DJCAD Rising Stars 2024

DJCAD Rising Stars 2024

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RISING STARS 2024: DJCAD fine art research was first published in Great Britain in 2024

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DJCAD Rising Stars 2024

showcase

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Watch our forest grow

Introducing our 2024 published authors:

Alex Harrow

Aoife Cawley

Bryony Young

Calder McKay

Carrie Doherty

Carrie Holden

Emir Rizzato

Evie Rose Thornton

Georgia Dunn

Heather Russell

Jenna Maclean

Keetah Konstant

Kyle Angel Leeson

Laura Moorhouse

Lewis Cavinue

Lukasz Lesnik

MadelineFarquhar

Megan Kerr

Nina McMullan

R.L. Taylor

River Paterson

Robyn Scanlan

Rosalie Thorley

Rowan Roscher

Sophie Duncan

Thomas Houlihan

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

Introduction

This book stems from the proceedings of the annual 2024 RISING STARS Fine Art Dissertation Conference, held in March 2024 in the renowned historic Carnelly Lecture Hall at the University of Dundee, Scotland UK.

RISING STARS 2024 was convened by Pernille Spence and Lewis Cavinue, and delivered by a selected group of BA (Hons) Fine Art, and BA (Hons) Art & Philosophy graduands. Each delivered a fascinating pecha kucha presentation showcasing their research and outlining how this formed a conceptual underpinning to their practice ahead of the much-anticipated DJCAD degree shows opening in May 2024.

At the University of Dundee, we are not afraid to act purposively to make a real difference in the world. We ensure that we pursue excellence in all that we do to make a positive difference. The changes we make will ensure that the legacy we pass on will be strong, vibrant, and relevant to current and future challenges we will all face. Our graduates will move forward with confidence, clarity of direction, and focus, to ensure that our high performing community continues to have a positive impact on the world around us. Though our reach is global, we are of Dundee, and for Dundee.1 We have a strong, supportive community, each graduates network of the future to help propel them forwards in making their mark on the world.

1 DJCAD, and the University of Dundee’s strategy can be found at https://www.dundee.ac.uk/strategy/identity.

The research presented within this book has been elicited by the emerging prominent artists, writers, and curators of the future. The new generation thinkers and makers showcased here discuss ideas that excite and challenge. Moreover, our graduands’ research presents a developments of, or brand new ideas that are important to the current cohort, which are anticipated to have great impact on the world around them as each graduate progresses in their chosen careers. Some of the research –even at this level – will be contributing towards policy change and making the world a better place. This demonstrates the importance of dissertations and of visual arts research. Big ideas start here.

At the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) at the University of Dundee, we are proud tobe one ofthe UK’s leading artschools, producingcohorts of outstanding and trailblazing new artists each year. The select group within this book have each produced a body of artwork and research that will set them ahead when they complete their degrees.Across the country, there arearound 7,000 fine artstudents graduating annually.By beingthe first art school in the country to produce such a published showcase of our artists’ research, in this book we aim to give our graduates a step ahead – because by the time this book comes to press each of the graduands included in RISING STARS 2024 is already a published author, with their work held within libraries and prominent research collections both nationally and internationally.

DJCAD offers students a range of different dissertation options: in BA Fine Art, students combine studio practice with a critical understanding of theory, experimenting across a range of media. Their critical and

contextual studies components enable students to combine making and critical thinking, with practical work supporting a growing critical and contextual understanding of the theory of art and culture. For their dissertations, students can choose from a number of options, including a standard academic dissertation – where they are able to focus on a subject of their choice in-depth under the support of an academic supervisor with relevant expertise – or students can opt for the exhibition/curatorial dissertation; where students create a propositional exhibition, enabling them to develop valuable curatorial experience. Finally, BA Art & Philosophy brings together Fine Art through the art school, and Philosophy at the School of Humanities. Art & Philosophy dissertations are therefore underpinned through advanced philosophical approaches towards contemporary issues in politics, ethics, art, film, literature and the sciences. This book has been divided into five sections, which provide artist/author biographies, abstracts, and excerpts from dissertations. The exhibition/curatorial dissertations are not necessarily wholly grouped together as a separate category within this book, as some are thematically organised amongst the standard academic dissertations. QR codes are provided so that each full dissertation can be accessed through the University of Dundee Discovery channel. The five sections of the book are structured as follows:

Exhibiting and Curating

In ‘The Absence of Presence in Performance Art Documentation’, Lewis Cavinue’s dissertation presents a propositional showcase of live and documented performance art, questioning how each

artwork proposes a different interpretation of how to document performance art, and how it might be reexhibited after the act. Thomas Houlian’s ‘Recontextualising Space: the necessity of physical exhibition spaces’ examines the opportunities for unconventional exhibition spaces outwith the realms of institutional context, white walls, and cubed galleries. In ‘All My Friends are Angels’, Kyle Angel Leeson proposes a groundbreaking curated exhibition containing works entirely from trans artists, facilitating comfort, escapism and euphoria for trans people. Finally, following a site visit to the Boros Collection in Berlin, Jenna Maclean’s ‘Art with(out) Association’ discusses the use and need for intuitive and automatic ways of creating art, exploring how change of association can change the interpretation of artworks.

Identity and Politics

In ‘Crafting Éire: The Irish Arts and Crafts Movement and the Impact on Irish National Identity’, Aoife Cawley’s dissertation explores the impact of the Irish Arts and Crafts movement (1886 to 1925) on the creation of the Irish national identity, being set against the backdrop of a politically unstable time. Laura Moorhouse’s ‘A Seat at the Table, a Slice of the Pie: Crip Kinship Through Visual Art’ presents an exhibition proposal that argues for a remedy to the lack of inclusion and representation of disabled people in the visual arts – including both artists and audiences – with a focus on crip theory and politicised disability. Heather Russell’s dissertation ‘Is NeoShamanism cultural appropriation within the arts?’ critically analyses the work of artists Joseph Beuys, Ernest Neto and

Marcus Coates, questioning the fine line between Neo Shamanism and cultural appropriation. Finally, Evie Rose Thornton investigates artists’ material choices in the face of climate change and posits a potential future of contemporary art if action is not taken to tackle this important and timely issue. The title of this paper is ‘Into the Blue: Material Considerations for Contemporary Art in the Face of Climate Change’.

Art and Philosophy

Carrie Doherty’s dissertation ‘In Defence of Piss Christ: an Aufhebung of Christianity’ , explores the artwork Piss Christ by Andres Serrano, examining the duality of the sacred and the profane within the work, through the framework of Karl Marx’s ‘Aufhebung’ from his Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of the Right. In ‘A Critique of Political Art through Political Landscapes, Capital, and Aesthetic’, Keetah Konstant explores contemporary political art with frameworks provided by thinkers in aesthetics and politics, such as Walter Benjamin, Jacques Rancière, Pierre Bourdieu, Theodore W. Adorno, and Max Horkheimer, determining the factors that influence the ability to influence change. In ‘Eating Art, Digesting Politics: Representing the Body Politic through the Edible and Post-Edible in Contemporary Art’, Rowan Roscher examines the ways contemporary artists are using food to represent a more inclusive ‘body politic’: to visualise how people in society are interconnected, and question accepted modes of thinking about bodies. RobynScanlan’s dissertation is titled ‘How to Make a Place for the ArtistPhilosopher? Community interventions: from

Environment, through Institution, to Companion Species’ – this paper contributes to a modern understanding of what ‘community’ means, discussing the discord between community and institutions in the urban city. Finally, in ‘Divine Exploration: A Journey Through Religious Transcendentalism, Mysticism and Artistic Expression’, Bryony Young questions the complex notion of human existence, and how the unyielding drive for knowledge persists as an inherent desire in all human beings. Embarking on this profound journey, this dissertation focuses on the pursuit of the Divine through the transcendental experiences of religious mysticism, with a specific focus on Catholicism.

Gender

In Carrie Holden’s dissertation ‘A Critical Analysis of Art Education aged 11-15: A feminist approach to art and teaching role models’, the author provides an important contribution to knowledge through examining the lack of female role models in pre-university/school art education. Megan Kerr explores witchcraft and the lack of recognition regarding Pagan practices in early to midmodern Western European art history, in ‘Muse, Medium, Misogyny: A critical analysis of representations of witchcraft as seen in early to mid-modern Western-European art history’. Through ‘No Man’s Land: 21st Century Masculinity in Scotland’, Calder McKay presents new findings and explores the multifaceted landscape of manhood, using a new approach encompassing the historical, societal and cultural factors shaping the unique experience of masculinity in Scotland. In ‘A Contemporary Analysis of

Tracey Emin’, Nina McMullan researches key points throughout the history of needlework with women often dismissed and disregarded within the art world. This dissertation introduces notable artists assigned female at birth (AFAB) who have used needlework to create, with a focus on YBA Tracey Emin. River Paterson examines the gendered politics of the contemporary art world from a queer perspective and explores in depth how those in power in this sphere profit from marginalised identities whilst simultaneously maintaining the institutions that oppress them. Their dissertation is titled: ‘A Critical Examination of the Commodification of Queer Culture in Contemporary Art and Media’. Finally, Emir Rizzato has questioned how we can make a better place for the future generations to live in and start correcting our mistakes. This dissertation investigates the relation between women and the environment and finds a hopeful light of change in our collective mindset through a revolution of care. Emir’s dissertation is titled ‘Speculum of the Other Place: the Need for a Revolution of Care’.

Art etc.

Sophie Duncan’s dissertation ‘In the Name of Art: an Analysis of the Ethics of Artistic Expression and its Tensions with Exploitation of Privacy’ analyses the growing contemporary concern for the ethics of artistic expression, and its tensions with the exploitation of privacy. In Georgia Dunn’s ‘Sunny Disposition: Determining The Clown’s Agency In Visual Art’, this dissertation investigates the figure of the clown in historical and contemporary contexts. In ‘The Value of Objecthood, Space and

Materiality Within Contemporary Ceramic Art’, Madeline Farquhar examines how the re-materialization of the object within contemporary art practices has affected the value and popularity of ceramic art forms. In ‘Substance Abuse within Art’, Alex Harrow examines the work produced by artists from the 19th century to the current day while they were under the influence of mind-altering substances, exploring mental health connections and the creative implications or otherwise of drug use. Lukasz Lesnik’s propositional exhibition titled ‘Edge of Obscenity: the line between art and pornography’ explores artworks relating to the field of erotic art. The project aims to bring about conversations regarding distinguishing art from pornography, questioning artistic organisations, and giving visibility to queer artists. In ‘Understanding Idols in Art and Society’, R.L. Taylor aims to understand the advent and persistence of idols in our society, comparing narrative in classical and contemporary art and media to those present in Christianity and the sociomoral groups it has influenced. Finally, Rosalie Thorley’s dissertation ‘The Portrayal of Mary’ outlines and investigates the similarities and differences of art portraying Mary in Eastern and Western Europe, researching how culture and religion has influenced this - as well as understanding the possible connection between Mary and contemporary Pagan worship. The relationship of art, culture and religion - whilst creating an understanding of the shaping of Mary’s portrayal through history.

Exhibiting and Curating

Lewis Cavinue

Thomas Houlihan

Kyle Angel Leeson

Lukasz Lesnik

Jenna Maclean

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THE ABSENCE OF PRESENCE IN PERFORMANCE ART DOCUMENTATION

Lewis Cavinue

Author bio

Lewis Cavinue is a Dundee-based multidisciplinary artist working across drawing, video, and performance practices. He is constantly baffled, wound up and perplexed about by the world, more specifically the stupid things people say and do. As the nonparticipant observer, he is always finding new ways of looking sideways. Documentation of his own life and his performances are also turned into artworks. With a strong desire to connect with others through humour and performance, his practice endeavours to foster deeper relationships between art and life.

Website: https://lewiscavinueart.myportfolio.com/ Instagram: @LewisCavinueArt

Abstract

By abandoning the conformity of the White Cube gallery, Lewis Cavinue’s curatorial/exhibition dissertation replaces neutrality with an experience embracing unconventionality and participation. Integrating a programme of live and documented presentations, the audience are invited to encounter the selected artworks as they navigate the occupied units of The Keiller Centre, a typical seventies shopping centre in Dundee. Each artwork proposes a different interpretation of how to document performance art, and so too how it can be re-exhibited after the act. United through an overall absence of the performer, the artworks prompt the audience to participate inactivating

the space, pondering where the performance lies through a recalled experience of the document. This is supported by a critical exploration into the pillars of performance art, dematerialisation, and the activation of unconventional creative spaces to promote a wider appreciation for contemporary art.

The Absence of Presence in Performance Art Documentation

The following text forms an excerpt from Lewis Cavinue’s 2024 fine art/propositional exhibition dissertation, namely chapter 3. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

Lewis Cavinue

CURATORIAL AIMS AND INFLUENCES:UNCONVENTIONAL EXHIBITION SPACES

The Keiller Centre in Dundee stands as a testament to the transformative power of unconventional exhibition spaces. Once a thriving shopping centre of the seventies and eighties, The Keiller Centre now faces the challenge of vacant units and shuttered storefronts. However, the centre’s management has opposed the fate of demolition, breathing new life into the space by repurposing it for cultural endeavours. The Keiller Centre has become a hub for community, culture, and creativity; hosting art galleries, workshops, and events such as the Dundee Fringe (2023).

This unconventional venue provides a distinctive backdrop for the presentation and appreciation of contemporary performance art. The contrast between the original purpose of the shopping centre, and its newfound role as an art space, adds an element of surprise for audiences encountering these works. The selected units in the centre are transformed into a two week exhibition within

the once purely commercial confines of The Keiller Centre. The utilisation of this non-traditional model echoes the sentiments explored in the Shopping Centre Investigations Project, based in the old Konalanvuori Shopping Centre in Helsinki (Pohjolainen & Valle, 2022). StartingasablogbyartistsMiinaPohjolainenandSallaValle, the project aimed to investigate the repurposing of spaces originally occupied for consumerism, by hosting a programme of exhibitions, workshops, screenings, and archival research days. Aligning with the idea of turning the mundane into the extraordinary, the project looked towards transforming a symbol of retail decline into a thriving cultural base.

Finland, in the year 2000, within the field of urban planning, implemented a requirement for the participation of residents into legislation, with a participation and interaction plan being drafted for each urban city development to this day. In her exploration of Finnish government guidelines, Lauri Siisiäinen relates these participatory measures within the shifting process of governance and government (Siisiäinen, 2019):

Governance is more horizontal than government, and it takes place through autonomous, informal and flexible communities and networks, whereas government is thought to work from the top down and in a centrally controlled manner (Pohjolainen, 2022, p. 105).

Miina Pohjolainen's concept of ‘Participation as a Symptom of Knowledge-Based Economy’ comes into play here, as these unconventional venues become sites of artistic engagement. Her focus in this chapter is on the intersection of art and urban development, with emphasis on

participation as a democracy (Pohjolainen, 2022). In the face of urban development and retail decline, these shopping centre spaces have become vital participatory arenas for audiences to interact with art. Participation in art becomes crucial when discussing urban development within our knowledge-based economy, offering a way to navigate this shift from government or governance. At the forefront stands the fostering of community involvement, and transforming urban spaces into meaningful, accessible, and democratic sites. The Keiller Centre's revival exemplifies this shift from passive observation to active engagement, turning a space of commerce into one of communal participation.

The act of participation relates into our associations of public art. Much like the pillars of performance art, public art dematerialised the art object in favour of a democratised accessibility to art. With this unconventional spatial connection comes the reinforcement of the link between performance art and life, as fundamental to understanding the significance of utilising unconventional space:

Public art and public art museums brought high arts to the common people, with a patronising attitude. Opportunities for experiencing art were created from the top down, to educate the uncivilised nation (Ruohonen, 2013).

The White Cube gallery, therefore, can no longer be considered the standard exhibition space. For art to be encountered by wider public audiences, the work must be situated within thestructures of daily existence. Acontrasted and opportunistic setting like The Keiller Centre is perfect forpromoting this connection between artand the audience;

Intended audience

The exhibition will primarily cater to a discerning audience of critical and academic individuals, deeply engaged with the nuances of performance art. This primary audience, comprising scholars, students, curators, and practitioners intends to foster a profound questioning of the ephemeral nature of performance through its proposed document. Through the curatorial decisions made, the exhibition intends to offer a scholarly discourse, contextualising each artwork within the broader commentary of the live performance, whilst offering an open discussion on the validity of the document.

While the primary audience is crucial, the secondary audience of the general public plays an integral role in the exhibition's impact. The curation strikes a delicate balance, employing accessible narratives and engaging displays to make the content more approachable for those unfamiliar with the intricacies of performance art. The intention is to bridge the gap between specialised knowledge and public understanding, fostering a broader appreciation for this dynamic art form, much like how performance art initially advocated.

The gallery is consistently used as a means to reproduce specific sets of relations, both between the artist and their audience, but more importantly between the curatorial object and its reception (Hao, 2014).

Carefully orchestrated curation has a significant influence on the audience experience. In this case, an encounter

transforms into active participation in the artistic process. As the audience navigates through the curated collection, they are encouraged to perceive themselves as potential collaborators in the ever-evolving act of performance. The narrative unfolds, not as a mere presentation of documents, but as an invitation to explore the boundaries between audience and performer.

Encounter becomes audience, becomes participant

Performance is encapsulated in the transitory interplay between the performer and the audience. This understanding prompted Peggy Phelan to conceptualise performance as inherently irreproducible, a phenomenon that ‘becomes itself through disappearance’ (Phelan, 1993). Despite challenges to Phelan's ideas in the context of evolving media technologies, her emphasis on the audience's integral role endures how we encounter works of performance art (Auslander, 2007). Adrian Heathfield, for instance, characterises performanceas a physical relationshipbetween the art and its audience and subsequently art within its surrounding domain (Heathfield, 2009) where the unpredictability presents both liabilities and potentials, particularly from an institutional perspective. Embodied, timely, and critical, performance holds the potential to simultaneously resist and destabilise hegemonies of power, extending beyond the confines of the art world.

Performance art shares the language of protest (Gascoigne, 2012).

The notion that performance provides a space for resistance serves as a means to disrupt power structures, hence this is why there is a potential for unpredictable and antagonistic encounters to be produced positively. Performance remains open to the unknown due to the agency it grants. As Heathfield suggests, it is concerned not only with the physical relationship to the act and the actions of the performer, but most critically, to that of the actions and reactions of the audience. This raises the question: who possesses the empowerment to act in this dynamic the performer, the audience, or both?

Claire Bishop contends that participatory art redefines the audience's role, positioning them as active contributors, rather than passive observers (Bishop, 2022). Participatory art, much like public and performance art, challenges conventional boundaries, prompting individuals to become co-creators in the artistic process. This dynamic shift from audience to participant fosters a sense of agency and communal involvement, generating a reflective dialogue through the questioning of the art objects presented.

In this exhibition, an encounter becomes an audience, thatbecomesaparticipant.Thecuratorial choice of the units helps emphasise this by prompting the audience of the documents to recall their own contexts and ideas about a performance through the captured media or objects remaining. This resonates with the transformative power of participatory art situated in unconventional spaces, creating democratic environments where art integrates into daily existence.

Lewis Cavinue, 2024

RECONTEXTUALISING SPACE:THE NECESSITY OF PHYSICAL EXHIIBITION SPACES

Thomas Houlihan

Author bio

Thomas Houlihan is a visual artist from Glasgow, Scotland. In his practice he explores human connection and the complexities of relationships. Through gestural mark-making he blurs the lines between painting and drawing, crafting scenes inspired by the surrounding lands of his two cities of residence - Glasgow and Dundee.

In his research, Houlihan investigates site-specific art, the inadequacies of social media platforms as means of sharing art, and physical galleries and artist run initiatives.

Email: tomhoulihan7@gmail.com Instagram: tomhoulihan_

Abstract

Since the dawn of the internet there has been a consistent emergence of new, exciting forms of sharing, documenting, and creating artwork. At the time of writing, AI (Artificial Intelligence) art has burst onto the creative scene and its supporters and opponents alike are scrambling one step behind its furious rise. The opportunity and excitement at the helm of these technological revelations are most certainly warranted, however, I believe that there is danger in such keen willingness to replace real experiences with digital ones. In my own practice I have been exploring the opportunities for unconventional exhibition spaces out-with the realms of institutional context, white walls, and cubed galleries.

Through a critical and historical analysis of site-specific artwork, social media as a medium for sharing art and the evolution of alternative spaces –I have explored the societal necessity for physical and accessible art galleries.

Recontextualising Space: the necessity of physical exhibition spaces

The following text forms an excerpt from Thomas Houlihan’s 2024 fine art/ propositional exhibition dissertation, namely chapter 1. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

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Thomas Houlihan

UNDERSTANDING SPACE:SITE-SPECIFIC ART

Site-specific art is a term for artwork that has a relationship with its surroundings and is created with the intention of utilising said relationship to further the effect of the piece. In short, specifically created for a particular site. Site-Specific.

The relationship could be anything from cultural, material, geographical, situational, or even historical. Famous examples include Jason deCaires Taylor’s work who submerges large sculptures underwater. In the case of The Silent Evolution (2006), the sculptures are large cast models of figures wandering the seabed that also act as breeding grounds for corals and other organisms. They appear ghostlike and can be seen in their hundreds. What elevates this artwork is their geographic specificity; these ghostlike figures take on new life literally and figuratively as they serve as a host for cultures of marine biology whilst the sculptures are simultaneously corroding. Taylor evokes questions of new life, decay, naturalistic relationships and more, using the environment and location as integral factors of the work. The question is however, would they have half the effect had they been placed on land? Conceptual artist

John Latham of the Artist Placement Group (APG) famously stated, ‘Context is half the work’.

The Site-specific movement coincided with a growing distaste for the capitalisation and consumerism of the 1960/70s art world. Minimalism had taken the world by storm and naturally there was the post-minimalist reaction. Site-specific artwork belongs to this broad post-minimalist umbrella with its characteristic refusal towards the commodification of an artwork as a single, purchasable object. Site-specific art not only is bound by locational context, but also very often the characteristic of time and thus is often inherently performative in nature (Scholte, 2022). Rosenthal (2003) argues that “installation art” requires the physical presence of the viewer:

The time and space of the viewer coincide with the art, with no separation or dichotomy between the perceiver and the object. In other words, life pervades this form of art.

