of the subculture.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

‘There’s a bottomless well of activity to voyeur through in Network Effect. Harris and Hochmuth built in untold layers of data, so you can leave the verb-based pages and attempt a deep dive on, say, the gender breakdown of people tweeting about stretching, or the reasons people say they’re praying. “Attempt,” because however interested you are, you’ll barely scratch the surface: the site imposes a time limit on you, based on the average life expectancy in the region attached to your IP address. The message, if you need it spelled out, is to stop staring at a glowing screen and go live.’

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

curiosity doesn't always kill the cat

Curiosity, according to Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman, is one of the twenty-four character strengths and virtues common to humankind. It is positively correlated with creativity, intelligence, problem-solving ability, autonomy, a sense of personal control, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. It is also associated with positive affect, subjective well-being, better long-term health, longevity, and positive interpersonal relationships.  Curiosity can be blocked by anxiety, guilt, and self-consciousness, but you can strengthen it with practice (Peterson & Seligman, 2004)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-personal-renaissance/201111/are-you-curious?collection=161629

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

(via body paint, bondage, and the best hair looks at bush wig) Amazing drag looks, a celebration into a new movement

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

why is gender equality a taboo subject for some? this talk by Michael Kimmel reiterates that men as much as woman should be on board when supporting gender equality. coming from a male perspective it sheds new light and reiterates how it is not a bad thing to want equality of the genders, it is not about a hierarchy of sexes but a form of support.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

The erotic has always been a topic most have shied away from, deemed as psychotic, seedy and a taboo subject it has lost the potential to be seen as powerful or informative. Associated too much with pornography the notion loses its meaning, pornography is a denial of power and a means of suppression. It is an eternal sense of satisfaction that only manifests into something deviant when society on mass defines it as an anomaly. If it denotes power it relates to self-respect, the highest form of self-acceptance, a term no a days is hard to come across with the negative effects of social media and almost the expected beauty standards projected through the media. But with the term fetish automatically comes a notion of a patriarchal environment, women are usually the fetishized and perpetuate this time old idea of looker (men) and looked upon (women).

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

‘There’s a bottomless well of activity to voyeur through in Network Effect. Harris and Hochmuth built in untold layers of data, so you can leave the verb-based pages and attempt a deep dive on, say, the gender breakdown of people tweeting about stretching, or the reasons people say they’re praying. “Attempt,” because however interested you are, you’ll barely scratch the surface: the site imposes a time limit on you, based on the average life expectancy in the region attached to your IP address. The message, if you need it spelled out, is to stop staring at a glowing screen and go live.’

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

Nettie Horn is an art gallery on Vyner street. They present eight exhibitions a year and have a particular emphasis on solo shows, their programme is centred particularly on presenting artists with a critical and experimental approach to the personal and collective history. As well as artists with a conceptual and investigative reflection on space, time and their representation of territory through human and physical experiences. I feel this independent art gallery would be a potential space for my exhibition as its values are similar to that of mine in respects to their human experiences and conceptual basis.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

Maureen Paley gallery has aimed to be consistent to promote great and innovative artists in all media since its opening in 1984. Maureen Paley was one of the first to present contemporary art in London’s East End and has been a pioneer of the current scene promoting and showing art from the USA and continental Europe as well as launching new talent from the UK. I feel the galleries modern, innovative and conceptual approach would work as a good platform to present my exhibition.

[keirafinalmajor-blog]

Kate MacGarry has less on the site than some of the other galleries, again situated on Vyner street. Looking at current past and future exhibitions and artists they represent i also feel this would be another contender for my exhibition.