Scholte (2022) reflects on this statement adding that sitespecific art is an extension of installation art with the added importance of the artwork’s relationship to the site.

This interconnectivity between the configuration of the installation itself and the surrounding context is by definition both spatially and temporally defined.

In essence, site-specific artwork (among other achievements) serves as a protest against the idea of “art as a commodity” through three essential characteristics: space, time, and presence. The direct connection between viewer and object is essential for the piece to be fully realised.

The time and space of the viewer coincide with the art…

Site-specific artwork gained popularity as the world swept through the latter half of the 20th century, artists such as Robert Oppenheim, Patricia Johanson, Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt working with public, environmental sculpture before the term site-specific was popularised by sculptor Robert Irwin (Butterfield, 1993)

American artist Richard Serra was a cause for controversy with his 1981 piece ‘Tilted Arc’ , a 120-footlong, 12-foot-high steel sculpture installed in the centre of the Foley Federal Plaza in New York. As soon as the piece was installed there were calls for its removal. Many New Yorkers found the piece to be ugly, disruptive and a waste of resources. The stir of discontent towards the piece brought forth feverous backers of the artwork, notable figures in the art world such as Philip Glass and Keith Haring who insisted it should stay (Michalos, 2007).

What followed next was a lengthy trial in which the “General Services Administration” (GSA), under Ronald Reagan’s Republican administration, concluded that the piece be removed in 1989, despite a public hearing voting in an overwhelming majority to keep the artwork (Serra, 2001). Serra claimed that the removal ‘established a precedent for the priority of property rights over free expression and the moral rights of the artist’. Serra had intended for ‘Tilted Arc’ to be disruptive. He wanted people to stop and consider their environment, to think about where they were going. Crimp (1986) claims that the governmental plaza was a space designed to be bleak, soulless, and productive, and ‘to shuttle human traffic in and out of the buildings’. Crimp believes that Serra

challenges this bysubverting the designedenvironment with ‘Tilted Arc’ (Crimp, 1986 cited in Guse, 1987, p, 32):

{Tilted Arc} …implant(s) itself within the public’s field of vision. Soliciting, even commanding attention, the sculpture asks the office workers and other pedestrians to leave their hurried course and follow a different route, gauging the curving planes, volumes and sight line that mark this place now as the place of sculpture.

Others questioned the functionality of the piece and its accessibility for those who are unaccustomed to conceptual and minimalist art. An art critic for The New Yorker Magazine, Calvin Tomkins (cited in Kammen, 2006, p.241) stated,

I think it is perfectly legitimate to question whether public spaces and public funds are the right context for work that appeals to so few people – no matter how far it advances the concept of sculpture.

Crimp, however, argues that the lack of public knowledge of site-specific artwork is a deliberate phenomenon encouraged by artistic institutions. He maintains that public ignorance is an enforced ignorance, and that the institutional galleries who decide what will be exhibited to the public in fact belong to a very small minority of the people. Crimp argues that the “complex history” of Site-Specific artworks is “deliberately suppressed” by the refusal (of institutional galleries) to support radical and institutionally critical artwork that is anti-commodification (Crimp, 1986, cited in Guse, 1987, p.33).

Crimp’s closing statement in his essay ‘Serra’s Public Sculpture: Redefining Site-Specificity’ argues that sitespecific artwork is inherently political, especially in Serra’s

case, as it seeks to radically redefine how we interpret space and our surroundings, yet the State would rather the people’s definitions of space not be challenged. Crimp analyses the statements released by Judge Re that explains perhaps the most prevalent antagonism to ‘Tilted Arc’ –security concerns. The concerns included loitering, graffiti, drug deals, and potential terrorists. Crimp argues that Serra baited the State into revealing its true regard towards its citizens; that, in their eyes, each individual has the potential to be a criminal or a terrorist (Crimp, 1986, cited in Guse, 1987, p.33):

{Tilted Arc}… has served a historical function of great consequence. We now have it written into the public record… that the “federal sector” expects only the worst from us.

Regardless of whether the removal of ‘Tilted Arc’ was a political intervention or not, it still serves as powerful rhetoric for the arguments for and against site-specific artwork, as well as the social responsibilities that belong to whomever is involved in the project. More than forty years have passed since the sculpture was installed and still it is the centre of feverous debate. Had the general public been more well versed on the matters of conceptual art, would they still want 120 feet of steel blocking their path?

Inevitably, artists have the responsibility to have an open dialogue with the community that their work is inhabiting, and to make sure that the relationship between artist and site is symbiotic. In the end, when ‘Tilted Arc’ was removed, Richard Serra stated in a letter to Donald Thalacker, “to remove the work is to destroy it”. This quote has

now become an encompassing definition of site-specific artwork (cited in Weyergraf-Serra & Buskirk, 1991, p.38).

Around the same time that ‘Tilted Arc’ was conceived in 1981, there was a similar, less documented actualisation of site-specific artwork across the water from the States. Konstrukcja w Procesie (Construction in Process) was an event that took place in Lodz, Poland in 1981, amid revolution and government oppression, mere months before the declaration of martial law in Poland. The event was a postminimalist, conceptual exhibition that featured more than 50 international artists. It has been reflected upon as an inspiration for collective action and comradery within the art field to use public art as a catalyst for social change. (CG2, n.d).

The situation in Poland at the time was dire. Working conditions in the factories and shipyards were dangerous and unhygienic, wages were minimal, and the hours long. The shelves in shops were empty and necessities were hard to source (Ekstrand et al., 2022). Since the introduction of the Polish People’s Republic, government resistance was met with violence and the wounds of memory still bled for the protesters killed in the 1970 strikes against rising food prices. It was a dangerous time to be organised, to be working out-with institutions and while the artworks exhibited in Konstrukcja w Procesie may not have been directly anti-state, they represented a different way of thinking, of collective action and organised thought. Many of the artists included in the exhibition worked on participatory, sitespecific installation and, as a result, created interactive, connective work that ‘at times blurred the boundary between political demonstration and artistic representation’ (Ekstrand et al, 2022 p.29).

During the exhibition there was a General Strike. The artists involved in Konstrukcja w Procesie visited a local textiles factory where they were able to see the working conditions first hand. Artist Rune Mields performed ‘Für die Frauen von Łódź’ (For the Women of Łódź) where she read aloud statistics detailing the stark reality of women’s working conditions. For several decades, Mields has investigated how numerical language, which is so essential to our modern life, works as a vice to uphold domineering power structures and oppressive governance of human lives.

FürdieFrauenvonŁódź, Script (1981)

- 75% of the workers in the textile factory in Łódź are women

- 6,000 women in one factory, for example

- There are about 20 factories in Łódż

- The women work 40 hours per week

- The women work on a piecework basis in 3 shifts

- The first shift goes from 05:30 – 13:30

- The second shift goes from 12:30 – 21:30

- The third shift goes from 21:30 – 03:30

- The women work alternate shifts

- The women have to eat while working

- Two women oversee 12 machines with about 300 spools

- In the weaving mill the noise level is 60-80 dB

- In the spinning mill 45dB

- In the spinning mill in summer the temperature is 60*

- The women get 6,000 złoty per month

- From this salary the women have to pay 1,000 złoty for a place in the kindergarten

- These conditions have to be changed

For the women of Łódź (Mields, 1981 cited in Erkstrand et al, 2022, p.49)

Mield’s performance dances the line between art and activism, at a time when feminist art still hung in the shadow of the more dominant male contemporaries, especially in Eastern Europe. In many ways, the city was transformed into one expansive site-specific installation. Participants spoke of a driving force, an energy that united the city as artworks were installed in one space, performances and happenings in another, film screenings, talks, and workshops elsewhere. Viola Krajewska (cited in Erkstrand et al., 2022, p.51) said of the event:

It seems to me that the greatest sci-fi was precisely this social project. Where something truly out of nothing, out of complete economy of lack, out of poverty, something surpassing real possibility was realised through intense, energetic exchange.

It is important to note the dialogue between organisers, artists, and community. Konstrukcja w Procesie was not an egodriven project, not for the elevation of a particular group of artists careers, but for a want of change through the means that they had: through collective action, through art, through community. As a result, Konstrukcja w Procesie had a real, tangible connection with the environment (space), the cultural context (time) and the community; the intellectuals, the artists, the trade union, and of course, the workers (presence). As many of the pieces were made on-site, with direct inspiration from the surrounding climate, this connection was inevitable. In 1989, the Polish People’s Republic was abolished and in 1990, the head of Solidarisnoc (Solidarity) was elected president of Poland. It is interesting to note the similarities between the anti-institutional sentiment in Eastern Europe and the West.

Crimp (1986) claims that while the Western institutions are independent from the state, they still encouraged a “deliberate oppression” of progressive artistic voices. Of course, in the East, especially under Soviet communism, it was impossible to organise an independent event, or even celebrate artwork that did not align with the ideologies of the state (Waśko et al., 2022) Where then lies the problem? If the stifling of artistic expression exists both under communism and capitalism, then what is the solution?

Looking at the successes of Konstrukcja w Procesie, we can confidently conclude that collectively organised happenings of physical, tangible artworks have the power to ignite social change and rally a community against oppressive forces:

“Konstrukcja” was about participation in social processes through art, and by offering it to others. For artists from the West, it seemed impossible to create all those processes with no cash and full improvisation. We lacked many things but not enthusiasm, spontaneity, creativity and the ability to connect with others… If not for the selfless effort of the whole group of people in the organisational committee Konstrukcja w Procesie would never have happened.

Ryszard, 2022 (cited in Erkstrand et al., 2022, p.59)

Thomas Houlihan, 2024

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ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS

Kyle Angel Leeson

Author bio

Kyle/Angel Leeson is a trans artist and community organiser currently completing their undergraduate degree in Fine Art at DJCAD in Dundee. Living in predominantly cishet environments and experiencing the isolation of seeking their community, has informed Leeson’s practice as they endeavour to explore and capture the many dimensions of lived trans experience. Using various mediums such as soft sculpture, wearable designs, painting, moving image and sound, allows Leeson to build immersive installations facilitating comfort and escapism to provide spaces of rest and dreaming for trans people. Dedicated to capturing trans love and excellence, their video documentation of their lived experiences is ongoing and often appears within their installations as films which serve as reminders of love to their community.

Instagram:@kvleangel

Email: k.leesonn@hotmail.com

Abstract

This exhibition dissertation forms a proposal to curate an exhibition containing works entirely from trans artists facilitating comfort, escapism, and euphoria for trans people. Focusing on artworks that convey the multitudes of overlooked intersectional trans identities, these installations and performances encourage dreaming and celebration. Aiming to provide trans people a space to

feel seen, supported, and cherished; this exhibition provides experiences of joy and comfort rarely offered to trans individuals in such spaces.

This proposal forms a newcontribution to knowledge and curatorial practice by highlighting the issues of accessibility and intersectionality faced in the contemporary lived experience of trans people; providing trans artists with opportunities in a way that recognises the care the trans community is entitled to. Furthermore, the proposal will investigate how trans lives and experiences have not only been neglected from galleries and museums but harmfully misrepresented to prioritise cis comfort; ultimately at the cost of trans lives (Montiel-McCann, 2022). The proposed exhibition seeks to begin remedying these issues, stressing the importance of authenticity and wider representation of trans experiences when it comes to making trans people feel seen, and emphasising the value of escapism as a tool of survival to facilitate euphoric experiences for trans people. Firstly, the dissertation introduces the subject, themes, and aims of the exhibition; followed by Chapter One which will explicitly state the curatorial thesis, providing the motivations behind the exhibition alongside a walkthrough of the exhibition layout with justification of curatorial choices and how they align with the exhibition’s aims.

Chapter Two summarises each chosen artwork together with an evaluation of their contributions to the curatorial themes and aims. Chapter Three provides the significant ideas behind the curation and exhibition making; critiquing previous trans focused events in mainstream art, investigating barriers faced by trans artists alongside the tokenisation and ghettoisation of their works and careers.

Furthermore, this chapter visits the context of the world in which trans people currently exist; exploring the challenges faced by the trans community, the importance of portraying intersectional trans identities authentically, and the value of escapism and trans joy. Chapter Four discusses additional ideas influencing the exhibition; evaluating content from interviews with one of the exhibition’s artists, and a prominent figure from Glasgow’s queer club scene, films and series with trans focused narratives, and personal lived experiences from the trans curator.

The appendices contain further curatorial analysis of artists and their artworks, primary interview content, unsuccessful layouts, and a glossary of terms.

ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS

The following text forms an excerpt from Kyle/Angel Leeson’s 2024 fine art/ propositional exhibition dissertation, namely chapter 3. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Kyle Angel Leeson

Kyle Angel Leeson

SIGNIFICANT IDEAS ON CURATION

There have been several significant ideas which have contributed to my curatorial approach. These are explicitly stated within this chapter.

Failures and Barriers in Trans Focused Curation

The Tate’s 2012 Civil Partnerships conference discussed museums and galleries’ failures to convey the diversity of queer lives and the obstacles curators encountered when attempting to challenge this; museums consistently lack queer artworks by queer artists in their collections and if they do, they are hidden from the public and even curators (Milevska et al., 2012). Curators proposing queer exhibitions are regularly denied under the pretence that it is inappropriate for public viewing, while museums which agree, refuse to integrate queer works into the main body of the museum (Milevska et al., 2012). Therefore, queer exhibitions are dismissed to specific sections in the

museum; ghettoising2 and tokenising3 the artists and their work. Finally, museums are careful not to display artworks that radically challenge any norms (Milevska et al., 2012). Consequently, queer artists whose work challenges norms are regarded as too radical and are punished by barriers denying them a successful career. Intersections of an artist’s identity unrelated to their work can also be a target for punishment, for example; a black trans woman from a working class background will face more structural barriers and discrimination than a white cis gay man from a wealthy background (Milevska et al., 2012).

Discussing queerness and attempting to cover all identities in the LGBTQI+ community leads to the neglect of the most marginalised groups such as transgender communities, especially non-white transgender communities (Sandell et al., 2018). While examining significant issues in queer and feminist curation, the Tate’s conference discussing ‘queerness’ and ‘queer curating’, was limited to white, cis, gay men. There was no discussion of intersections of race and class or trans issues in curating, as stated previously the discussion of intersectionality by Crenshaw (1989) is not often discussed in queer curating.

2 This term is used to criticise practices that segregate artworks, artists and cultural movements to restrict their visibility and influence within the broader art world. Ghettoising refers the marginalisation that results when artworks and artists are segregated and dismissed based on factors such as race, gender or class (Appendix 4.9).

3 Referring to the practice of featuring a limited number of artworks or individuals from marginalised groups to create a false appearance of diversity. Crucially, without genuinely addressing systemic issues or providing meaningful representation this reduces complex identities to stereotypes and is an ingenuine act that does not meaningfully contribute to inclusion or understanding.

This outdated conference being hosted by the Tate; who are guilty of tokenising and ghettoising queer artists and their work in its own poorly curated ‘queer’ exhibitions (Bosold & Hofmann, 2018) - prompted further research on contemporary trans issues in curating aligning with my desires for this exhibition.

Previously Successful Exhibitions

Searching for exhibitions investigating gender and platforming trans artists, I found Kiss My Genders, curated by Vincent Honoré and exhibited in London, 2019. Involving a multitude of artists with different backgrounds and styles, made it a successful celebration of differences in the spectrum of gender identity4. Following the exhibition, essays and conversations with artists and organisers were published alongside photographs of the works (Southbank Centre, 2019).

While Kiss My Genders successfully captured a spectrum of trans identities and their intersections with race and class, I found myself distanced from portrayals of gender variance more applicable to older queer generations. We frequently see repeated or outdated narratives about transness that are deemed acceptable and easier for the audience to digest (Faye, 2018). ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS will focus on compiling works that address contemporary trans identities and experiences by 4 Gender Identity refers to an individual’s internal sense of their own gender, encompassing a broad spectrum of experiences and expressions which may or may not align with their sex assigned at birth (Appendix 4.7).

platforming and celebrating younger generations of trans voices that have yet to speak.

Accessibility for geographically isolated trans communities feels overlooked in the development of these kinds of exhibitions, prompting my desire to make my own celebration of transness available to geographically isolated trans communities by touring multiple venues, rather than hosting an exhibition which is London-centric or similar.

Challenges faced by the Trans Community

Additionally, I have studied ‘Co-curating with trans people: the challenges of collaborating with heterogenous minoritised communities’ (Iervolino, 2023). This peer reviewed paper raises crucial and relevant issues in trans curating. While there is an increase in exhibitions claiming to be trans focused (Sandell, 2017; Adair & Levin, 2020), many use trauma focused, one-dimensional portrayals of transness which feed into trans tourism5 (Sandell et al., 2018). The desire to portray trans lives in a way that is attractive and easy for the audience to digest becomes inauthentic and reductive (Rigney 2003; Madrigal-Borloz 2019); echoing societal pressures for trans people to

5 From a trans curatorial perspective, my understanding of trans tourism involves a recent surge in cisgender individuals showing heightened interest in transgender lives, fueled by media attention, sensationalism, and misrepresentation. Therefore, perpetuating a harmful trend of prying into intimate details under the guise of curiosity, contributing to an epidemic of dehumanising trans people that endangers our lives; exemplified by tragic cases such as the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey. Cisgender individuals can gain entertainment from this exploitation of trans lives without ever experiencing the harmful consequences (Appendix 4.24).

conform to cis narratives and erase the spectrum of trans identities challenging the oppressive structure of the gender binary (Sandell et al., 2018). ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS rejects trans tourism and strives to platform authentic trans experiences with artworks investigating intersections of transness and non-normative trans experiences that challenge cis narratives.

Efforts to create LGBTQI+ inclusion typically discard transgender lives (Levin 2010; Mills 2006; Sandell 2017), marginalising trans experiences while centring white, cis, gay men (Sandell et al., 2018) as they are the most palatable to cishet6 audiences (Bosold & Hofmann, 2018).

ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS will have an entirely trans team of artists from different intersections of race and class exhibiting and performing to platform voices that have been silenced for too long.

Increased trans visibility in mainstream media is parallel with immensely increasing transphobia resulting in regressive anti-trans law making in the UK and EU (Ilga Europe, 2021); massively affecting the livelihood of trans communities. Anti-trans rhetoric has become prevalent in mainstream media and politics (Ilga Europe, 2022); several candidates for the Conservative Party leadership weaponised hostility towards trans rights in the summer of 2022 (Pritilata 2022) and Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government exploited never-before-used legislation in January 2023 to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill passed by the Scottish parliament in December 2022 (Crerar and Brooks 2013).

6Cishet or Cishetero combines two concepts, “cisgender” and “heterosexual” to describe individuals who are both cisgender and heterosexual (Appendix 4.2).

It is crucial for trans people to have spaces where we can escape from a world that is relentlessly crushing the life out of us. ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS endeavours to facilitate escapism, celebration, and much needed euphoria for trans people.

Galleries and museums fail to provide authentic, human portrayals of trans people in response to hateful media hunger to see trans people exploited and dehumanised (Iervolino, 2023). Instead, they curate exceptional, highly gendered, one-dimensional portrayals of trans people (Sneeuwloper et al. 2020; Pieper 2015) that appease cis narratives and leave trans people feeling unseen and misunderstood. ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS fights to provide a space for trans people to feel seen, by exhibiting artworks and performances that reflect the many dimensions and intersections of trans identities and experiences.

Trans people are rarely involved beyond a superficial level in curating gender diversifying exhibitions by mainstream galleries and museums (Iervolino, 2023). I am curating ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS informed by my own personal experience of transness, informal nonstructured interviews with trans artists (Thomas 2023, see Appendix 2), and research of issues in trans curating - to construct an exhibition reparative to failures of cis curators.

Trans identities challenging traditional gender binaries or expressing gender fluidity, along with intersections of race and class, are neglected and marginalised (Parent et al., 2013). Trans identities that fit into traditional ideas of gender are favoured, creating a

generalised narrative of white, passing7, non-disabled trans people (Sneeuwloper et al., 2020). Consequently, huge groups of people are ostracised, feeling unseen and unsupported in their identity. ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS actively seeks to platform artists from a range of intersectional trans identities to create a space for as many trans people as possible to be seen and heard in their experiences. Although transgender individuals’ experiences vary and are impacted by intersections with race, class, and sexuality, the favoured narrative of trans people ‘perpetuates a white and predominantly middle-class transgender experience, identity, and collective’ (de Vries 2012). My exhibition involves trans artists with varying intersectional identities of race and class which is reflected in their artworks, to platform voices that are silenced, and create an experience where people can feel seen in their differing experiences.

Traditional white spacegalleries reproduceoppressive norms and structures (Filipovic, 2014). Myexhibition rejects these structures by using non-traditional gallery venues and creating a fluid space, taking inspiration from queer night clubs to build a non-normative atmosphere, facilitating comfort and escapism for trans people.

Seeking more information on the importance of spaces for trans people to feel seen and safe, I studied ‘To Carve Out Space: Transgender Visitors' Experiences in Museums’ (Berliner, 2020). This publication studied trans peoples’ experience of visiting museums and galleries and

7 In the context of gender, passing refers to a transgender individual being perceived as a cisgender individual of the gender with which they are identifying, rather than the gender attached to their sex assigned at birth. Expanded definition can be found in Appendix 4.17.

highlighted the veiled discrimination trans people experience in everyday life. These everyday struggles have influenced my desire to create ALL MY FRIENDS ARE ANGELS as a space that provides comfort, escapism, celebration, and acknowledgement of trans experiences.

Trans people disproportionately experience structural barriers, including but not limited to; extreme poverty, harassment; by police and in school and workplaces, higher risk of unemployment, mistreatment at work, housing discrimination and instability, homelessness, discrimination, or assault at homeless shelters, discriminatory treatment in public places and by government officials and police, assault in jail or prison, discrimination by medical providers, higher risks of suicide attempts and poorer health outcomes overall (James et al. 2016). Such factors align with what has recently been termed “minority stress theory’. This being the reality of everyday life for trans people, the existence of spaces where we can exist safely and have our experiences validated is vital. This is why my exhibition places a heavy focus on making the audience feel seen in their experiences of transness, and providing escapism from the distresses of everyday life.

Kyle Angel Leeson, 2024

ART WITH(OUT) ASSOCIATION

Jenna Maclean

Author bio

Jenna MacLean's large-scale abstract paintings challenge the traditional approaches to painting, consisting of gestural and automatic mark-making. Her physical and mental energy is released onto the surface, standing as a reflection of herself. Maclean’s practice is not based on a narrative, which therefore allows for the creation process itself to be a more important factor.

Instagram: @jennamacleanart

Abstract

This exhibition proposal discusses the use and need for Intuitive and Automatic ways of creating art, as well as the unique relationship such art has with association and the opportunities and disadvantages this brings. It seeks to counteract the underrepresentation of such art with an exhibition designed to stimulate engagement with the intuitive creation process, and how change of association can in turn change the interpretation of its art pieces.

The exhibition is set within the Boros collection, housed in an old Nazi bunker. This venue allows for the pieces to be viewed without external association, as the bare concrete walls allow for a blank exhibition space. The history of the building surrounds this space and stands in direct juxtaposition; a monument built to shield a dictatorial regime which would have labelled all art in this exhibition as

‘degenerate’ and worthy of destruction, adding association to the pieces.

Art with(out) Association

The following text forms an excerpt from Jenna MacLean’s 2024 fine art/ propositional exhibition dissertation, namely chapter 3. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

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Jenna MacLean

ART WITH(OUT) ASSOCIATION:

Exhibition theory

An interesting look to how practicing Intuitive art can encourage individuals in specifically children, is this study from an art practice group, Neighbourhood Art Centre’s (2021) blog. Here, the authors discussed their experiment’s results after letting children take part in an intuitive abstract painting class:

We showed the students the piece above and talked about the emotions the different squares evoked. We tried to stay away from assigning emotions to colours (red to anger, blue to sadness) and instead thought about each square by itself and how it made each individual feel (Center, 2021).

This example of teaching children, perhaps inspiring artists, is a great way of teaching intuitive Abstract Art and allowing an individual to simply create what they feel in the moment. The most important thing during discussions like this is to make sure each student knows their personal interpretation is just as possible and correct as anyone else’s the ambiguity of art and the ability to be intuitive in art making go hand in hand (Center, 2021). In this class they

A showcase of

experimented with music, allowing form and colour to naturally occur, resulting in an Intuitive art piece. While this is taking place, the source states that they informed the children their approach to the painting was just as valid as the next person, and that all interpretation was considered and acceptable.

Inspired by this, I am including art supplied in my exhibition, giving my audience the opportunity to explore intuitive creation.

Karen Lohmann and Christian Boros are art collectors currently living in their penthouse apartment, sited directly on-top of the bunker in Berlin. Both collectors were interested in hosting ‘unusual art’ in their chosen space, which became the Boros Gallery:

Karen and Christian Boros have a reputation for collecting art that many other high-profile collectors are more likely to avoid from the experimental to the untested. “I like artists that make it difficult for me at first,” Christian, the German advertising maestro, in 2007. “Artists that challenge me, question my conventions and show me something new (Hauter, 2017).

The fact that Karen and Christian were interested in exhibiting art outside of the ‘conventional’ art bracket pushed me further to research the Boros Bunker as my exhibition venue. The bunker is 30,000 square feet and contains approximately 80 rooms. Its three-meter-thick walls completely break up the visitor from the outside world, forcing the viewer to be totally immersed within the bunker, as sound and light from the outside world is eliminated. Inside this reinforced “concrete monster”

(MAAK, 2007) the visitor is surrounded by what could be described as a ‘prison-like’ grey environment. From personal experience of visiting the bunker, I had a firsthand, raw impression of the building and what it had to offer as a place to host my exhibition:

The Boros’ Gallery, Berlin

The Boros’ Gallery stands as the best possible venue to hold this exhibition, Art With(Out) Association. From a World War Two bunker to a techno sex club, this historical piece of architecture at a standstill in the area of Freidrichshain Berlin, constitutes as a conjunction between historical time, art and the viewer. The space provides a connection between art and history in a way that allows for a unique presentation of contemporary art to the bunker and current times.

The history of the bunker is what granted the attraction as the venue, and when visiting the bunker in person, one can feel a real sense of its past lingering in the atmosphere. The Boros bunker, “Reichsbahnbunker

Friedrichstraße”, was once one of many ‘bomb-proof’ refuges for 1,200 Berliners in 1940. By 1944, the bunker held up to 4,000 people. In 1945, the Reichsbahnbunker became occupied by the Red Army and was then used as a prisoner-of-war camp. When visiting the bunker in the modern day, one cannot even begin to imagine what it must have felt like, being hauled into this dark, damp space, overloaded with people for days and weeks at a time.

In the nineties, techno became apparent in Berlin and the bunker received the name of being the toughest techno club in the world. ‘Sexperimenta’, a fetish festival, took place in the bunker and then-after, it was the hub for all things techno and fetish in Berlin. In 1995 the very last techno party was hosted at the Berlin bunker, named ‘The last days of Saigon’, which was a banned New Year’s Eve party - although it continued anyway deep inside the bunker. From then on, the bunker was closed by the authorities and shut off to the public (Edgar, 2017).

Architecture and Exhibition

The Boros gallery proves itself to be a very worthy place to host my exhibition, specifically with regards to the insides of the building.

An exhibition exploring the values of ‘unusual art’ is shown here. This exhibition is the fourth to take place in the bunker and this particular one was that of inspiration towards designing and curating my own. The history of this bunker is what stood out the most to me as the curator, and noticing the small details of its past on the walls shows a piece of history meeting with the art. For example, in one room there were air vents, used to provide ventilation for

the thousands of people piled in during the war. In another room, fading away but still visible, “Rauchen Verboten” was displayed on the wall. This translated in English, as “No Smoking” which was from the time when it was a techno club. The works of art on display here are cut off from their surroundings. The bunker encases them in a space of its own, completely shielding them from the outside world. The whole thought around the sound and ambience of the space is what interested me as a potential curator, as once, I am sure, the sound of the bunker would have stuck with those who had to gain shelter as Berlin burned around them. What a contradiction to what it must have sounded like as a club. One can somehow still feel the sense of time gone by and the buzz of what it once was. The use of sound is very important partnered with the art on view. Accompanied by the art on show, sound can provide another layer of interpreting an art piece. Another important point to make is that this exhibition had 114 works on view. These are spread apart over the floors of the bunker and congregated in individual rooms - 80 to be exact, which improves representations of the art alongside the artist. It was as if each room possessed a different world, one could be present in. Having these contemporary artworks displaying in a ‘non-conventional’ art gallery is what owners, Karen and Christian Boros strived for when looking for a place to host their collections.

One piece on show that caught my eye when visiting was the piece by Cyprien Gaillard (1980). Initially, it only seems like a shovel from a digger completely on its own in the middle of the concrete room. At first glance, the viewer may interpret this piece in many ways but what surrounds this piece helps towards gaining an understanding of its

intended ‘meaning’. This piece by Gaillard describes Berlin as the city of construction and demolition. In Berlin, the Boros Bunker was built to survive and stand as a reminder of its time:

Bunkers were intended to eventually serve as monuments in the world capital of Germania, which fortunately never came to pass (Boros Collection, 2022)

Concrete in Art Exhibitions

It has been clearly trialled that concrete buildings can be a great candidate for exhibiting art. Concrete is makingits way into art today and art galleries are using concrete space to hold art exhibitions. One example of this would be the Tripitz Museum in Northern Denmark. This museum in Denmark and the Boros Bunker in Berlin prove to be extremely alike, with the Tripitz museum also once being a German war bunker from 1944. The museum has been described as a “dive into history” and “a transcendental experience” (Work, 2017). The bunker is divided into four large exhibition spaces posing as ideal spaces to host an exhibition.

The materials used – such as concrete – create a common point between the old and the new (Work, 2017).

Concrete can provide several advantages for hosting an exhibition, from durability to the aesthetic of the material. Concrete is made to last, and these bunkers are a prime example of its endurance far beyond the war. Sustainability is something that a gallery may be interested in, and with a concrete space, it retains heat and because of its strong

durability it can last a long time , not acquiring renovations in the future. Furthermore, concrete can exhibit a variety of textures and this play on texture achieves an interesting look for an art exhibition. Scratches and dents, while also having a smooth surface can create a fascinating effect combined with the art on display. Being able to host an exhibition in a non-conventual way is important to me as the curator and with concrete being a more ‘rugged’ material, it can also be taken in on a modern light. That middle ground between the modern and historical is captivating. The minimalistic atmosphere that concrete gives, allows for a blank canvas when curating an exhibition, enabling a range of varied art types or styles, and leaving no limitations.

Another look at using a space to host art would most definitely be in the ARos Museum in Aarhus, Denmark. The gallery has an interesting take on curating their exhibitions, giving previous works new locations, thus allowing varied interpretations on their meanings and associations within the space. When visiting the museum, the viewer is captivated by a huge range of various artworks - from sculpture to interactive rooms, to traditional and abstract paintings. Artists such as Grayson Perry (b.1960), Olafur Eliasson (b.1967) and James Turrell (b.1943) have all exhibited here, showcasing their work in one of Denmark’s largest art collections. Of particular note is the piece by Olafur Eliasson, which is set at the very top of the museum overlooking the whole city.

Jenna MacLean (2022). Rainbow Panorama. [Photograph]. Aarhus, Denmark

This permanent piece showcasesas a three-hundredand ten square foot walkway circling the whole city, and as one moves around the piece the colours gradually begin to change. Eliasson strived to encourage viewers to view art in a more non-traditional sense, using the space available to create something unique and to give a long-lasting impression, Olafur Eliasson describes what his intentions were for the piece in conjunction with the space he had to work with:

I have created a space that can almost be said to erase the boundary between inside and outside – a place where you become a little uncertain as to whether you have stepped into a work of art or into part of the museum. This uncertainty is important to me, as it encourages people to

think and sense beyond the limits within which they are accustomed to function (ARoS, 2024)

According to research provided by the Seventies documentary series, ‘Ways of seeing by John Berger’ (19262017), it states that a painting loses all meaning when it is out of the artists’ hands, “Once the painting has left the artist'sstudio, it no longerhas its original intended meaning” (Ways of Seeing, 1972). This was an issue originally observed by Barthes (1967) in his paper ‘Death of the Author’ which focused on a poststructuralist way of reading literature (and art). Berger states that the death of the author concept arises because once the painting receives another view or opinion, it automatically gains another functionality or meaning. John Berger, art critic and author discusses the argument as to whether art needs a defined meaning, over the four series television show in the seventies. Berger also mentions through the series that how we see as humans, can be derived from what we believe in and what we already know. This gives a suggestion that viewing art and giving a meaning or association on a painting may derive from physiological sources and not just what we see in front of us:

An image is a sight which has been recreated or reproduced. It is an appearance, or a set of appearances, which has been detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance and preserved - for a few moments or a few centuries. Every image embodies a way of seeing (Ways of seeing, 1972).

A painting - especially if digitised - can reach the views of many, so that eventually, the painting’s meaning will alter depending on that moment in time, person and belief.

Artist’s impression of the exhibition curated by Jenna Maclean.

Jenna Maclean, 2024

Identity and Politics

Aoife Cawley

Laura Moorhouse

Heather Russell

Evie Rose Thornton

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CRAFTING EIRE: THE IRISH ARTS AND CRAFTS

MOVEMENT AND THE IMPACT ON IRISH NATIONAL IDENTITY

Aoife Cawley

Author bio

Aoife Cawley is a printmaker and textiles artist from Kildare, Ireland. She graduated in 2024 from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee with a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Art Practice.

Cawley’s work is centered around stories and people from folklorical, mythological, hagiographical,and historical contexts. These stories or figures are commemorated through the mediums of printmaking and embroidered textiles. She draws inspiration from the past, looking back to the Irish Arts and CraftMovement and the CelticRevival, and uses similar mediums and references to create her work.

Her current practice is concerned with the lives of saints, more specifically with early Christian Ireland and the plethora of saints from that time period. The work focuses on the folklore surrounding these saints and how they have left us with long standing traditions that are still upheld today. Cawley is aware of the importance of preserving these stories for future generations and uses her practice to revive, reimagine, or highlight their relevance in a contemporary context.

Website: www.aoifecawleyart.com Instagram: @aoifecawleyart

Email: aoifcaw@gmail.com

This dissertation explores the impact of the Irish Arts and Crafts movement (1886 to 1925) on the creation of the Irish national identity. The movement was set against the backdrop of a politically unstable time. Ireland was fighting for its freedom having been ruled by the British for centuries before. The many years of colonisation left the nation with no clear sense of identity and this movement seized the opportunity to carefully craft one. This dissertation will give a brief overview of the history of colonialism in Ireland. This is essential in understanding why there was a fragmented sense of identity and why there was a need to create one. The areas of stained glass and textiles, specifically An Túr Gloine and Dún Emer, are discussed in great detail with regards to their involvement in the movement, and the creation of the nation’s identity.

Crafting Éire:

The Irish Arts and Crafts Movement and the Impact on Irish National Identity

The following text forms an excerpt from Aoife Cawley’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter 3. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

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Aoife Cawley

DUN EMER

Textiles have had a huge part to play in the Irish Arts and Crafts movement. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, textiles provided an opportunity for women with a wide range of educational backgrounds and financial statuses to significantly impact design and craft industries, especially in rural areas (Bowe, 1989).

Dún Emer Industries was established in 1902 by Evelyn Gleeson, and sisters Susan and Elizabeth Yeats (often referred to as Lily and Lolly). This project was born out of a sense of nationalism, an interest in the textiles industry, and the aim for the emancipation of womenwhich were all shared by the three founders. Gleeson had worked in London as a portrait artist but also trained under Alexander Miller, a follower of William Morris, for six months (Larmour, 1984). Gleeson was inspired by the ideals of Morris which was focusing on the importance of beauty and the creative impulse rather than forcing those in poverty to manufacture goods so that the wealthy could purchase them (Pim, 1985). Gleeson had a deep interest in Irish affairs and met the Yeats family and the Irish creative community in London while being a member of the Irish

Literary Society and the Gaelic League (Devine, 2009). Due to ill-health, Gleeson decided to move from London back to Ireland but was also encouraged and financially supported by friend, Augustine Henry, to actively participate in the Irish Renaissance and Irish women's emancipation, by opening a craft centre (Devine, 2009).

In 1902, Gleeson approached Susan and Elizabeth Yeats and invited the sisters to join her on the endeavour. Susan, also known as Lily, had trained under May Morris, daughter of William Morris, as an embroideress, while Elizabeth qualified as a teacher and gave professional lectures and teachings on art before becoming a housekeeper for her family (Devine, 2009). By 1902, Gleeson began renting a house in Dundrum, Co. Dublin that was originally called Runnymede. Gleeson also acquired a printing press for Elizabeth Yeats, as well as two weaving teachers and a couple of local women to take on as trainees for the business (Bowe, 1989). Two individuals at the time were trained by Elizabeth on an Albion printing press, where they learned type setting, typography, composition, and ink rolling. They also assisted in the hand painting of prints and other printed materials. Leading the needlework department and also serving as an instructor was Susan. The trainees at Dún Emer were also given instructions in Irish by Susan L. Mitchell (Daly, 2020).

The women decided that their business needed a more appropriate name and in line with Celtic Revivalist fashion, they chose Dún Emer. The name, which translates from Irish as Emer’s Fort, came from Irish mythology. Emer, who was the wife of epic hero Cú Chulainn of Ulster Cycle fame, was known for her skills in needlework and the domestic arts (Larmour, 1984). The legend of Cú Chulainn

in particular had become popular among other visual artists and craftsmen of the time, but also with those who were involved in the literary revival. For example, the very successful poet W.B. Yeats, who was the brother of Elizabeth and Susan, used both Cú Chulainn and Emer in his poems, for example, ‘The Death of Cuchulain’ and ‘The Only Jealousy of Emer’ (Shortall, 2022).

In 1903, Gleeson releaseda prospectus for Dún Emer which presented the company with a social and political mission. It also developed a business plan aimed at preparing workers for an as-yet-unrealised future in which women would have professional prospects, financial freedom, and a voice in the workplace (Ní Bheacháin, 2023).

A wish to find work for Irish hands in the making of beautiful things… (Gleeson, 1903).

The three founder’s nationalist views, combined with their feminist ideals, fuelled the desire to construct an organisation for the creative training and employment of young women. Overall, all of the employees at Dún Emer Industries were female. They gave opportunities for careers to recently graduated girls and young women, some of whom were in their early teens, even though they had no prior training or experience. The firm expanded gradually, as documented by the staff-compiled internal magazine Leabhar Dún Eimire, which records thirteen girls in employment in 1912, butby 1905, there were a totalof thirty (Daly, 2020). There are also records of women progressing on from their training at Dún Emer and becoming teachers of their craft. May Kerley was one of these women who then went on to found the Glenbeigh Carpet and Rug Industry

with the skills she had learned at Dún Emer (Paterson, 2004).

Dún Emer Industries followed the same objectives of the English Arts and Crafts movement, which included: bringing beautiful thingsinto the reach of the general public; turning the house into a point of interest and attraction; reducing the migration of workers from rural to urban areas; rejuvenating the village's industries; and providing training in the arts and handicrafts (Paterson, 2004). Gleeson (1903) outlines the same ideals, stating:

Things made of pure materials, worked by these Irish girls must be more lasting and more valuable than machinemade goods which only serve a temporary purpose. All the things made at Dun Emer are beautiful in the sense that they are instinct with individual feeling and have cost thought and care.

It is also mentioned in this prospectus that the embroidery work created at Dún Emer is medieval in style, which was revived by William Morris himself. Materials that are used in the business are also highlighted, with the importance being on those of Irish origin. Gleeson also claims that the designs being created by Dún Emer give off a sense of Irishness:

Everything as far as possible, is Irish: the paper of the books, the linen of the embroidery and the wool of the tapestry and carpets. The designs are also of the spirit and tradition of the country – Gleeson, 1903.

This section from the prospectus reflects the Nationalist view that the business was underpinned by. As discussed previously in chapters one and two, a major characteristic of

the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement was the use of Irish materials. It was also important to the movement to create work that embodies Ireland and Irishness, and it is evident from the above quote that Dún Emer Industries was also in consensus with this idea. The guild made the connection between the craft revival and the Irish Revivalists' advocacy of economic self-sufficiency and social self-awareness as requirements for Ireland's prosperity in international markets (Paterson, 2004).

Following the implementation of the Penal Laws in the seventeenth century, there were numerous limitations imposed on Catholics in Ireland. But after the Catholic Emancipation in 1829, there was a resurgence of Catholicism, and Ireland saw a surge in the construction of Catholic cathedrals and churches (Hayes, 2022). This created a need for skilled artists and craftspeople to decorate these new churches, which has been discussed in terms of stained glass in chapter two. But with all these churches, there needed to be textiles, for example to create: altar covers, chasubles, banners, etc. The most well-known ecclesiastical items made by Dún Emer were the 24 embroidered banners of saints for St Brendan’s Cathedral in Loughrea, Co Galway, and the altar furnishings for the Honan Chapel, Co. Cork. Both of these churches also used An Túr Gloine and Harry Clarke to create their stained glass windows.

The embroidered banners for St Brendan’s Cathedral were made in 1903 and mostly featured Irish saints. They were designed by Jack B. Yeats, Mary Cottenham Yeats, George William Russell (AE), and Pamela Colman Smith. The saints were embroidered by Lily Yeats while her assistants worked on the backgrounds of the banners. They

were created from silk and wool embroidery on Irish linen (Shortall, 2023a). These banners create a folk-art effect by using simple compositions with brightly coloured flat areas enveloped by thick lines. This style pays homage to the primitivism of the era and the idea of the Irish peasant as a representative of "true" Irish values and culture (Wilson, 2013). The use of Gaelic typeface and titling the saints in the Irish language enhance the banners’ sense of place and “gaelicisation”. These banners also demonstrate the research put into each saint by Dún Emer and their collaborators. In the banner depicting St Kevin, it illustrates the legend of the saint being so still while in one of his meditative states, that birds would land in his hand, build a nest, and lay eggs. The banner features numerous avian species and more specifically blackbirds surrounding St Kevin. Blackbirds are a common attribute to the saint seeing as they are one of his patronages. The banner also features the shore of Glendalough in the background. This is where the saint set up his monastery. The inclusion of the landscape in some of the banners further adds to the sense of place.

In the banner depicting St Jarlath, it depicts an elderly man standing beside a horse and cart. The wheel of the cart is broken. This banner depicts a legend in which St Brendan, one of Jarlath’s pupils, directed him to take a newly built cart and to travel until the wheels broke. This would lead him to the place of his “resurrection” and to many others after him. The cart did not take him far, as the wheel broke in Tuam. The banner illustrates this legend further highlighting the depth of research in folklore and legend carried out by the designers and makers of Dún Emer.

Rising

In an edition of The Irish Monthly published in 1904, N. O’M (full name not available) writes a review of the banners saying:

There is nothing of the conventional style about them, each figure being true to the traditions of the times in which the saint lived; so that perhaps to the untutored eye some of the figures might seem more quaint than beautiful in the ordinary sense-just as some people will prefer the conventional modern drawing-room style of picture to the work of the old masters. But one quickly realises that these saintly little mediaeval figures carry with them the real atmosphere and feeling of Ancient Ireland, the Island of Saints, and the ordinary style of church banner soon becomes common-place and uninteresting by comparison (O’M., 1904, p. 167).

The quote above describes the banners and figures as medieval. This highlights the influence of William Morris and John Ruskin on the textile work of Dún Emer. Evelyn Gleeson had alreadystatedin the Dún Emer prospectus that the work produced from the guild would follow a medieval style and the ‘Virgin Mary With Child Jesus’ banner demonstrates this. The banner features a heavily decorated border of vines, leaves, and fruit. This form of ornamentation is very typical of a medieval illuminated manuscript. The floral display at the foot of Mary’s throne also works in tandem with the border to portray an almost millefleur effect. Millefleur (literally translating from French as “ a thousand flowers”) was a common background style used in tapestries from the Middle Ages. This style was revitalised by William Morris in his own tapestry designs. The banner also shows another example of the gaelicisation of the figures by giving Mary and the infant Jesus red hair. The clothes that the infant Jesus is wearing is very similar to

those that a “Child of Prague” statue would be wearing. The Child of Prague is a popular statue in Ireland and there is strong belief that devotion to the statue will bring good luck and good weather. This detail further adds to the “Irishness” of the banner.

Nationalists of the Nineteenth Century considered Ireland’s early middle ages, which was termed the “Irish Golden Age'', as a period of great cultural accomplishment. The Book of Kells has been hailed as Ireland's finest illuminated manuscript and provided a source of inspiration for the altar furnishings for the Honan Chapel in Cork. The workers at Dún Emer Industries made use of the motifs from the Book of Kells and combined them with depictions of local early Irish saints (Kreilkamp, 2016). Dún Emer provided the Honan Chapel with embroidered altar frontals, dossals, seating cushions, banners, and woven carpets. The altar frontals and dossals were utilised in accordance with the appropriate Liturgical calendar events and were matched with the vestments that were made forthe chapel byWilliam Egan and Sons (Heckett, 2000). For instance, there is a black set that is used for the Annual Founders Mass, which is customarily held during the third week of October. This serves as the Honan family's ceremonial monument. A white antependium with blue appliqué panels and embroidery was created specifically for the Blessed Virgin Mary's feast days. In the panels, red-headed Irish angels are seen helping and showing their respect for Mary and her baby. The depictions of the angels in red hair show how the workers at Dún Emer set out to “gaelicise” scenes from the Bible. This can also be seen through the saints chosen to decorate the central ensemble of the frontal. The three patron saints of Ireland, Patrick, Brigid, and Colm Cille, are

embroidered alongside three medieval saints local to Munster, Ita, Finnbar, and Colman. However, Brigid's noticeable placement beside Christ and the decision to include Saint Ita seem to convey the designers' subtle feminist ideals on behalf of Dún Emer's seamstresses (Kreilkamp, 2016).

Finally, writing in the Irish Monthly in June, 1934, T.F Ryan states:

The Dun Emer Guild has undoubtedly raised the standard of church vestments in Ireland, just as it has raised the standard of altar carpets, but no workers have come into the field with skill equal to that of the members of the Guild…

Aoife Cawley, 2024

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

A SEAT AT THE TABLE, A SLICE OF THE PIE: CRIP

KINSHIP

THROUGH VISUAL ART

Laura Moorhouse

Author bio

Laura Moorhouse is an artist and writer whose work examines disability and chronic illness through the application of crip theory. Particular areas of interest are soft sculpture, zines, crip time and complicated access. Her visual work has been described as having a childlike quality, which is actively brought to her practice to avoid the solemnity that often surrounds portrayals of chronic illness and disability – unwell body minds are not monolithic - they can be bold, joyful, colourful.

Instagram: @house_more

Abstract

This exhibition proposal seeks to remedy the lack of inclusion and representation of disabled people in the visual arts – for both artists and audiences.

Current research on Scottish arts organisations’ work to address disability and accessibility is lacking, and there are few exhibitions in Scotland focusing on disability. This exhibition is particularly interested in crip theory and politicised disability, using crip kinship as a methodology for improving the material conditions of disabled people. This is demonstrated through the curation of artworksand access methods, that provide restful space for disabled people, knowledge about our shared history and advocacy of previous crip generations. Moreover this is an opportunity to see our experiences mirrored – to feel less isolated. Crip

kinship is vital for not only inclusion, but survival of disabled people – particularly as the community faces such a hostile political climate. This proposal is an original contribution to knowledge; it is a catalyst for organisations and individuals in Scotland to stand with disabled people and advocate for complicated access, both in the visual arts and wider society.

A Seat at the Table, a Slice of the Pie: Crip Kinship Through Visual Art

The following text forms an excerpt from Laura Moorhouse’s 2024 fine art/ propositional exhibition dissertation, namely chapter four. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

Laura Moorhouse

INTERTEXTUAL MEDIA, ADDITIONAL CURATORIAL INFLUENCES

About a Boy

An important influence on the examination of crip theory and kinship is the feature film About a Boy (2002). Whilst pursuing casual relationships with single mothers, Will – a resolutely single and unattached man – becomes involved in the lives of Fiona and her 12-yearold son Marcus, due to Fiona’s mental health crisis. Will eventually learns that he is not as content in his independence as he had thought; community and connection are missing from his life, and his declaredroutine of ‘island living’ may be a signifier of his own mental health difficulties.

There is not a great deal of analytical engagement of the film; certainly, at the time, some critics dismissed it as ‘schmaltz’ (Bradshaw, 2002). However, it could be argued that About a Boy depicts theoretical ideals of kin-making and the benefits of non-nuclear families in ways which are far ahead of its time (their final blended family is presented as quotidian, a non-event) – particularly in mainstream culture. The film engages with the necessity of crip kinship – when a single mother’s mental health reaches crisis point, it is her

friends, and network of single parents (S.P.A.T. - Single Parents Alone Together), who care for and support her and her son. The mother and son’s wider biological family are not present throughout the film – except for one obligatory and uncomfortable Christmas meal.

A platonic ideal of the romantic comedy generally brings a couple together at the end and About a Boy rejects this conclusion. As young Hoult’s Marcus says at a particularly poignant moment, “Two people isn’t enough; you need a backup” (Anderson, 2021).

Needing a ‘backup’ person, speaks to interdependence in crip communities; ‘interdependence … embraces need and tells the truth: no one does it on their own and the myth of independence is just that, a myth’ (Mingus, 2011). Interdependence equally benefits disabled and non-disabled people. Through neoliberalism, we have been conditioned to believe that to be successful is to be independent, ‘individual’, and that in order to care for others, we must be biologically related (Thatcher, 1987, quoted in Oxford Essential Quotations, 2016) – but people cannot live completely alone, ‘no man is an island’ (About a Boy, 2002). This is communicated via Will’s struggle throughout the film. On the surface, Will has every signifier of neoliberal success/excess – his own modern home filled with things (espresso machine, huge tv, giant sofa), an Audi, an expensive haircut – but he is unhappy. Will’s life lacks meaning. By the end of the film, Will finds meaning through connection with others, nurturing relationships which bring ‘consequences … accountabilities and obligations and pleasures’ into his life – in short, kinship (Haraway, 2019).

In a mid-narrative arc point of crisis, Will tells Marcus 'I'm not your family, mate … I'm not your uncle. I'm not your big brother and, I think we've established pretty firmly now, I'm not your father either am I?' (About a Boy, 2002). Through Will's statements, we see that in the beginning of his relationship with Marcus, Will views the nuclear family as the place from which care and duty arise. At the end of the film, Will, Marcus and Fiona celebrate Christmas together – as part of a larger group, comprising adults and children, friends and romantic partners. This final scene shows the positive impact of kin-making; contrasting earlier depictions of Christmas where our characters are quite miserable, either alone or spending the day with people with whom they have no connection (despite being biological relatives).

Although many people that Will encounters point out that he does ‘nothing’, it is crucial that the film’s focus on how Will spends his time is not solely about his joblessness. Through ensuring that this character does not find purpose in a career (accruing further capital and power) and instead, in a sense, in care work – ‘the work of care through networks of support’ (Kim and Schalk, 2021) – the film is strongly aligned with crip theory and intersectional feminism, and is a good example of people using their privileges (e.g. inherited wealth, secure housing – and therefore time) to benefit their wider community.

About a Boy may, on the surface, seem an unorthodox vehicle for analysis of crip theory and kinship/kin-making –but it is a quietly radical work, plainly depicting these ideas which are still too often missing from our culture.

Crip Camp

Crip Camp (2020) was initially included in the curation of this exhibition. The documentary is educational, and the depictions of disabled people are refreshing, in comparison to common practice in film and television – described by filmmaker Justin Edgar as ‘true stories ... appropriated by able-bodied filmmakers … invariably made for non-disabled audiences’ (The Film Programmed, 2018, 25:23).

The filmmakers never pity those in the documentary or, conversely, valorise them as the brave supercrip who ‘overcomes’ disability (Kafer, 2013, p.87). The film is somewhat political, demonstrating the power of coalitions pushing for legal change. However, further reading of crip theoretical texts, particularly by QTBIPOC crip writers (Schalk, 2013; Piepzna-Samarasinha, 2018), exposed the flaws of the documentary. It does not have a truly intersectional approach or address current political and access issues in a way which would be cohesive with the wider exhibition.

Unfortunately, the film focuses on being ‘palatable to a mainstream audience’, with heroic central figures and a happy ending (Sedgwick, 2021). Mainstream critics described the documentary as an ‘inspiration’ (Lawson, 2020) or praised how subjects showcased how able they were, ‘overcoming’ their disabilities ‘in order to be taken seriously’ (Debruge, 2020). This response is concerning. If, despite the filmmakers’ better intentions, non-disabled people believe that, for our rights to be enshrined in law, disabled people must risk our lives – then perhaps this film is not appropriate for non-crip audiences. Although it is not inherently wrong to find Crip Camp inspirational – I was

certainly inspired by the radical camp and the community support and activism of the Berkeley scene – there is a risk of the film being viewed by outsiders (non-disabled, noncrip) as ‘inspiration porn’ (Wilde, 2021). This would be an ableist perspective, reducing people featured in the documentary to brave ‘objects of inspiration’ for nondisabled people, rather than complicated individuals with nuanced thoughts and feelings about life as a disabled person (Young, 2014).

Another issue, briefly alluded to in the documentary, is possible strike-breaking action taken to circulate information of the 504 occupation and protests to national ABC news outlets. The impact of the technicians’ strike at ABC is discussed by journalist Evan White – who covered the 1977 Section 504 Occupation – in Crip Camp and in an additional oral history interview held by the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability (2014, 07:37). National news coverage of these events may have aided in pressuring politicians and lawmakers to take action – but, if the strike was broken (circumventing the work stoppage of technicians in broadcast news), this is against the solidarity, the ‘Marxist, materialist roots’, that the disability rights movement was founded on, particularly in the UK (Wilde, 2021). The crip community should act in solidarity with other marginalised people and stand with workers, against capital owners and others who seek to oppress us.

Crip Camp reinforces hierarchical narratives of social justice movements. Whilst depicting disabled people as individuals demonstrates that disabled people are not monolithic, lionisation is problematic. Much attention is given to Judy Heumann and, whilst her contributions to the disability rights movement are incredibly important, it was

collective action that forced change. Fellow activists are sidelined, wrongly referred to as Heumann’s ‘allies’ in media coverage of the film (Lawson, 2020). Most activists were themselves disabled, so to describe them as merely allies (usually a term used for those who stand in solidarity with a marginalised group, but who are not part of said group) minimises the power of disabled people taking action against our systemic oppression.

In contrast to About a Boy, this documentary does not align with the ideas of crip kinship underpinning the exhibition. Some aspects of the camp, and later the Berkeley community, do illustrate crip kinship, but this is largely absent from the film. The final act focuses on heteronormative married couples, some of whom have children: ‘There are no alternative happy endings to the cisnormative family’ (Sedgwick, 2021). This exhibition is not concerned with reinforcing narratives of assimilation within heteronormative, capitalistic notions of the family, which do not benefit disabled people. Instead, we need ‘a vision for interdependent alternative ways of being’ to benefit people of all body minds (Sedgwick, 2021).

Thus, despite Crip Camp’s largely positive depictions of disabled people and spotlighting of disability rights history in the US - including this film in the exhibition would arguably beinappropriate.The mainconcern is that the main target audience of the exhibition – younger people who have yet to learn about disability, in a meaningful way – might well take the wrong messages from this film. Through omission, Crip Camp presents access issues and stigma against disabled people as - to a certain extent - undermining the radical crip frameworks in which the exhibition is rooted.

Laura Moorhouse,

2024

IS NEO-SHAMANISM CULTURAL APPROPRIATION WITHIN THE ARTS?

Heather Russell

Author bio

Heather Russell is a final year fine art student at Duncan of Jordanstone University (DJCAD). She is originally from Cornwall but has lived in Scotland for the past 25 years and currently resides in Dundee with her cat Mitsy. Heather specialises in a variety of mediums and is interested in prop making, costume making, performing, and gestural art. Her work is often satirical, touching upon current issues in the world today.

Instagram: @spooky__b__

Abstract

This dissertation asks the question; ‘Is Neo Shamanism Cultural appropriation within the Arts?’ through critically analysing the works of artists Joseph Beuys, Ernest Neto and Marcus Coates.

The objective of this dissertation is to question the fine line between Neo Shamanism and cultural appropriation, by exploring these artists and investigating the ways in which each artist uses Shamanism and what the use of Shamanism promotes. Chapter one sets out the groundwork in order to fully understand Shamanism,before critically analysing Joseph Beuys’ work; ‘I like America and America likes me’. This is then followed by Neto’s collaborative piece with the Huni Kuin tribe and compares the differences in both artists’ work. The second chapter

looks at Neo Shamanism and investigates Marcus Coates’ performance work titled ‘Journey to the Lower world’, before looking at which parts of Coates’ performance compare to cultural appropriation - as well as comparing it to his performance in ‘The Directors’. Chapter three looks at the long and bloodied history of the British Empire and how colonisation has led to Neo-shamanism. It examines how Coates’ behaviour echoes that of the British Empire and how the symbolism of the stag connects the two. It also includes a conversation with a Maori Shaman (Shaman X), her opinion on Neo Shamanism and her insecurity in being referred to as a Shaman being a by-product of colonisation. Finally, this dissertation will conclude by looking at how each artist used Neo-Shamanism within their work, to what effect, and critically discussing whether or not it might be considered cultural appropriation.

Is Neo-Shamanism cultural appropriation within the arts?

The following text forms an excerpt from Heather Russell’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter 2. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Heather Russell

WHAT IS NEO SHAMANISM?

This chapter will compare Neo-Shamanism and traditional Shamanic practice. It will also analyse Coates’s performance ‘Journey to the Lower World’ and look at the fine line between Neo-Shamanism and ‘cultural appropriation’ within his work. More importantly, I discuss the damage that this can potentially do to individuals within a specific culture. Finally, I also touch upon Coates’s role within ‘The Directors’, which sees him taking on a role which is reflective of those living with psychosis, rather than one which is used to massage his artistic ego.

Neo-Shamanism is an eclectic collection of beliefs and activities drawn from literature, workshops, and the internet. It is an invented tradition of practices and beliefs based on a constructed metaphorical, romanticised “ideal” of the shaman concept, which often differs considerably from traditional shamans (Townsend, 2014).

A traditional shaman is known within their community not only as the healer but as the ‘problem solver’, and they use divination techniques, known as ‘spiritual problem solving’ (Mokelke, 2017). The shaman enters a trance like state where they will ask the spirits what

the problem is, and to seek a recommended form of treatment.

Marcus Coates (b.1968) ‘Journey to the Lower World’ (2004)

Marcus Coates is a British contemporary artist/ ornithologist who takes inspiration from shamanic influences in his work. His work includes installations and performances that have been recorded as video art. He takes influence from shamanistic rituals and attempts to ‘communicate’ with the ‘lower world’. The aim of Coates’s work is to contrast natural and manmade processes.

As mentioned in chapter one, shamanism shares aspects of performance art, particularly the technique of ‘mimicry’ which involves the performer imitating to entertain or ridicule. He states: ‘Most of my work up until now has been about developing different mimicking strategies to explore whether there is a shared consciousness between ourselves and non-humans’ (Coates 2005).

In the following visual analysis of ‘Journey to the Lower World’, it can arguably be evidenced that Coates ridicules the animals by wearing their skin, ridicules shamanistic practices, and ridicules the working class facing detrimental/real-life problems. ‘While remaining deeply uneasy about the employment of artists in the public sphere as ‘problem solvers’, Coates has said that often the most valuable thing that comes out of such performances is the audience’s sense that they are being listened to’ (Frieze, 2007). However, although it is claimed that Coates felt ‘uneasy’ this did not stop him from using the role of the shaman to be ‘the problem solver’, and it must be

questioned - was Coates really interested in listening to their needs - or using their situation in order to further his artistic career? ‘While the humour of these works springs from the naivety of the desires they embody, by subjecting himself to such vivid, visceral experiences Coates holds on to the possibility of personal transformation and so restrains them from snide satire’(Frieze, 2007). In particular, it is important to note that personal transformation has appeared to be Coates’ only real goal.

Coates took partin a residency for‘FurtherUp In The Air’ where he worked with a small group of residents from Liverpool, Linosa Close in Sheil Park housing estate, a predominantly working-class area in the North West of England. The residents faced the demolition of the tower block and for them the future was uncertain. Coates plays the part of ‘The Shaman’ for the community, bringing them answers from the ‘lower world’. The audience have asked Coates the question ‘Who will protect the site as a whole?’. Coates will then find the answer to this question through entering a ‘meditativestate’ aided by playing shamanic music and journeying to the ‘lower world’ dressed in the skin of a stag.

The guttural animal noises are continuous whilst the shamanic drumming plays in the background and the audience’s reaction changes from bemused to bewildered. Coates spins in circles until dizzy, then bows his head and presses his antlers against the doorway. Coates continues the noises which climax to a higher pitched sound before Coates kneels over in the middle of the floor and whistles like a bird whilst tapping his cheeks. One woman recoils but with laughter in her eyes. He sits down and continues the animalistic noises. He then spits the remaining water out

A showcase of

before exiting the room and removing the stag head and hide from his body by undoing the straps.

Coates unties the keys from his shoes. He describes using the lift to the building to go down to the ‘lower world’ and lists the different birds and animals he meets in the darkness, which could not offer him much help and were ‘shrugging him off’, meanwhile they were also pointing him in a ‘general direction’. Coates patronisingly describes what each breed of bird looks like to the audience and talks in a serious tone whilst explaining his endeavours. His meetings with various birds sound almost hallucinatory whilst he describes the birds as changing shapes and sizes. One bird is a ‘sparrowhawk’ which he knew wanted to talk to him due to the way it's primary feathers angled themselves in different directions. Coates tells the audience that this ‘symbolises’ them all working together as a community and not going separate ways. He then tells them that their ‘protector’ is the group, and that this is their most ‘valuable’ asset. He nervously licks his lips whilst the camera pans to the unimpressed audience.He asks what their opinion is and one old lady replies that they have tried for years to bring the community together as a group but people ‘aren’t interested’ or are ‘too busy’: she thinks that they won’t ever be able to bring everyone together again. Coates tells her that they can only keep trying to get more people to join and if ‘they do, they do’ and if ‘they don’t, they don’t’. He is then greeted with a round of applause and shakes the hands of the audience. The scene changes to the outside of the tower block with one old lady commenting, ‘so think positively then?’.

Coates and cultural appropriation

The Cambridge Dictionary definition of cultural appropriation is as follows: ‘The act oftaking orusing things from a culture that is not your own especially without showing that you understand or respect that culture’ (Cambridge Dictionary 2023). Coates explained: ‘Lots of things worried me such as questions of ethics, appropriating rites from another culture, setting myself up as a medium, my lack of training’ (Coates 2005).

Does Coates’s two-day workshop mean that his work does not qualify as ‘cultural appropriation’ within the art world? Where is the line drawn? When the artist himself has been aware of his work being received as cultural appropriation? Or is it his status as a middle-class white man from London ‘helping’ working class communities by giving them ‘answers’ that they already know? Or was it, as Coates himself said, ‘Just an exotic middle class self-help exercise’ (Coates 2005), an ego-boost to help promote his status within society. whilst potentially demeaning others from a lower social demographic status? ‘The residents were anxious about the future, so maybe my shamanic techniques could be of use’, he said (Coates 2005).

The Directors (2023)

In a more recent performance, ‘The Directors’ at Churchill Garden State London, Coates is set the task of exploring what it feels like to live with psychosis by living the very ‘real’ experience of five individuals who direct Coates as ‘offscreen voices.’

Coates markets himself as a shaman and problem solver in ‘Journey to the Lower World’. But in a role reversal, participating in ‘The Directors’, he was not in the position of power - and instead those who were vulnerable oversaw him: ‘It’s refreshing that the work does not proclaim that it is offering care or support; nor does Coates position himself as an artist somehow entitled to become a temporary healthcare professional. He acknowledges his amateur status and ignorance and is willing to learn. And despite attempting to perform his director’s actual life he does not claim these experiences as his own’ (Hines, 2022).

Perhaps considering ‘Journey to the Lower World’ was madeatthe beginningofCoates’sartistic journey(2004) in comparison to ‘The Directors’, which was filmed last year, there has been a progression in terms of inner growth which has allowed Coates to forget his ego and to truly embody the experience of something or somebody ‘other’ to himself.

Coates’s self-doubt and awareness that his work may fall under the definition of ‘cultural appropriation, however, this has had no effect on the art world’s critique of this performance: ‘He exposes the disconnects within us and the societies we have created. New ways of relating are proposed and put into practice.’ (MacGarry, 2023). Was telling the community in Sheil Close to work ‘closer as a community’, some of those most downtrodden by his own social class and about to lose their homes, really the best way to problem-solve and ‘re-relate’? The damage of Coates’s work can in actuality leave members of a culture and community in further disconnect with a damaging and longlasting impression, as covered by James O. Young in ‘Cultural Appropriation and the Arts’ (2010): ‘These false or

distorted impressions of culture could be harmful in at least a few ways. They could create or perpetuate stereotypes that lead to discrimination against individual members of a culture. Harm of this sort might limit the economic or educational opportunities of members of a culture. More insidiously, members of a culture may come to see themselves and their culture as they appear to outsiders. This could also cause harm to the insider’s ‘culture’ (Young, 2010.)

Of course, it could be argued that Coates has ‘freedom of expression’, but with this comes an increase in his social value and responsibility. This is doubly the case when he places himself in a position to help those that he deems ‘in need of his help’.

Coates’s work ethic in ‘Journey to the Lower World’ draws upon the thin line between Neo-Shamanism and cultural appropriation. Was this performance, so early on in his art career, simply used to boost his artistic career as well as his ego, to the detriment of others? His role in ‘The Directors’ proves that Coates now chooses more thoughtprovoking roles, which provide the audience with an awareness of living with psychosis.

Chapter three will next explore in more detail the effects of colonialism and cultural appropriation on Coates work, and the question of what is considered Neo shamanism.

Heather Russell, 2024

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INTO THE BLUE: MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR CONTEMPORARY ART IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Evie Rose Thornton

Author bio

With a blend of Romanticism and a research driven ethos, Evie Rose Thornton's practice bridges the gap between viewers and the natural landscape, untangling ecosystems that structure every aspect of the landscape around us. By nature, her work is interdisciplinary, spanning paintings, sculpture, installation, and print, as Thornton responds organically to the research she undertakes, allowing the information to direct the line of enquiry and inform her material choices. Drawing inspiration from Nan Shepherd’s philosophy in ‘The Living Mountain’, which underscores the importance of intimately knowing one's surroundings, she immerses herself in the Scottish coastline. Through dedicated observation and repetition, Thornton uncovers hidden nuances that might otherwise go unnoticed, contemplating on the intricate composition of structures underneath the surface of the coastline. Approaching the landscape through a scientific lens, she avidly researches climate change literature, books, articles and scientific journals, and seeking out collaborations with environmental scientists and research institutes to deepen her understanding of ongoing transformations and humanity’s responses. From root structures that hold the coastline together, to mussel and oyster beds that protect that land from the rising sea, her practice crafts intimate and philosophical encounters between individuals and their natural surroundings. Reflecting on the unseen environments that form these contemporary landscapes, her practice recognises the imminent changes wrought by climate change that threatens to reshape and flood these lands.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evierosethornton/?hl=en Website: https://evierosethornton.com/

Abstract

This proposed exhibition investigates artists’ material choices in the face of climate-change and posits a potential future of contemporary art if action is not taken to tackle global-warming. Into the Blue aims to open the conversation of climate-change by focusing on ten artists from around the world that address material concerns throughout their work.

This exhibition is set during the Venice Biennale in San Marco’s Square, Venice. This location attracts the exhibition’s target-market of cultural tourists and the resident population of Venice. The works are large-scale public sculptures that are placed throughout the square. Due to flooding events, the artworks will be regularly immersed in water. Each piece is made from materials that will withstand water or that will not harm the environment if submerged.

This exhibition examines and investigates environmental artworks from around the world through an Eco Materialist lens, combined with influences from the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale and the 2009 exhibition Radical Nature, among others. Through environmental thinking, equal representation and a global platform, Into the Blue will explore the significance of material considerations, legacies and climate-change through public sculpturalartworks, and bring material responsibility to the forefront of the conversation about the future of contemporary art.

Into the Blue:

Material Considerations for Contemporary Art in the Face of Climate Change

The following text forms an excerpt from Evie Rose Thornton’s 2024 fine art curatorial/ propositional exhibition dissertation, namely chapter one. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Evie Rose Thornton

CURATORIAL THESIS

Climate-change

In the past decade there have been dramatic changes to our planet, including sea-level rise, weather changes, a rise in global temperatures exceeding all records to date, an uptick in extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and tsunamis, along with an increase in wildfires (Borunda, 2020). Recently the news has been littered with reports of major flooding-events in places such as Spain, Greece and Libya (Rafferty, 2023), decimating households, communities and resources, and contributing to a new phenomenon of ‘climate refugees’ (European Parliament, 2023). Countries around the world are looking at how to decelerate the progression of climate-change, as seen in the latest COP 28 UAE meeting where oil and gas companies have addressed the issues surrounding methane emissions, promising a near eradication by 2030, and a record-breaking 116 countries all pledged to treble their renewable energies (COP 28 UAE, 2023). Safeguarding measures against the effects of climate-change are already being implemented worldwide. There is no other city in the world more at risk from sea-level rise and flooding than the city of Venice, as it is under threat both from the sea and its sinking

foundations. It is also one of the first cities to invest billions into flood-prevention technology with the implementation of submerged sea-walls. Venice developed ‘Mose’, which is a series of gates that lie underneath the water and canals until the sea reaches any level above 110cm, where they rise and prevent the sea from entering the water systems and stops the potential for floods (Mose, 2023). This was in response to the increase in floods that Venice has seen over recent decades, including its most significant and devastating flood since 1966, in 2019 (Oceanography, 2020). This caused San Marco’s Square to be submerged in up to 6ft of water, with vaporettos and water buses thrown over the edge and on top the square itself, ‘like children’s toys’ and residents left hanging on to the nearest buildings waiting to be rescued (Viviano, 2022). Thus, it is unsurprising that Venice has earned its moniker as, ‘the canary in the coal mine’ for climate-change (Ibid.). Every country in the world will be affected by climate-change in one way or another, be it from flooding, wildfires or other extreme weather incidents - or from the effects that these events cause, like the relocation of communities or the destruction of resources or materials.

Industry

This worrying increase in extreme weather events has prompted a shift in direction of all industries when it comes to material use and extraction, with pressure from consumers and activist groups who want to see businesses engage with more environmentally-conscious practices. Architecture has been under scrutiny for its role in building pollution coming from the use of concrete and other

materials that are not only harmful to the planet from an extraction point of view, but also cause many environmental problems from the processing of materials like concrete or steel. The industry has started to address its environmental impact through many different avenues, such as material selection. Gonzalez & Navarro (2006) details the production of three residential-buildings in Spain and evaluates the environmental impact of conventional building-processes versus proposed environmentallyconscious methods that put material selection at the forefront of its design. Alternative environmentally-friendly building materials are now featured in exhibitions worldwide, including Material Legacies in Berlin (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, 2023), where it showcased more sustainable methods of obtaining materials and environmentally-conscious alternatives to the commercial materials that dominate this industry. Divided out into its most basic form, materialslike sand, water, eggshells,rubber and others are explored in different material forms, touching upon their past, present and future (e-flux Education, 2022).

Materials were also a prevalent feature of the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale in The laboratory of the Future, which looked to discuss the future of architecture in a world increasingly affected by climate-change and proposed many different solutions to the detrimental effect that this industry has on the planet (La Biennale, 2023). Through multiple exhibitions, countries from around the world produced a litany of alternative building materials that emphasised the importance of responsibility and care towards the environment. The German Pavilion highlighted the issue of waste by utilising discarded materials from last

year’s Biennale exhibit (Frearson, 2023). At the entrance to the pavilion, the audience was confronted with lots of material: wood, textiles and metal, all stacked in high piles. It was a stark and honest insight into the immense amount of waste produced every year from each pavilion. The German Pavilion fellows were situated in an area called, ‘the workshop’ and instead of using their time to escort visitors round the exhibition, they were recycling the materials into accessible ramps for other pavilions that did not cater for disabled access. This highlighted the need for taking responsibility and ownership in the complicity of mankind in the production of waste and the subsequent detrimental effect on the environment, emphasising the need for a change in attitude towards material consumption.

Architecture and art have been challenging the way we think about the planet through movements such as Land Art and Environmental Art, influenced by pioneering figures including Joseph Beuys, Hans Haacke and Agnes Denes. Radical Nature was an exhibition held in 2009 at the Barbican in London, England, that explored issues of environmentalism and activism within the arts, as seen in the subsequent publication of the exhibition by Manacorda (2009). It brought together 25 artists’ works from between 1969 and 2009, all of whom made groundbreaking contributions to the arts and who put nature and the environment at the forefront of their practices. Under one roof, this exhibition displayed the shift in direction from romanticised landscapes to the more thought-provoking critical evaluation of mankind’s impact on the planet. The publication features work by the artists that were not included within the exhibition and that could not have been installed within a gallery setting, including Ant Farm’s ‘50 x

50 pillow’ and Robert Smithson’s ‘Spiral Jetty’. As with many environmental exhibitions, Radical Nature fell prey to criticism about its own environmental impact, from its installation to its transportation of artwork and subsequent CO2 pollution (Bayley, 2009). If Radical Nature was made today under the same guidelines as the latest Architectural Biennale, it would have needed to address these issues of its carbon footprint and environmental impact. While this exhibition successfully documented the development of environmental concerns throughout Contemporary Art, the future of artwork production and material use is still under consideration. There is a question of the burden of responsibility when it comes to artists’ choices of material and whether the production of artworks will harm the environment (or planet) during production or on completion of the artwork. While the direction of art is unclear, it is imperative that artists start to question their material choices and the legacies that they leave in the world and start to consider alternative methods or means of producing artwork.

Eco Materialism

Eco Materialism is a movement proposed by Linda Weintraub (2019) where she outlines a framework in which to evaluate contemporary and historical art, and the material legacies these works leave behind on the planet and the environment. While encompassing the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle mantra’, this movement considers the holistic impact of materials from their extraction and production, right through to their expiration and subsequent carbon footprint. In this sense, material responsibility applies to all

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disciplines within the arts, regardless of whether the waste produced is physical or ephemeral. The production of film and video relies heavily on the use of technology that requires the extraction of precious metals and materials from the Earth to make cameras, laptops and other devices, as well as depending on the use of data farms for storage of the work and the internet as its transportation. All these tools and requirements for this type of artwork harm the environment, as real as the waste produced from more physical disciplines such as painting or sculpture (Monserrate, 2022). It also separates the viewer from some elements of sensory contact with the artwork, foregoing the amalgamation of multiple senses for an audio-visual experience. Eco Materialism proposes a return to the physical, eschewing video and technological artworks in favour of the tangibility and physicality of artwork in person. This will be reflected in the use of public art within this current exhibition, featuring large-scale sculptures that aim to engage and envelop people within its towering, unavoidable presence.

‘Eco Materialism reunites people with their Earthly homeland by situating New Material principles within the context of ecology and environmentalism’ (Weintraub, 2019, p.11). By combining these schools of thought, Eco Materialism offers a new way in which to evaluate an artistic practice and emphasises the responsibility that the artist has to pursue more sustainable materials. This movement’s core tenets for the production of artwork include the following: inclusion of, ‘environmental consequences when selecting their mediums’, examination of, ‘all by-products of their material manipulations’, acknowledgement of the ‘responsibility for the environmental costs of maintaining

their works after they leave the studio’, among others (Ibid., p.22). While this framework can be applied to an artist’s practice, Into the Blue will utilise a select few principles from which to build the framework for this exhibition, including the use of physical work over the ephemeral, the environmental legacy of the artwork once the exhibition is completed, the use of environmentally conscious materials when selecting the artwork, and an emphasis on a holistic approach to the selection of artworks. This exhibition focuses on materials and builds on environmental exhibitions, such as Radical Nature, while taking influence from the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale and its emphasis on climate-change and the development of new and sustainable materials. It will also aim to represent a planet wide viewpoint, incorporating artwork from a variety of different countries.

Evie Rose Thornton, 2024

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

Art and Philosophy

Carrie Doherty

Keetah Konstant

Rowan Roscher

Robyn Scanlan

Bryony Young

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IN DEFENCE OF PISS CHRIST: AN AUFHEBUNG OF CHRISTIANITY

Carrie Doherty

Author bio

Carrie Doherty is a mixed media artist, painter, and filmmaker who is currently undergoing her BA (Hons) Art & Philosophy degree at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Carrie Ann's academic work and art practice primarily centre the relationship between Christianity and contemporary art that subverts the expectations of what traditional religious symbolism should look like. Andres Serrano, Michael Hussar, and Mark Ryden accompany her artistic inspirations; and among her philosophical references and interests are Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Email: carriedohertyart@gmail.com Instagram: @carriettadoherty Website: https://carriedoherty.wixsite.com/carrietta

Abstract

The artwork (Immersion) ‘Piss Christ’ by Andres Serrano has been a source of contention in the political, religious, and artistic spheres for more than three decades due to its polarising nature, particularly the artist’s use of his own urine in juxtaposition with the crucifix. I examine the duality of the sacred and the profane within ‘Piss Christ’, evaluating it through the framework of Karl Marx’s ‘Aufhebung’ from his Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of the Right. I propose that the reactions towards this artwork have been contingent upon existing

ideologies from the past and that acknowledging this can help us understand the controversy surrounding the work. Looking to Giorgio Agamben to illustrate Serrano’s use of urine as ‘profane’ only insofar as it could be considered nonsacred helps suspend the belief that the use of urine is inherently sacrilegious. Exploring the crucifix itself, particularly its use as a mimetic commodity, illuminates Serrano’s criticism of the ‘Christ-for-profit’ industry. Like Marx, Serrano brings us closer to the true content of religion and capitalism with the overarching theme of suffering. Furthermore, The Holy Bible (KJV) offers insight on urine being juxtaposed with the sacred, coalescing Serrano’s negation and preservation of traditional Christian symbolism that helps us understand the artwork further as an Aufhebung of Christianity. By analysing critiques of ‘Piss Christ’ that frame it as ‘blasphemous’, we come to realise that the artwork has the potential to invoke a deep reverence for Christ through its ability to invite a mutual cognisance of suffering within its viewers and that the work has the ability to be viewed as deeply Christian.

In Defence of PissChrist: an Aufhebung of Christianity

The following text forms an excerpt from Carrie Doherty’s 2024 art and philosophy dissertation, namely the section marked ‘Aufhebung’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Carrie Ann Doherty

AUFHEBUNG

Grateful thanks is given to the artist Andre Serrano for his permission to use the image on the following page. This was created in 1987: (Immersion) ‘Piss Christ’, from Cibachrome print, crucifix, and urine.

A

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The artwork ‘Piss Christ’ has the ability to rope different sects of believers and non-believers alike into a mutual cognisance of human suffering. One does not need to believe in God, but to believe in suffering, to appreciate ‘Piss Christ’. E. Elias Merhige puts it eloquently, ‘Like a flame burning away the darkness, life is flesh on bone convulsing above the ground’. 4 Suffering is a covenant that the human takes the moment their spirit becomes flesh. Christ was clear on his stance on suffering, telling us that it’s inevitable. He stated, ‘Remember what I told you: “A servant is not greater than his master”. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also’. 5 Christ stated that those who follow in his path will endure what he did, and that includes suffering. Just as the first cry of the infant marks a healthy start of respiration, so too does this cry mark their first acquaintance with suffering, entering the world confused and widemouthed. The symbolism in ‘Piss Christ’, however, is not only one of pain and suffering. Amelia Arenas argues, ‘there is a promise of resurrection in the way the contours of the body dissolve and the limbs become pure, burning light’, the use of urine to illuminate Christ’s suffering also illuminates his resurrection. The juxtaposition of the profane and sacred offers a sense of transcendence; the ‘sacrilegious’ use of urine helps further identify him with the divine. ‘Piss Christ’ as an Aufhebung could therefore symbolise his suffering, death, and resurrection all at once. Before exploring the controversy surrounding ‘Piss Christ’, I will present the Marx quote which serves as the basis for my understanding of Aufhebung:

Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real

suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people. The [Aufhebung] of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness.6

Aufhebung is (i) a word used commonly in everyday German language e.g. Abonnement aufheben (aufheben being the verb component of the noun Aufhebung) means to ‘unsubscribe’ from something like a monthly telephone bill, and (ii) a complex philosophical term adopted by Marx from the broader framework of Hegelian Dialectics.7 Aufhebung means abolition, preservation, raising, overcoming; aufheben is to destroy, suspend, preserve, to uplift.8 Within Hegel’s triadic process (though one which was not specifically formulated in the following structure by Hegel himself) of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis,9 Aufhebung traditionally encapsulates the dialectical process through implication of the negation of a thesis, the preservation of valuable elements from both the thesis and antithesis, evolving to a transcendence towards a higher level of understanding or development.10 I am solely interested in Marx’s use of Aufhebung in relation to religion within the quote presented as it has nuance to be explored. Marx’s use of Aufhebung within this passage is regularly translated to ‘abolition’ in English, yet Aufhebung in the context of Marx takes on multiple divergent yet coalescent meanings. Marx was namely concerned with expressing the true content of religion: suffering. Marx wanted society to address its true suffering, that which came from capitalism, and not allow it to be merely numbed by religion. Marx did not want to abolish religion but transcend towards a society that formally addressed the root causes of its suffering and

alienation while preserving the humanitarian qualities present in the true teachings of Christianity. Aufhebung was thus meant as negation of the exploitation and alienation within Capitalism that is ideologically consoled through religion, preservation of the valuable elements of religion that reject greed and hyper-individualism, the embrace of human co-operation and empathy, and transcendence of the conditions bred by Capitalism that give rise to religious illusions.11

Aufhebung may have been frequently translated to ‘abolition’ in Marx’s religion/opium passage due to modern-day negative connotations to opium itself, since if religion is the opium of the people, this may imply to some that religion is an addictive substance and followers of religion are addicts looking for their next hit. However, this was not the connotation of opium that people of the 19th century held. Attitudes to opiates are very different now than they were in 1843 when the original passage was written.12 Opium was seen as an important drug, one which could treat many physical and mental ailments of varying severity as opposed to our modern understanding of the drug’s negative effects on the lives of people through addiction and misuse. Andrew M. McKinnon illuminates:

Such was [opium’s] importance as a medicine that in the first years of the 19th century, people would have understood “opium of the people” as something we could translate into the twentieth idiom as “penicillin” of the people. By the end of the century […] opium was aggressively demonised. It’s between these two periods that Marx penned opium as his metaphor for religion.13

Opium was first and foremost just a medicine, therefore its use as simply a recreational drug for enjoyment or through

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addiction by some and its use as genuine medicine prescribed by doctors to ‘cure diseases’ were ‘indistinguishable’ during this time.14 McKinnon adds that ‘it was a source of enormous profit (which also provoked protest and rebellion)’15, alluding to the profit made from opium rising alongside the worsening of working-class conditions with workers purchasing the drug from merchants to treat their own ailments from work-related injuries, sickness and mental stress. He closes, ‘finally, it was a source of ‘utopian’ visions’. 16 Opium itself can offer a mental and physical escape for those living in the distress of poor working-class conditions. It can rose tint the framework of capitalism’s corruption. Likewise, religion has a real purpose in helping relieve the pain of survival labour in a capitalist society with the vision of utopia that is promised in the afterlife. Your suffering is acknowledged in church. You are told that the greedy are sinful, that those who are in control of the insurmountable and unachievable wealth will not get into Heaven, but you will. Your desire to outrage against the hierarchy is satiated because of the promise of utopia in the afterlife, and you can choose to be docile with these soporific effects, or you can choose to protest against the suffering you’re experiencing because you’ve been made aware that the vision of utopia may be attainable were you not living in these circumstances. The opioid effects of both the drug itself and religious teachings can offer the same conclusion en masse: you do not have to continue suffering this way.

'Abolishment' is commonly used to translate Aufhebung for the reasons outlined, suggesting a desire for the eradication of religion. However, interpreting Marx's juxtaposition of religion with suffering and the perception

of the destructive effects of opiate addiction in the modern context, it becomes evident that he did not advocate the complete abolition of religion. Similarly, ‘Piss Christ’, which has often been perceived as calling for the destruction or desecration of Christianity, can be understood as a dynamic expression reflecting the evolving nature of Christianity and society, akin to the concept of Aufhebung in Marx's philosophy. ‘Piss Christ’ involves a dialectical engagement, encompassing negation, preservation, and transcendence. Rather than a mere rejection of Christianity, this artwork aims to transform the discourse surrounding it similar to Marx with religion.

Professor S. Brent Plate (Ph.D., M.Th.) adopts Walter Benjamin’s idea of a ‘constellation’17 from The Origins of German Tragic Drama to understand blasphemy:

It is a symbolic reference point made up of multiple, interconnecting points (stars). It’s a symbol that provides orientation. Just as ancient mariners navigated by the stars, constellations tell us where we are; astrologically speaking they also tell us who we are. The various stars that make up the constellation called blasphemy include idolatry, heresy, sacrilege, obscenity, infidelity, immorality, etc.18

Benjamin, in referencing historical materialism, was using constellations as a metaphor to challenge linear and teleological views of history. Plate is suggesting that acts of blasphemy, in challenging established beliefs, should be understood as points in a larger constellation of cultural dynamics. Artlike Serrano’s challenges prevailing narratives, fostering stellar connections and the possibility of alternative perspectives. As historical materialism should not be understood as linear progression, but as a complex

interplay of diverse moments and events, ‘Piss Christ’ ought not to be understood in dichotomous thinking, but as a complex and dialectical interplay of elements that both defy Christian tradition and simultaneously progress it. Using Benjamin’s passage, we can understand why Marx’s quote must be understood in the historical context it was written within, paying mind to the vastly differing mindsets surrounding opium at this time, but it also illuminates why it’s important to understand the historical context preceding ‘Piss Christ’ .

Carrie Doherty, 2024

A CRITIQUE OF POLITICAL ART THROUGH POLITICAL LANDSCAPES, CAPITAL, AND AESTHETIC

Keetah Konstant

Author bio

Keetah Konstant is a Scottish-South African artist. Her practice iscomprisedof painting, printmaking, drawing, and sculpture. Konstant’s work tends to be politically charged with a strong criticism of capitalism and the detrimental effects this can have on human life and the environment. More specifically, she is currently examining global exploitation and imperialism through the extraction of natural resources and its links with the costof-living crisis in the UK. Konstant always returns to a distinctive illustrative style, using dark and muted colours, and incorporating tongue-in-cheeksymbolism. Through her dissertation, she investigated how to improve progressive political art to create more material change. Konstant specifically aimed to analyse the way in which art behaves and exists within capitalism and the way in which economic interests can interfere with its political efficacy. In this way, her dissertation serves as a self-critique and a research document to inform her own practice. Through Konstant’s work, she strives to bridge the gap between the fine art world and grassroots community organising to encourage material change.

Instagram: @keets.art

Website: https://keetahk-art.co.uk/ Email address: keetahk.art@gmail.com

This dissertation aims to explore contemporary political art with frameworks provided by thinkers in aesthetics and politics, such as Walter Benjamin, Jacques Rancière, Pierre Bourdieu, Theodore W. Adorno, and Max Horkheimer. Additionally, it will take into consideration the influences of contemporary capitalism, and intersectional oppression. Through these methods, I will determine the factors that influence the ability to influence change, specifically focusing on factors that could mitigate that potential. I will use perspectives from various other fields of study, including the aims, research, and input of artists. Taking influence from words by Keith Haring and Ai Weiwei and works by artists such as El Lissitzky, Martha Rosler, and Gerard Sekoto, I will determine where artworks were more successful in achieving their aims and what negatively impacted those that were not. Impactful variables include capitalism, context, language, and media. The outcome of this research is intended as a consideration of the interplay between art and politics and how artists can ameliorate the impact of their art to closer align with their political aims, thus not only bringing forward new art movements but being able to work with and outside the traditional art world altogether. The findings include an exploration of how to work against and outside of systems that may create blockades between artists, activists, and the wider community, as well as taking valuable lessons from both epochs and individuals.

A Critique of Political Art through Political Landscapes, Capital, and Aesthetic

The following text forms an excerpt from Keetah Konstant’s 2024 art and philosophy dissertation, namely the section marked ‘Contemporary capitalism and art: Cultural Democracy in Art’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Keetah Konstant

CONTEMPORARY CAPITALISM AND ART: - CULTURAL

DEMOCRACY IN ART

Pierre Bourdieu believed that there are other forms of capital other than merely financial. He suggests that cultural, symbolic, and social capital all contribute to class systems and wealth divides in society (Huang, 2019, p.45) Bourdieu considered the interplay of all these forms. Cultural capital refers to knowledge, skills, and belongings which then reflect in behaviour, what Bourdieu refers to as ‘habitus’ (Huang, 2019, p.46). Social capital is the ability to have connections and networks within a group. Symbolic capital is simply the recognition of cultural, social, and financial capital which automatically adds a third dimension to an individual’s status. There are examples of cultural capital in the film, “Saltburn.” The main character, Oliver, while trying to fit in with a wealthy family, secretly teaches himself facts about some ceramics in the home, to gain favour with the father. This is how he is attempting to circumvent the preconceptions brought forward by his

economic class, and his lack of cultural capital in that space.

An original work of art is considered not only an asset but an investment. A similarity across many assets collected by the wealthy is that the original utility or goal of the object becomes irrelevant and instead its sole objective to the person or for-profit organisation that owns it is its monetary value. The value of a work of art is partly determined by the fame and notoriety an artist has gained (i.e. their symbolic capital). In this way, authorship and reputation heavily dictate an artwork's ability to generate wealth. Originals by unestablished artists have little to no monetary value despite being physically similar objects. The value can also be influenced by external economic interests, ‘Board members are both Wall Street and the regulators tasked with policing the institution they steward and their stewardship atthe same time” (Halperin, 2019). In this article, it isargued that there is a contradiction here considering investment portfolios often contain severe ethical problems, and reconciling this with ethical, representational, and politically effective museum curation is impossible unless there is a separation between funding and governance. Helen Gorrill argues in Women Can’t Paint that ‘the symbolic capital value of an artist’s inclusion within the museum collection can be said to significantly impact upon the economic value of an artist’s work” (Gørrill, 2020, p75). This is reflected in financial capital too, ‘Tate director Alan Bowness observes that “it is only the museum artists whose work begins to rise to exceptional prices’” (Gørrill, 2020, p78). Therefore, the whims of board members of museums not only dictate what is viewed by the public but also dictates the financial status of the artists themselves. This completely undermines the

ideals of equality outwardly professed by arts institutions, and the goal of having donation-based galleries. Workingclass artists are affected profoundly, ‘..I found it odd that nobody had asked me about the difficulties my social class presents, which, when intersected with other factors, has certainly been the biggest obstacle I have faced” (Mahfouz, 2019). Working-class artists face exclusion based on geographical location, as well as access to connections, time, and resources to build their practice. Working-class people, artists, and viewers alike have been priced out of London, which, in turn, impacts their Tate inclusion (Gørrill, 2020, p.94).

In the essay ‘For Cultural Democracy: A Critique of Elitism in Art Education’ by Robert Berrson, he argues that Art education should strive for the concept of Cultural Democracy, ‘Cultural Democracy equates with equality of opportunity for all persons, classes, and groups to create, study, and enjoy the arts’ (Berrson, 1983, p.29). Berrson argues that the Reagan administration, though Iwould apply this concept to the capitalist art establishment more widely, would have made their decisions based on the fear of allowing marginalised people and particularly workers to share their experiences (Berrson, 1983, p.94). According to the paper ‘SocialClass,Taste and Inequalities in theCreative Industries’ by the project ‘Panic!’, workers from ethnic minority backgrounds in music, performing, and visual arts made up 4.8% and working-class workers made up 18.2%. (Brook et al., 2018, p.12) In this way, capitalism can often influence and interact with art alongside sociological issues such as racism, patriarchy, and other forms of historic and current oppression. There is a slow improvement with a more diverse group of artists being included in galleries like

the Tate (Tate, Black identities and art). However, this is often tokenistic and not reflective of real intersectional approaches to equality in art. If true equality was to be achieved, museums like the Tate would not have to draw attention to it through performative press releases. (Gørrill, 2020, p.75). These trends mitigate the potential for the art world itself to be more egalitarian, which in turn, reflects its impact on wider society.

How we talk about art

Language is crucial in how political landscapes change. The communication of ideas and the experiences of others is fundamental to furthering understanding and empathy between groups of people. ‘Artspeak’ is often used in fine art spaces to describe the way successful and renowned artists often use overly difficult vocabulary and academic language to talk about their work. This is a double-edged sword considering some of the concepts being explored through their artwork may necessitate this language, but equally, it may make the work inaccessible to large groups of people. This creates a culture around fine art that many would call elitist, given that the vocabulary needed is a form of cultural capital in and of itself. The ability to parse descriptions and understand them automatically grants someone a sense of belonging and therefore access to further forms of capital such as social or even financial if their career benefits from it. This use of language does a disservice to political art as it excludes people, and this results in a failure in communication between artists and the public. Lunchtime Gallery in Glasgow attempts to drive against this and create a space that does not intimidate and

instead allows for connection and learning. This is an important part of grassroots arts spaces.

The Otolith Group, a London-based art collective I encountered recently uses incredibly academic language to discuss their work and themes. During a talk of theirs I attended, a common knee-jerk reaction in the audience was that of indignancy and disappointment. It does create an environment of exclusivity whereby an audience member may either feel as though they are not intellectual enough to understand art, or they may draw the conclusion that the art world is deceptive and pointless, leading them to disengage with it. A frequent defence of this is artists saying that they refuse to be patronising to art viewers, but this excuse lacks nuance. If the purpose of a political artwork in this space is to impact the psyche of the viewer, leading to shifts in awareness or beliefs, inaccessibility through language means that it fails in this. Artspeak or International Art English was shaped by 20th-century theorists, including Foucault and Adorno. Their concepts necessitated this language at the time (Artspeak, International Art English, and how to avoid sounding like a pompus art snob, 2024). But these traditions in language are arguably less relevant now. The goal of all artists, but especially political artists (given the universality of their subject material) should be to ensure they are not intentionally alienating to others, despite often having to describe complex themes.There is no reason why artshould not be for everyone.

Pushing back against the culture industry

Walter Benjamin’s essay, ‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’ is relevant to the relationship

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between politics and aesthetics considering he was a Jewish Marxist who wrote specifically on shifts in art within wider political contexts while living through the Nazi regime. Benjamin suggests that, due to the discovery of film and photography, art is losing its ‘aura’ which can only exist with a work of art’s physical proximity to the viewer, its uniqueness and individuality in space and time (Benjamin et al., 2008, p.22). The aura is, for Benjamin, a type of magic that is removed when a piece of art becomes a reproduction. It is worth mentioning, however, that the loss of the aura was notsolely something negativeforBenjamin.Mechanical reproducibility in art meant that art was more accessible to the average person (Benjamin et al., 2008, p.5). He appreciated the potential this held for the dissemination of revolutionary ideas within a population. However, the loss of the aura did not have the positive political effect Benjamin had hoped. In contrast, the aura is important to the monetary value of a work of art in the fine art world. As discussed earlier, originals are worth significantly more than reproductions.

His philosophical successors Adorno and Horkheimer argued that in the United States, reproducibility was used to maximise efficiency and therefore profit, due to the commodification of reproduced objects. They referred to this as the ‘Culture Industry.’ The mechanism for this, according to Adorno and Horkheimer is the mass production, and mass consumption of media in capitalist countries produced in service of distracting populations through mindless entertainment. They wrote that almost all media, film, radio, and indeed art had reached a level of standardisation (Horkheimer & Adorno, 2001, p.128) meaning the function of these cultural objects served only

to dull the senses and distract from dissatisfaction in the population. The other objective of this ‘sameness’ is the profit that results from maximising efficiency. These theorists suggest that art is being treated the same as all other industries under capitalism. About movies and radio, they wrote, ‘They call themselves industries; and when their directors’ incomes are published, any doubt about the utility of the finished products is removed’ (Horkheimer & Adorno, 2001, p.11). They argued that the reason for political complacency and opposition to revolution is the continued passivity created by the endless consumerism orchestrated by the culture industry.

All this to say that capitalism has been able to place a financial value on both art that sustains the aura and that which does not (Horkheimer & Adorno, 2001, p.152).

‘Low’ and ‘High’ Art

What I refer to as high art, a part of high culture, represents wealth, and champions intellectualism and aesthetic value. Low art is often considered amateur yet expresses a deeper level of politicisation and emotion. Both, in their purest form, involve artisanship, though low art tends to be more reproducible. Under the conditions of the culture industry, both are commodified in different ways and their value is measured by what they can do as a commodity. Some low art movements act as a response to the commodification of art and instead get co-opted into the culture industry itself, dampening their ethos.

Street art is quite often free from both, sustains its aura and resists reproducibility yet is not commodified. This gives it real potential as a political medium, and it is why

radical political sentiments are often common within graffiti movements. However, street artist Banksy has not been immune to the commercialisation and commodification of his work. The way he has reached a level of popularity with the wealthy, and quite often the same people who would be in favour of arresting graffiti artists means that he does a disservice to the spirit of graffiti and historic street art in its most basic sense. He is now a household name with soldout exhibitions and products. With the help of Pia Klemp, a German sea watch captain, Banksy sent a rescue boat to enable Libyan refugees to cross the Mediterranean safely. He wrote in an email to Klemp, “I am an artist from the UK, and I’ve made some work about the migrant crisis. Obviously, I can’t keep the money. Could you use it to buy a new boat or something?” (Waddoups, 2020) Whilst many have criticised Banksy for his arguable co-option into the culture industry, there is something to be learned from his simple acknowledgment that the main purpose of politically charged art should be in favour of improving human life. Although political art should never be about generating wealth, this act could be read as engaging in a level of wealth distribution, thereby attempting to mitigate the part he is playing in the commodification of art. However, this could be interpreted as white saviourism, and I would argue it is the bare minimum. We should hold celebrity political artists like Banksy to a higher standard.

Çeta, a group of Albanian street artists use their work to convey anti-capitalist messaging. Just like Bansky at the start of his career, they use anonymity to avoid persecution. Anonymity may be also frequently used to avoid playing a part in the culture industry and has possible benefits to the democratisation of political artistic messaging. ‘We can

easily imagine a culture where discourse would circulate without any need for an author. Discourses, whatever their status, form, or value, and regardless of our manner of handling them, would unfold in a pervasive anonymity’ (Foucault, 1979, p.28). Although Michel Foucault himself admits in ‘What is an Author?’ that he should have looked at the function of the author with a wider lens, thus including artists as authors, his ideas are still relevant to the discussion ofanonymity inart. Graffiti culture exists,forthe most part, within this ideal of ‘pervasive anonymity’ where both Banksy and Çeta originate. However, they both have authorship over their work to gain credibility in a world that is not tolerant of graffiti in its traditional sense. Their attempts to separate the artist names from their identities may be an attempt to utilise their author names purely as specific identifiers without the idolisation of the individual. Personal anonymity means it is less likely that artists are celebritised, normalised, and therefore have their political messaging diluted. This is what happened to Banksy’s authorship, despite his anonymity. On the other hand, Çeta remains an underground group not known globally. The lack of reach means their work can only have a certain level of impact. Therefore, anonymity can have varying results in terms of efficacy against the pervasive political narratives the artists are aiming to challenge. Many artists who start with strong political beliefs and firm goals to make a difference can easily be absorbed into the culture industry through financial success. This can even happen after the artist’s death and even against their wishes. Famous pieces by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring have been used in collaborations with high street shops such as Primark and H&M. Basquiat used imagery that was

widely interpreted to be a critique of consumerism and in this way, the products contradict themselves. Although Haring was broadly supportive of Benjamin’s notion of accessibility of art through reproducibility, seen through Pop Shop and his slogan ‘Art is for everybody’ (Cited from Keith Haring: Art is for everybody: The broad, 2023). While this may suggest he would be in favour of his merch being sold, he did hold anti-consumerist sentiments, ‘“I could earn more money if I just painted a few things and jacked up the price. My shop is an extension of what I was doing in the subway stations, breaking down the barriers between high and low art,” said Haring. The Pop Shops were a way of “taking artoffthe pedestal. I’m giving it back tothe people”’ (Cited from The Buyer's Guide to Keith Haring). Ironically, I accessed these quotes from a website designed to inform art collectors about their potential investments, something Haring did not want his art to do. This behaviour is not dissimilar to that of fast fashion brands, even if the profiteering mechanism is different. This too was argued by Adorno and Horkheimer, ‘under monopoly all mass culture is identical, and the lines of its artificial framework begin to show through. The people at the top are no longer so interested in concealing monopoly: as its violence becomes more open, so its power grows’ (Horkheimer & Adorno, 2001, p.121).

Reactions From the Powerful

The fine art establishment succeeds in creating a gap between the political messaging and the people who have the potential to be politically mobilised by it. Many artists have the goal to challenge the status quo, provide new

perspectives, and hope to draw attention to issues in society. This aim is less easily achieved when the system an artist is operating within is the same one, they wish to critique. This is shown either through censorship or criminalisation of art, for example, two members of the Russian Punk group, Pussy Riot were arrested on the charge of hosting a protest in a cathedral. Their sentence was in response to their overt stanceagainst Putin, according to his opposition. One of the members of the group stated, “Our imprisonment serves as a clear and unambiguous sign that freedom is being taken away from the entire country" (cited from ‘Pussy riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism’, 2012). According to artist Ai Weiwei (2021):

Political and cultural discourses are dominated by the need to make profits ... A complete system has been formed, spanning from the shaping of aesthetics under these conditions, through cultural education, art criticism and the curatorial processes of galleries and museums, to artworks’ eventual entry into the narrative of Western art history. This system reflects the values and aesthetic tendencies of capitalism in every respect.

Diego Rivera, a Mexican political artist, and communist became world-renowned during the 20th century. Whilst he was extremely successful and well-liked in the Western world, he was not immune to censorship. In 1932 he was commissioned by the Rockefeller family to create a mural fresco in the Rockefeller Centre. However, his work was plastered over despite protest and outcry due to the fact he had depictedVladimir Lenin in the work (Wolfe, 2022). This was too controversial because of the widespread anticommunist sentiment in the United States at the time. This is an example of an artwork that deeply challenged the

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comfort of the capitalist status quo at the time of its creation but did not threaten the system itself in any meaningful way. This is further evidenced by the fact that the reproduction stands untouched in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Whilst Rivera is beloved in Mexico, it is still a country governed by capitalism, so it is worth enquiring why the reaction to the reproduced artwork is not the same. Possible factors are temporality, mortality, and historical context. Mexico was not as embroiled in the Cold War as the United States was and was not a victim of the level of McCarthyism present in the US. The fact that the USSR has fallen and is now a part of history, and the fact that Rivera is memorialised may also create the impression that communist ideas are less dangerous to capitalist countries than they used to be since they are considered by most to be firmly historical. A pervasive attitude is that it cannot be applied to the problems faced now.

Medu Art Ensemble was also instrumental in using arts and culture to stand up to the apartheid state. They utilised printmaking, posters, and other forms of ‘low art.’ to spread their message. At a conference in Gaborone, they stated, ‘Culture is a weapon of Struggle’ (cited from Seidman, 2022). They were targeted for their activism, ‘On 4 June 1985 the South African military targeted Medu members in Botswana in a cross-border raid. They killed 14 people and destroyed the art-making collective’ (Seidman, 2022).

When art is repressed and responded to violently from those it aims to challenge, it is an indication that it has the potential to succeed in what it sets out to achieve. There is no other reason resources would be put into curbing it.

Importantly, this tells us that if we upset those in power, we’re doing something right.

Keetah Konstant, 2024

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EATING ART, DIGESTING POLITICS: REPRESENTING THE BODY POLITIC THROUGH THE EDIBLE AND POSTEDIBLE IN CONTEMPORARY ART

Rowan Roscher

Author bio

Iam a Scottish artist graduating from Art and Philosophy BA (Hons) at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. My art practice plays with the porous, holey nature of bodies to express the inter and intra-connections between people, food, environment, and body politics. I view bodies as the sites of the most intimate conflicts and desires.

Working across many mediums, my work combines ceramics, sculpture, moving image, photography, and food in lively installations of bodily forms and visceral material. I work from philosophical and fictional inspiration, with a particular interest in post-human, feminist, and food-based philosophies to explore my own bodily anxieties, curiosities, and insecurities, which I hope others can relate to.

I am excited by materials that can perform symbolic transmutations, whether that be clay, or even jelly, in place of flesh, blurring the boundaries between the ‘self’ and the ‘other’. Using pottery, openings, and vessels play a role in my work as carriers of meaning and as domestic forms suggesting bodily insides and outsides. Interactions of the corporeal and the digital contest the disembodiment of virtual reality and the idea of an online ‘space’ without touch, taste, and smell. I am fascinated by the political and visceral implications of food as material and thinking through eating.

Contact details: rowan1florence@gmail.com Instagram: rowan.roscher.art

This dissertation examines the ways contemporary artists are using food to represent a more inclusive ‘body politic’: to visualise how people in society are interconnected, and question accepted modes of thinking about bodies.

I use the frontispiece of Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan (1651) as a key image of the metaphorical ‘body politic’ which is metaphysically involved in the liberal ideals of individualism and the disembodied political subject, as addressed by political scientist Chad Lavin in Eating Anxiety: The Perils of Food Politics (2013). I expand Lavin’s discussion through Julia Kristeva’s theories of food abjection in Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection (1980) to analyse the visual and visceral impacts of the edible (food) and the post-edible (the eaten, digested, or decayed) in three contemporary artworks by Sharona Franklin, Helena Walsh, and Helen Chadwick.

I provide a visual analysis of the frontispiece to examine how this image sterilised the ‘body politic’ and discuss ‘the politics of disgust’ in terms of the abject. I then analyse ‘Mycoplasma Altar’ (2020) by Sharona Franklin which illustrates the relationships between food-sharing and vulnerability in terms of trans-corporeality and conviviality. Through discussions of Helena Walsh’s placenta-eating performance, ‘Consuming Colonies’ (2007), I examine ideas of embodiment through a feminist lens. Helen Chadwick’s vertical compost heap ‘Carcass’ (1986) culminates my discussion in its explosive celebration of the natural vulnerability of human life.

I conclude with a reflection on how these artworks call for the recognition of the right to vulnerability in liberal politics, and highlight the value of food as a medium in political art.

Eating Art, Digesting Politics: Representing the Body Politic through the Edible and Post-Edible in Contemporary Art

The following text forms an excerpt from Rowan Roscher’s 2024 art and philosophy dissertation, namely the section marked ‘Jelly, Vulnerability and Conviviality in Sharona Franklin’s Mycoplasma Altar’ (2020). To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Rowan Roscher

JELLY, VULNERABILITY AND CONVIVIALITY IN SHARONA FRANKLIN’S MYCOPLASMA ALTAR (2020)

The saying ‘Turning to jelly’describes bodily weakness in the face of fear. ‘Mycoplasma Altar’ (2020) by Canadian artist Sharona Franklin, is a large-scale gelatine sculpture that makes physical this metaphor, to illustrate the artist’s own experiences of living with disability. As a centrepiece to her exhibition New Psychedelia of Industrial Healing (2020), in King’s Leap Gallery, New York, ‘Mycoplasma Altar’ rises as a blobby, organic-shaped tower upon a silver pedestal. Suspended within the wibbling, yellow, translucent body are a variety of objects, including food, plants, and medicines: symbolic ‘survival tools’ for Franklin, who lives with several disabilities and chronic illnesses.8 Franklin uses techniques associated with domesticity, including ceramics and patchwork, but is most

8 Sharona Franklin, ‘Interview: Artist Sharona Franklin On The Politics Of Gelatine & Therapeutic Memes’, interviewed by Something Curated, 4th May 2020 <https://somethingcurated.com/2020/05/04/interviewartist-sharona-franklin-on-the-politics-of-gelatine-therapeuticmemes/> [accessed 9th November 2023].

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known for her medicinal Jell-O sculptures. These various ‘meditative assemblages’ highlight the intersections of her treatments and domestic life, especially through food. In an interview with Something Curated about New Psychedelia of Industrial Healing Franklin explains the importance of the edible in her work:

It’s super important that my sculptures are edible because I began working with gelatine as an ingested medicinal treatment… Domestic materials are important to me in that I’ve always created work near or close to my bed or kitchen. My treatments are held in the fridge, as are the gelatines.9

Not only does Franklin’s use of gelatine/jelly provide an interesting visual metaphor, but gelatine, being rich in protein as it is derived from animal bones, also acts as a medicinal treatment. The edible components within the jelly body include expired pills, syringes, flowers related to herbal remedies, and more everyday foodstuffs like beans, juniper berries and sunflower seeds. Franklin’s use of the edible not only includes ‘food’ butconsidersa wider scope,where food and medicine overlap. In ‘Intimacy Between Disabled People and Assistive Technology’, Leilan Mei Yin Wong10 considers Franklin’s work as an exploration of the ‘transcorporeality’ of disabled life. This term is defined by Stacy

9 Ibid. para. 13 of 16.

10 Leilan Mai Yin Wong, Ventilators, and Gelatin as Disabled Assemblage : Reimagining the Intimacy between Disabled People and Assistive Technology, (Canada: University of British Columbia, 2022) <https://open.library.ubc.ca/soa/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/it ems/1.0412949> [accessed 8th November 2022].

Alaimo in The Post-Human Glossary as the recognition that all ‘embodied beings are intrinsically intermeshed with the dynamic, material world, which crosses through them, transforms them, and is transformed by them’ . 11 These intersections are made visible by the combination of medicine, food, and body inside the Mycoplasma’s Altar’s translucent flesh.

Another key aspect of this work, hinted at by the dripping form of the pedestal, is the fact that it was left to naturally decompose during six months in the gallery. Gradually rotting, moulding, warping, and leaking onto the gallery floor, OFLUXO describes this process as ‘ an opportunity to witness the physical ramifications of [the] organic degeneration’.12 of the artist’s body. The result of this is an abject visualisation of the idea of ‘turning to jelly’ which associates weakness with the effects of illness. Leilan Mai Yin Wong also discusses Wendy Wall’s ‘Shakesperean Jello: Mortality and Malleability in the Kitchen’, in relation to Franklin’s work. Wall describes jelly as an ‘almost alive substance defying categories’ . 13 Wall relates this confusing

11 Stacy Alaimo, Trans-corporeality (2018), p. 1, <https://www.academia.edu/32205792/Alaimo_Trans_corporeality_f or_The_Posthuman_Glossary > [accessed 15th December 2023].

12New Psychedelia of Industrial Healing (2020), OFLUXO Online Platform for Contemporary Art <‘New Psychedelia of Industrial Healing’ by Sharona Franklin at King’s Leap, New York – OFLUXO > [accessed 22nd November 2023].

13 Wendy Wall, ‘Shakesperean Jello: Mortality and Malleability in the Kitchen’, cited in Leilan Mai Yin Wong, Ventilators, and Gelatin as Disabled Assemblage : Reimagining the Intimacy between Disabled People and Assistive Technology, (Canada: University of British Columbia, 2022), p. 45

<https://open.library.ubc.ca/soa/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/it ems/1.0412949> [accessed 8th November 2022].

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quality of the translucent wobbliness of jelly to phrases in Shakespearean texts, where the substance was used to describe fear and shock (‘Gelatin was the thing that you actually might transform into when scared out of your wits…A person could literally turn to “jelly”’).14 The ambiguous, animate, yet unstable nature of the jelly body further provokes abjection in its uncanny corporeality. Through decay the jelly becomes ‘post-edible’ – an abject state which Julia Kristeva relates to illness in Powers of Horror as a threat to the clean and proper body:

Excrement and its equivalents (decay, infection, disease, corpse, etc.) stand for the danger to identity that comes from within: the ego threatened by the non-ego, society threatened by its outside, life by death.15

Kristeva compares the decay of food to the decay of the body through illness. She examines the discriminatory nature of this abjection in her essay ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity… and Vulnerability’, referring to the abjection aroused by ill or disabled bodies as causing a narcissistic identity wound in the person who is not disabled; he inflicts a threat of physical or psychical death, fear of collapse’ . 16

However, jelly also holds connotations of celebration, especially in the placement of Franklin’s jelly on pedestal. For Franklin, the edible nature of her work is important in

14 Ibid. p. 45.

15 Kristeva, Powers of Horror, p. 71.

16 Julia Kristeva, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and . . . Vulnerability” (2012), cited in Josh Dohmen, ‘ Disability as Abject: Kristeva, Disability, and Resistance’ Hypatia, 31, (2016), 762-778 (p. 763) <https://www.jstor.org/stable/44076536> [accessed 8th November 2023].

exploring the social relationships of eating in terms of ‘conviviality’: ‘the social relationship food offers when eaten together’ . 17 Conviviality is etymologically connected to food - the Latin “convivium” meaning “banquet”, suggesting “fullbellied joviality”. 18 To think food trans-corporeally considers an intrinsic conviviality of all living things, all eating together. The fact that Franklin has created a large celebratory jelly, but left it to decompose in the gallery, highlights the exclusion of disabled people from these social relationships of food, whether due to specific diet, fatigue, or social exclusion/isolation. In this way, ‘Mycoplasma Altar’ thus calls fora needto share food, as a means of social inclusivity.

Julia Kristeva describes an interesting type of sharing concerning vulnerability in ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity… and Vulnerability’. Here she suggests an expansion of the motto “Liberté, Equalité, Fraternité”, which are the key principles of the French Republic that first appeared in the 17th century as concepts of The Enlightenment.19 These concepts underlined the fundamental values of democratic life, expressing the right of the individual to live freely, be treated equally under law, and live in solidarity. However,

17 Sharona Franklin, ‘Interview: Artist Sharona Franklin On The Politics Of Gelatine & Therapeutic Memes’, interviewed by Something Curated, 4th May 2020 <https://somethingcurated.com/2020/05/04/interviewartist-sharona-franklin-on-the-politics-of-gelatine-therapeuticmemes/> [accessed 9th November 2023].“

18 ‘Convivial’, in Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convivial> [accessed 7th January 2024].

19Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (2022), Elysee France < https://www.elysee.fr/en/french-presidency/liberty-equality-fraternity > [accessed 30th December 2023].

Kristeva argues for the addition of vulnerability to this motto:

By adding a fourth term (vulnerability) to the humanism inherited from the Enlightenment (liberty, equality, fraternity), analytic listening inflects these three toward a concern for sharing, in which, and thanks to which, desire and its twin, suffering, make their way toward a constant renewal of the self, the other, and connection.20

Kristeva does not suggest the abandonment of these traditional ideals but rather argues for a need for sharing which can be promoted by the addition of vulnerability to challenge the abject otherness of disability. She discusses this in terms of the French verb partager which is oversimplified in English translation as ‘to share’ but has connotations in French of both sharing and division:

The term “partager” has several senses that imply connecting and several that imply division. It is as if the English “to share” had both of its senses: “to have the same as” as in “I share your view” or “I share your pain” or “to share a meal,” as well as the sense of “to share out” or “to divide up and divvy out…21

20 Kristeva, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and . . . Vulnerability” (2012), cited in Dohmen, ‘ Disability as Abject: Kristeva, Disability, and Resistance’, p. 763.

21 Julia Kristeva, “A Mediation, A Political Act, An Act of Living” (2009), in Kelly Oliver, S. K. Keltner. Psychoanalysis, Aesthetics, and Politics in the Work of Julia Kristeva, (New York: SUNY Press: 2009) 1927 (p. 27),

<https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&A N=281666&authtype=shib&site=ehost-live&scope=site > [accessed January 6th 2024].

Kristeva harnesses the dual meaning to convey a dialectical relationship: “sharing the unsharable” between disabled and non-disabled subjects.22 A sharing which still recognises the singularity of the individual whilst promoting a coming together through interaction. In Disability as Abject: Kristeva, Disability, and Resistance, Josh Dohmen examines Kristeva’s idea of sharing as a “political link” to overcome the separation between people caused by the politics of disgust. He examines Kristeva’s essay as calling for an “intimate revolt” against the abject, where ‘interactions with others or art will be opportunities for working through narcissistic defences as much as psychoanalytic sessions might be’” . 23 In this way he reads her idea as a way to restructure the unconscious abjection to disability through interpersonal interactions in which vulnerability is intimately shared, such as through engagement with the work of disabled activists and artists.24

It is important to note that Kristeva’s discussion refers to “humanism”, however I would like to expand her idea’s vulnerability to a trans-corporeal mode of thinking. Stacy Alaimo directly associates trans-corporeality to the body politics of disability, feminism, and racism in how the systematic objectification of these groups is challenged by undoings of the boundaries between bodies, place, and

22 "to take part in particularity beyond the separation that imposes our destiny on us, to participate without forgetting that each is 'its own part' (chaucun est 'à part'), in order to recognize 'its' unsharable part (sa part l’impartageable)", Kristeva, “A Mediation, A Political Act, An Act of Living” (2009), cited in Dohmen, ‘ Disability as Abject: Kristeva, Disability, and Resistance’, p. 763.

23 Ibid. p. 775.

24 Ibid. p. 775.

other matter.25 In this sense, transcorporeality directly challenges the detachment, hierarchies, and exceptionalism of philosophical traditions of mind body dualism, and thus Hobbes’ sterilised imagery.26 Franklin’s treatment of domestic objects, medicine, flesh, and food, trans-mutated into an uncanny jelly body which then decomposes, returning to earth, is thus directly opposed to Hobbes’ sterilised body politic. Hence, it compares the vulnerability of food in its decay to the artist’s vulnerable body but presents a bridge to share this vulnerability through the idea of food-sharing.

Where Hobbes’ image of the Leviathan is reflective of the ideals of ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’ in its focus on sovereignty, I believe that Mycoplasma Altar promotes the sharing of vulnerability which Kristeva discusses. Medicine and healing are not aspects depicted in Hobbes’ frontispiece, whilst weapons of war, and other symbols of power such as the crown and mitre are present. Indeed, as Lavin describes “the very idea of disability (…) is predicated on the ideal of sovereign, fully abled, Platonic individuality that continues to animate thinking about selves and politics despite its manifest unrealisability”. 27 ‘Mycoplasma Altar’ deconstructs this idea through depicting a trans-corporeal conviviality. Through her use of edible materials, Franklin harnesses the abject as a tool to create an intimate depiction of her body in all its interdependent vulnerabilities. Franklin’s ideas of food sharing highlight the need for vulnerability to be shared,calling forth a convivial and transcorporeal ‘body politic’. Where Hobbes’ image of the

25 Alaimo, Trans-corporeality (2018), p. 2.

26 Ibid. p. 2.

27 Lavin, Eating Anxiety, p. 143.

Leviathan tries to protect the vulnerability of the body through drawing boundaries which separates and hides vulnerability, Sharona Franklin serves her vulnerability on a silver platter, calling that it be shared.

Rowan Roscher, 2024

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

HOW TO MAKE A PLACE FOR THE ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER?

COMMUNITY INTERVENTIONS: FROM ENVIRONMENT, THROUGH INSTITUTION, TO COMPANION

SPECIES

Robyn Scanlan

Author bio

My artworks consist of installations of sculpture, sound and text, that usually include a living or transient element. I like to use domestic and found objects and everyday situations to narrate stories or embody a problem. In our ever-growing online reality, I feel our relationship with objects can help or hinder how we figure out how to navigate our time on this planet. Part of my own navigation as artist-philosopher is through my research, which is often ethnographic in nature. I like to look for gaps within my local communities needs and through relationship building and consultation seek sustainable ways to have these needs met.

My practice also explores the borders of the body, territories we humans have no control over. I like to find explanations for things both seen and unseen through research in areas such as philosophy and science. Balancing this with my natural intuitions means that human and nonhuman senses and realities feature heavily in my work.

I like to draw attention to the idea of the nature culture divide and explore how human interventions and culture are part of nature and highlight the struggles and impermanence of human’s and our companion's species condition. George Caffentzis stated ‘...ideas don’t come from a light-bulb moment in someone's head, they come from struggles’. It is within these shared struggles within my community that my social art practice emerges - I aim to support growing practices,education,and the artswithin my local community.

Contact details: Dundee@cityflowersgardenstudio.org robynescanlan@hotmail.co.uk Instagram: @robynelizabethscanlan_art and cityflowers_gardenstudio

Abstract

This paper will contribute to a modern understanding of what ‘community’ means and discuss the discord between community and institutions in the urban city. It will also discuss the idea of lifework, as seen through the eyes of artist and will argue that the artist-philosopher should have a place in society as a social pedagogue, enabling them to bridge the gaps created through city planning and city constitutions and fit into existing frameworks, between 1st and 3rd sector and liaise with institutions and advocate on communities, group and individuals behalf with the support of ‘grounds people’ or civics. It will also discuss the need in urban cities for city planners across all disciplines to look at a new universal value based eco-centric framework that influences their work. I urge that they incorporate more personal philosophies of their own, instead of adopting those ideas of other from centuries ago, that relate site-specific engagement make their work their life-work, and I urge that they work in partnership with others to design new tools, such as ones I will propose in this essay, a community ‘toolbox for our future’ that grows and changes with the cities and communities alive today. And to step away from misplaced urban devices that result in stigma and alienation of certain parts of a city, and erasures of the built environment: destroying a sense of place, belonging and mental and physical health of communities due to not

conserving and gently mending the fabric that already exists within our built environment.

How to Make a Place

for

the

ArtistPhilosopher? Community interventions: from Environment, through Institution, to Companion

Species

The following text forms an excerpt from Robyn Scanlan’s 2024 art and philosophy dissertation, namely the section marked Part 3, ‘Making a place for the artist-philosopher’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Robyn Scanlan

MAKING A PLACE FOR THE ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER

‘’Staying

with the trouble’’

As a female working class artist-philosopher, I have come across many barriers throughout my lifework, I have had to embrace staying with the trouble within my home life, my community and as an individual artist-philosopher who is not part of or supported by an institution out-with the university. Even the space made available to artists by the council is often unsafe, cold, damp, asbestos ridden, full of chemicals - and it made me think about how dangerous and unsafe the life-work of an artist is for them and their future offspring (Murphey, 2013). Why as artists are we expected to live and work in such places, when other disciplines or roles within society are not? Due to this lack of space, artists and their families are forced into carrying out their work in unfit spaces or taking their art materials home introducing microscopic hazards into the home, dust from ceramics,chemicals from glazes, and wood dust and heavy metals from jewellery design. This same abandonment has also affected our companion species, who just squat in places until they are demolished or

redetermined, then they become homeless again and they are also subject to the same chemical interactions from factories, garages, and other industries nearby their temporary makeshift homes.

Whilst working from home one day a bird who had lived in the abandoned building across the road appeared on my window box, as it had been getting renovated and she had been evicted. I imagined how dirty the conditions must have been in there, so I left her to stay in the window box as I felt her plight. This made me think about latency (Murphey, 2013) - the past arriving to affect our reproductive future, the cities we build, and the buildings we are forced to inhabit or places such as those undesirable, built up areas far from green spaces. I worried about the materials they are made from, and where these materials hail from. I thought about how housing and considered that where we do our life work impacts us females in our childrearing and overall reproduction. Our cities should accommodate for this in their planning whether that we social or environmental or other types of planning (Murphey, 2013).

Local birds in Dundee (2023)

I empathised with her, and other birds who were victim to this ‘paleotechnic inferno’ and her rubbish nest she had made, it's all she and her partner could provide, perhaps urban pigeons used to make nests that were good, but they simply adapted to the lack of materials in their environment or lost the knack due to the amount of abandoned buildings they could live in. Despite how flimsy it was, they worked together so tenderly building it. One day there was an egg,

and she sat for a while, but left to get food. She spent a lot of time getting food, when she returned her egg had been stolen, she sat there looking at me and I looked at her, I hoped she did not think it was me, who stole her egg. I like to think that she knew my pain, mother to mother, losing a child due to the environment you live in. Who knew you can have so much in common with a pigeon, this is why Harraway calls them our ‘companion species’ (Harraway, 2023) when there is no one there to relate to or to ground you when life gets complicated. What should we all do as a ‘community’ of differing species when we run out of space or resources? We adapt, we support and make room for one another, and we most importantly must have empathy. Sometimes we will make mistakes that impact our reproduction, and ability to look after the next generation but those who are being paid to manage our resources must start being more transparent about our city's shortcomings so we can work in partnership to put into action a recovery plan.

‘Staying with the trouble’, as Harraway emphasises, is hard when it may impact on your wellbeing or your families. I agree with the idea of lifework - it's a vocation. After a traumatic event happened such as my daughter getting environmental cancer, I was concerned about whether I should stay in the area or leave. Part of me can't afford to leave, I am working class, and part of me does not want to after finally falling in love with the community, the social narrative of the place. I love the idea of it changing and women that bring the community together and other changemakers within it at the Hilltown community garden, its closeness to town, the Maxwell centre and now the Hilltown community campus where I volunteer with the

local school eco group and hold community workshops. I would love my son to grow up in the same house as his sister, I want to be able to walk with him to school, then walk to my jobs and university from my home. A feeling of uneasiness lives with me, this propels me forward to find the source of my daughters and her hospital friends' terminal illness- this is the only way I can justify staying with this physical and mental trouble, if I was not leaving something had to change outside. I can't change things for my daughter, or myself but I can for future generations and to do this we need to start viewing ourselves as not being separate from our environment, yes, we have skins and bone, but we inhale and exhale, we absorb, we are porous, we ingest our environment we need to start seeing our bodily environment as one and the same as the invisible space around us.

I was interested in Katie Philips, student architect at the time of her writing her journal, The city as Social Field/Hilltown Enclave and her optimistic view of the Hilltown, which is the opposite of how I felt about the Hilltown then due to the space’s negative impact on my daughter’s health. I still swing dramatically between two views of the this place I'vefound myself in forover ten years now, much like the ‘peleotechnic inferno’ Geddes describes, male, economic, wealth, private profit, violent in nature to a ‘neotechnic eutopia’ I felt I had in my childhood that favours health, the feminine, citizenship, and it is accessible, social pedagogical in nature.

Family Photo-Spinal scar from emergency cancer surgery (2018)

There is an image in Phillips Journal which shows the ‘’Hilltown's line of life’’ or ‘Hillton spine’ as it called in Dundee city council literature, it belongs to Katie Philips, architect student at the time of writing,. She based it on the idea of the ‘Line of life’ that can be found in cities and communities and used this in her re-generation proposals for the area. It reminded me of a different kind of lifeline, but still one of reconfiguration, of urgency and of haphazardly trying to fix the things that have come before it. It reminded me of conservational surgery of cities that Geddes promotes. This contrasts beautifully with another supposed lifeline, that reminded me of the Hilltown spine, which was my daughter's scar from her life delaying surgery on her crumbling spine, the result of an attempt to right the impact of her own body - the impact of rushed urban planning in the present and cheap, dangerous building martials in the past had on her body by giving her an environmental blood cancer, as a result of living on the Hilltown spine in Dundee. The cancer she had is normally only found in the elderly or fire fighters, rescue operators, such as in 9/11. My daughter and another little boy have been victim of the same environmental violence, his family worked in the funeral directors across the road from our house, both were in the hospital at the same time in Dundee to be treated for cancer. What they both had in common was living or working across the road from the demolition site at the Hilltown multi’s and a site the council reports has asbestos in it. Asbestos fibres can be carried home on clothes by family members, and children are more

suspectable to those due to their breathing rate. There is also evidence of haematological disorders also found that my daughter’s cancer had deficient with a tumour on her spine which was unusual pregnancy at the time for the explosion, still developing as she was born four days after it into the environment taking her first breaths.

The violence on the urban environment through razing and imploding buildings to the ground, erasure of farmland (this was previously fields and meadows over 100 years ago) and trees, and waterways on the ‘Hilltown spine’ as it is named, year after year, and the impact and latency of these chemical interactions over time on air quality - in the soil as toxins build up in the environment, and in our own bodies. The photograph of scars on the landscape of my daughter's body, evidence of a bundled attempt to remove the cancerous tumour pressing on her spinal cord as it grew ever larger, that also accompanied the blood cancer she also acquired from simply living in the wrong place - a neglected place a ‘paleotechnic inferno’ or hell that Geddes describes often in his work.

At the Art of Besting Cancer exhibition there was one piece of art called ‘’Surgery’’ 2018 (medium of photography). The Art of Besting Cancer exhibition appeared at the EACR-AACR-ISCR Conference: The Cutting Edge of Contemporary Cancer Research, 9-11 October 2018, Jerusalem, Israel.

The image description from the exhibition states:

This exhibit is comprised of jars used for the storage of the excised tumour removed at surgery… Up close, each jar becomes a personal story and inside each jar you can see a personal artifact belonging to a patient’.

Furthermore, from the article on the website it states: ‘

We have translated the therapeutic journey into an artistic one, presenting key points in the lives of medical caregivers and patients originating from authentic medical materials: photographs, imaging, laboratory tests and histopathology which have been creatively adapted to highlight the existing conflicts through artistic interpretation.

- a quote from one of the doctors in the exhibition conference.

I have to question the motives behind this exhibition, if doctors used a truly holistic approach towards their patients - an eco-centric approach - they would not have simply gouged out the tumours, put them in jars, and called them art in same manner people did during Victorian era - in cabinets of curiosities.

The doctors, whose vocation it is, would be investigating the case of why those lumps got into those people's bodies and are on display in the first place. Fortunately, not all doctors are so single-minded and lacking in empathy. An American, Dr Siegal is a myeloma specialist. At least the doctor is looking for causes of cancer, as environmental causes of disease especially cancersarehighly contested (Brown et al., 2011), more than can be said for our doctors and councils, with cancer rates in children skyrocketing.

A few studies have targeted myeloma among 9/11 survivors. A 2018 study found that firefighters exposed to Ground Zero air had about twice the risk of developing multiple myeloma precursor disease as the general population, and developed it at a younger age:

It's a hard thing to prove an association, no question about it," Siegel said. "Can I prove it in all three? No. But do I believe it caused their myeloma? I have little doubt.

This doctor is openly acknowledging that destruction and bombing of the man-made environment in the 9/11 attacks and the environmental pollution from these occupations that come from terrorist attacks, war and city planning – in fact causes myeloma. Doesn't this open up a can of worms for cities who like Dundee who have routinely blown up Highrise towers with a period of evacuation of a few hours and very little clean up? Or in terms of the Hilltown community campus, no clean up occurred as the debris is still sitting under the school and community centre campus, as the campus was built on top of the rubbish and debris. Reports from the council online state that there is contamination risk in the site from asbestos, not including all the other debris that would have been exposed in the air at time of demolition, concrete, steel and more....it is now part of the school's curriculum mandatory for the children and young people to learn about their surroundings. The way the school and local community do this is through gardening, the gardening we want to do is on top of a site that the city council report says has asbestos in, a known carcinogen. In a journal article ‘Sofi Tissue Sarcoma and Occupational Exposures’ (Wingren et al., 1990) it states that ‘Significantly increased risks were seen for gardeners due to pesticides and other chemicals in the soil and construction workers exposed to asbestos’. These were the highest two risk factors for STS (sarcomas) so these are two things I do not want the school exposing the eco group to, or the

school or the other people in the community or its surrounds.

The need for Early Intervention

A piece of work by artist Beatriz de costa et al., ‘The Anticancer survival kit’ that was produced after her death as an early intervention tool against cancer, was part of an exhibition and expose of Beatriz de costa and her artwork in the Laguna Arts museum. Why should we need such kits that include anti-cancer gardens? Why in our urban enclaves have we been left to source our own remedies and fixes for things? Why are our needs as citizens being neglected, or worse - openly poisoned? (Serafin, 2021).

The soil planting beds in the school playgrounds just run off the top off the rubble and down the street into the drains when it rains, bricks are poking out though the playground, the schoolchildren dig there in the raised beds for food. We inquired at the community hub meeting to propose a miniature forest, similar to the ones planted in as part of community events (“Wee Forests to Make a Big Impact on Dundee Community”) with Kevin Federani in March 2022. The wee forest initiative was in collaboration with James Hutton's vertical growing labs. Evie-Roses differs in that it has a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing, an urban device that is well needed within this depleted natural space. The proposed mini forest by artist Evie Rose Thornton in the space that Katie Philip's architect had highlighted in her journal as a space for more shops and housing, was unknown to us. When we enquired at the coldside meeting with the council environmental staff if Evie rose Thornton could put in a much-needed urban

A showcase of

device a mini forest/woodland on the derelict land proposed in Katie Philips site in order to make a community green space - to make up for the mature trees we lost to the derelictions of both school sites - we were encouraged that the site is not suitable for trees, due to the rubble underneath. However they said they could help us look for more suitable sites, missing the point that it space and place that is in equal need of some restoration and rest from all the building work. It's just as important as the idea and the two go hand in hand so we can have a relationship with our companion species that is two way and beneficial, easy to access beside the community campus – there is no use putting it further away. In a 2021 55-page report by the Mental Health Foundation, they describe how nature benefits our mental health by as much as 44 per cent.

Hilltown primary school (part of the newly built community hub)

I looked to see if there were any plans proposed for the site but there have been none so far. The soil remediation with the rubble from the old multi’s is a cheap and quick way to make contaminated sites, like ones with asbestos disappear, as they are deemed as safe if sealed appropriately. As it is not sealed appropriately, and the positioning of the site on the incline of the hill means that the industrial waste is exposed to water and wind has made the soil remediation run off, exposing the debris and contaminants below - see the council report about contamination risks on site (Dundee City CouncilDundee Local Development Plan 2019 Development Site Assessment H16 -Maxwelltown Multis). As for the rubble in the school playground the

community Centre staff and visitors came up with a solution, not knowing about potential asbestos contamination in the site - to cover the rubble with an astro turf pitch, which also come with risks to health and the environment. Th community should not need to raise funds of £100,000 to fix an error by urban planners' architects, and Dundee city council, who have made the errors in the design and building another campus in the first place. The council should have removed the unhealthy soil and rubble (Asbestos in Soil, Made Ground, Construction and Demolition Materials, n.d.). The council should fix the problem that should not have been there from the start of the construction work, instead of placing our children's future on top of the detritus of urban society with no regard for their health or wellbeing. The council and demolition company Safedem should have removed it in the first place. To add insult to the poor play spaces provided for our children's life, work and play, the council also sprays a multitude of chemicals around the school playground, local park and growing space near the community centre where our children and adults grow, play, learn, relax, and eat, along with out companion species.

These works came about as part of the Home is What You Make It Exhibition, the SPLICE collective between Montclair University and Duncan of Jordanstone college of Art, Design and Architecture. I was trying to get a hold of grass/turf to make a sculpture similar to ‘Breathing Space’ in New Jersey, however, they would not give me turf on such a small scale, I felt the loss of a sense of community, that would have rallied together to help me get what I needed, that is so evident in the artworld and also community growing world, however I was able to get

artificial grass 24/7 online. I recorded a conversation I had with an artificial turf salesman, location unknown, who talked me through all the various colours available and the health benefits of having artificial grass over real grass, that he stated is ‘child friendly and pet friendly’. Natural materials felt like a luxury only available to those with money, and in this sense my class and geography resulted in me feeling even more alienated from nature –such as that produced in the in situ installation in New Jersey.

The Garden State (2023)

At the Hilltown community and school hub the solution was to cover up the asbestos filled rubble, and contamination risk in a report (Dundee City Council Dundee Local Development Plan 2019 Development Site Assessment H16 - Maxwelltown Multis). After the attempts of remediation have failed, the requirement is now to seal it with astroturf which scientific studies argue that despite being organic, contain carcinogenic contaminants (over 300 chemicals) that are a danger to our human health and our companion species (Perkins et al., 2018; Zuccaro et al., 2022). We have recorded adults' occupations (for example, “Asbestos - Cancer and Construction - Managing Occupational Health Risks in Construction”) when assessing occupational risk for cancer. However, we do not gather the same data for children who work in play and experimentation, which puts them at more risk. Play should not be an occupational hazard, for example there has been evidence of young people getting cancer that is linked to

astro turf pitches as the crumb rubber underneath lets out particles into the air that get into the body.

Over the past several years, public health concerns have been raised regarding the potential adverse health effects in humans exposed to the crumb rubber infill component of synthetic turf fields, e.g., hematopoietic cancers among adolescent goalkeepers (Bleyer, 2017).

Why are our urban children and young people and companion species not entitled to the same basic natural necessities for healthy growth and development as other youngsters in this country? Access to grass, trees, plants, natural running water, and wildlife. How do we expect them to develop as physically and mentally healthy and with empathy and understanding for the living world if their access to nature is through Minecraft and fake grass? This is why we need environmental art and the artist philosopher in urban spaces, education settings and planning, to question not just the aesthetics of our living environment but the quality and sustainability of it.

This essay concludes that land art practices allow the artist philosopher or social pedagogue a way to research, map, archive and build strong relationship with our companion species and explore the materials that make up the landscape such as the soils, ponds, waterways, air quality etc. It is also re-affirming that there needs to be an acceptance of local, lived, experiential knowledge, with a suggested universal value-based framework and approach to aid in a recovery care plan for the city of Dundee that can be extended not just to people, but to our non-human companion species and our environment. How do we engage with it and plan accordingly in a flexible and timely

way - bringing institution and community together (such as educational institutions) and the local citizens together? These institutions can no longer stand separately inside cities that they are inevitably a part of, and sharing its resources. By creating an eco-centric approach across all disciplines and institutions, this care plan can be used on a macro or micro level in other Scottish cities and or the various sized habitats within them, sitting alongside the contextual safeguarding maps that are already in existence, that I have expanded upon and changed. With a nod towards my artist-philosophers manifesto and pilot project that will be built around my degree show at DJCADcreating a multi-species community trail around the DJCAD education institution - that has many resources to hand and takes up, I will pilot how an institution and individual can successfully integrate on a long-term basis into the community. This would allow them to create an equal relationship between staff, students and local groups with Dundonians, as currently according to my eco-maps Dundee university has a mainly one-way relationship with the land and weather, companion species, and place in the city. It also arguably has a monopoly over many of the city's economic, social and housing resources. Long term engagement and relationship building with education systems and community spaces, allows artist-philosophers to finally find a place within society.

Robyn Scanlan, 2024

DIVINE EXPLORATION: A JOURNEY THROUGH RELIGIOUS TRANSCENDENTALISM, MYSTICISM AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

Bryony Young

Author bio

Bryony Young is a mixed media artist and painter based in Glasgow, who is currently undergoing her BA Hons in Art & Philosophy at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. Her work is deeply rooted in her fascination with Christianity, the Divine and iconography. This influence has not only shaped her artistic practice but also informed Young’s academic pursuits. Exploring themes of transcendence and the search for the Divine, her work delves into the intricate symbolism found within religious iconography. Driven by a relentless curiosity, Young is compelled to unravel the mysteries of the Divine and share her discoveries through both her art and scholarly research. With a passion for comprehending complex narratives, Young strives to contemplate and understand the profound mysteries of existence.

Instagram: @bryonyyoung_

Abstract

In the complex notion of human existence, the unyielding drive for knowledge persists as an inherent desire in all human beings. The exploration into the unknowable and transcendental summons us to reconsider the boundaries of conventional understanding. Embarking on this profound journey, this dissertation focuses on the pursuit of the Divine through the transcendental experiences of religious mysticism, with a specific focus on Catholicism. Analysing the writings of St John of the Cross

and St Theresa of Avila, this dissertation delves into two distinct representations of the transcendental journey of the soul. In exploring the specific stages the soul must undergo to experience Divine unity, I will be drawing connections to notable religious artworks across the centuries. Notable pieces I will be touching upon are ‘Christ of St John of the Cross’ by Salvador Dali, and ‘The Ecstasy of St Theresa’ by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, serving as visual interpretations of the profound concepts or experiences expressed by these mystics.

Divine Exploration: A Journey Through Religious Transcendentalism, Mysticism and Artistic Expression

The following text forms an excerpt from Bryony Young’s 2024 art and philosophy dissertation, namely chapter one, ‘Defining the Unknowable’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

A

Bryony Young

DEFINING THE UNKNOWABLE

To attempt to define the unknowable is an onerous task, often eluding most as attempting to comprehend something so intangible pushes the boundaries of what is generally considered to be withinthe ability of human cognition. The concept of ‘Unknowability’3 refers to the idea that there are certain aspects of reality that are inherently beyond the scope of human knowledge, and often, comprehension. This concept arises in various contexts, notably in philosophy and theology. Within philosophy, the concept of unknowability touches upon many complex and profound questions regarding the nature of reality, knowledge and the boundaries of human cognition. In the realm of metaphysics, Kantian Epistemology4 argues that there are inherent limits to human knowledge. ‘It follows that we do not know reality as it might be ‘in itself’- apart from how our minds structure experience of ‘mind-independent reality.’ We do not know ‘noumena.’ We onlyknow reality in terms of how our active minds structure / organise / form our experiences of mind-independent reality. We only know ‘phenomena’. 5 He distinguished between ‘phenomena’6, being the world as we experience it, and ‘noumena’7 being the

worldasitisinitself,suggestingthatwecanonlyknowthe former, and the latter remains unknowable.

Within Existentialist movements, thinkers such as Jan-Paul Sartre struggled with the inherent ambiguity and uncertainty of human existence, viewing ‘the universe as an irrational, meaningless sphere’. Existence was absurd and life had no sense, no purpose, no explanation. (The sheer unknowability about aspects of existence, meaning and purpose all contribute to the feeling and concept of ‘existential angst’, being an anxiety about the meaning of life.) He felt ‘nauseated’ by the vastness of this empty, pointless predicament, and he wrestled many hours for a meaningful solution’. 8 In theology, unknowability is often associated with the nature of God or other divine entities. Religious traditions within Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism9 maintain the belief that there are aspects of the Divine which are inherently beyond human comprehension, emphasising the transcendental and ineffable nature of the Divine.

It is important to differentiate when discussing the ‘Unknowable’, as there is a distinct difference between the Unknowable and the Transcendent. The unknowable refers to subject matter that we, as humans, experience to be inaccessible. The constraints we deal with when referring to the unknowable are due to the limitations of our current knowledge10 , technology, and perception11 . In the grand scale, these constraints are considered temporary, with the view that as science, technology and our understanding progress in time, this knowledge and understanding will become available to us in the future. The nature of the unknowable is dynamic and at all times, subject to change. What is unknowable to us today may

become knowable tomorrow. With scientific and technological advancements, this progress continually pushes the boundaries of our knowledge, challenging our current limitations.

The ‘Transcendent’ deals with subject matter that goes beyond the limits of human experience, and therefore, knowledge. It suggests a realm or existence that is not bound by the constraints of observable or tangible knowledge. The Transcendent is related to metaphysical, mystical or spiritual concepts that surpass the constraints of the empirical realm. Concepts like the Divine, ultimate reality12 or spiritual realms are often considered transcendent. Mystical experiences are often considered to be in the realm of the transcendent, where individuals claim to have experienced something that transcends the realmsof ordinaryhumanperception.Due to thenature of the transcendent, there is a limitation on our ability to conceptualise and express our relationship with it as our language and even conventional thought fall short in being able to express and capture the essence of the transcendent. Discussions about the transcendent often lead to philosophical inquiries about the true nature of existence, consciousness and our reality. Unlike the Unknowable, the Transcendent is not necessarily expected to, at some point become knowable through technological advancements or scientific knowledge, it is something that is beyond the reach of empirical investigation, and it is fundamentally beyond the reach of human knowledge.

The notion of ‘Unknowability’ holds great significance in theology, especially when examining the essence of the Divine, the nature of God and the enigmatic aspects of religious convictions. Some aspects

of theological unknowability include the notion of ‘Apophatic Theology’.

Also known as ‘negative theology’, Apophatic theology states the idea that human language and concepts are unable to adequately capture and convey the true essence of God. The ineffability ofGod refers to the belief that God’s true nature is beyond the abilities of human expression. Due to language being a human construct, it is believed to be inadequate in describing the infinite and transcendent nature of the Divine. It asserts that it is often more accurate to describeGod by stating what God is not, rather than attempting to define the Divine in finite or anthropomorphic descriptions. This acknowledges the limitations of human language and our conceptual capabilities when approaching the topic of the Divine.13

Transcendence plays a key role when looking at Unknowability. Many theological traditions state thebelief in the transcendence of God, suggesting that the Divine exists outside thescope ofhuman knowledge. The belief is that God is beyond all categories and limitations, making aspects of God inherently incomprehensible to the finite human mind.14

At its essence, transcendence defies all simplistic categorisation, eluding the rigid confines of our conventional comprehension. Nevertheless, it remains a formidable force that shapes the narrative of human existence. In the realms of philosophy, transcendence refers to the act of surpassing or exceeding ordinary limits - the pursuit of attaining a state beyond the reach of empirical understanding or observation, ‘Philosophical definitions of transcendence often emphasise the idea of going beyond or exceeding the limits of human

experience, and may focus on conceptssuch as rationality, consciousness, or the nature of reality’ . 15 Within religious contexts16, transcendence often manifests as a pilgrimage towards a higher plane of existence or consciousness, leading the devout towards a divine reality beyond the tangibility of the material world. The human experience itself serves as a platform for transcendence, as individuals striveto surpass the constraints of the mundane and touch the sublime.

Bryony Young, 2024

A

Gender

Megan Kerr Calder McKay

Nina McMullan River Paterson

Carrie Holden

Emir Rizzato

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ART EDUCATION AGED 11-15: A FEMINIST APPROACH TO ART AND TEACHING ROLE MODELS

Carrie Holden

Author bio

Iwas born in Perth and Kinross where I currently still reside however, within my practical work as a fine art student I frequently travel to various major cities within Scotland to gather resources and inspiration for my artwork which is heavily influenced by overcrowding and having insight into the everyday lives of others – many consider me to be a voyeur. As an author I am strongly invested in the justice within education concerning female recognition within the art industry, this is due to my own ambition in becoming an Art and Design educator and having first-hand experience in the lack of female artists being represented within the high school curriculum.

Instagram: @carrie_holden_art

Abstract

This Dissertation investigates a gap in knowledge in the lack of female artists and role models within primary and secondary education programmes within the UK however more subjective to Scotland. Through my own account and investigations into high school algorithms within art and design subjects there can be determined evidence that young students are being subjected consistently to more male than female artists within education - but why?

Exploring the hierarchy of education, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the Assessment and

Qualification Alliance (AQA) through comparing their own publications of examination papers and enquiring on the ratio of female artists present to male artists to determine on if this is a leading impact of female role models being dismissed through curriculums within schools, exposing the underlying gender-bias and stereotyping still present within modern society and how this portrayal of women being second-class to men are still being projected onto young adults.

There are also strong indications of gender stereotyping within social factors of what is considered male-dominant classes which are subjected to art and design which will be examined as well. The insight to this being of a psychological impact. Focusing directly on how external factors such as parental, teacher and peer approval/pressure can impact a child's behaviour in recognising female role models in part to their male counterparts more acceptingly. As well as the modern rise of female social influencers online and their impact on young girls who are titling these women as ‘artists’ which subject these children to unhealthy mindsets and encouraging gender-stereotyping. This reveals the contrast in these characters to real female artists within studios trying to fight for their recognition on social platforms.

A Critical Analysis of Art Education aged 11-15: a feminist approach to art and teaching role models

The following text forms an excerpt from Carrie Holden’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter one titled ‘Exam Discrimination’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Carrie Holden

EXAM DISCRIMINATION

The forgoing development of the higher education curriculum within Scotland and England are my main focal points of interest due to their commonality in structure and relevance to my own research, specifically within Scottish high schools. The AQA and SQA are governing forces within examination papers, dictating what is considered appropriate to include within each year's papers and what artist is considered relevant to contribute their work – more than 80% of this margin being dominated by male artists. Comparing from my own SQA (2018, p.09) “SQA National 5 Art and Design Past Paper” that I partook in many years prior with AQA’s equivalent AQA (2015, pp.1-3) “AQA GSCE Fine Art Past Paper” I discovered the lack of female artists contained within both past examination papers to be extraordinarily lacking in female artists- The only female artist representing the SQA national 5 paper being graphic designer Paula Sher (1995) with her work “Bring in ‘Da Noise Bring in ‘Da Funk”.

Fig 2. Screenshot of SQA (2018) ‘National 5 Art and Design Past Paper’.

This work is an advertisement of a Broadway musical depicting both political and traditional values through the history and hardships of racial discrimination towards black people. This furthers my query into the specification of the number of females present within the SQA board themselves as if there was an indirect number of women working within the SQA and with lesser advantages than their male counterparts then what chance would an

intervention being pursued to contribute more female role models and artists into these examination papers be possible?

Exploring further into the recent SQA audits for 2023 within payments to staff and various workers within the public sector I was left much to desire as there was, as better informed from themselves SQA (2023, p.4 - Summary Of Equal Pay Audit 2023) ‘an average hourly female salary is 94.7% of the average hourly male salary’ indicating the female workers within an education board that broadcast about partaking in gender equality and having zero tolerance for discrimination. In fact they have a 5.3% difference in pay between male and female employees. The SQA attempt to justify this pay gap injustice through their paper (2023, p.4, Summary Of Equal Pay Audit 2023) stating: there are ‘a higher proportion of male colleagues within the Business Systems Directorate’, in contrast to many female employees working within technical departments and lower salaried positions as stated by the SQA (2023, p.4): there is a ‘higher percentage of females, 32.0%, working in technology roles” - this further proves that woman are less likely within the SQA to be within higher positions of the company and instead are commended for the number of women within a lower paying position hence, ruling those decisions within examination papers to be objectively based within a board of mainly male directors and curators. These statements provided from the SQA themselves are incriminating and hypocritical due to the fact that if these gender pay-gaps are still present within 2023 - even if slowly deteriorating - the lack of female representation within the directive board are clearly presented. How can it be possible to pursue further recognition to female role models and artists within the

education system if those that govern this sector stillpresent signs of discrimination through financial circumstances? Furthermore, the examination papers produced that determine the entire curriculums for millions of young teenagers within the country are close minded to female creators and workers - further creating a divergence in recognition for women within modern society.

Investigating England’s education system the AQA, I wanted to compare the most recent Gender Pay Gap documents however, to my disappointment only the 2022 audit was available unlike the SQA so for comparison this will be the closest to reference. Before comparing these documents, I acquired the AQA’s Equality, diversity and inclusion statement – AQA (2023, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement) who state: ‘Our aim is to ensure that employees are equally valued and respected and that our organisation is representative of all members of society’ indicating those that are employed under this public sector should be treated with full equal responses no matter what their background or gender. This statement however is easily contradicted when an annual pay gap document is released annually in guidance with the governments legalisation under the Equality Act (2010, UK General Public Acts, 2010.c, Part 5, Chapter 3, Disclosure of Information, Section 78): ‘Regulations may require employers to publish information relating to the pay of employees for the purpose of showing whether, by reference to factors of such description as is prescribed, there are differences in the pay of male and female employees’. Producing evidence of the pay gap between genders is only evident within public sector companies with over 250 employees. Further irony is found when reading

the first page of the Gender Pay Gap document where it can be seen that spokesperson Colin Hughes explained (Gender Pay Report, 2022, p.1) there is ‘a reduced median gender pay gap in 2022, down from 16.3% to 10.1%’ which indicates a significant drop by 6.2% within the year however it is still evident that women and men are being unequally treated. Suggested reasoning behind this gap with payment concerned is AQA (2022, p5) who state: ‘Across our organisation, 53.42% of employees are female, but the data shows that more women are employed in the lower levels of our organisation’ in similarity with the SQA the argument of women being in lower tiered employment is projected while men are subsequently still within higher ranking positions - indicating a possibility of gender stereotyping with men being in more prestigious positions than woman within modern society. Again, is this the argument being presented when evidence of a pay difference is presented to the public? What excuse will be made for examination papers having more male to female artists, with not enough female artists present?

In conclusion, comparing the SQA and AQA recruitment percentages they both provide evidence of women within this sector being majority within lower salaried employment with a clear gender pay gap presented within each annual audit - thus exposing the factors of gender bias being present within the workforce. This could be the primary factor in the lack of female recognition within examination papers - more specifically the GSCE and National qualification exams, this is due to sparse amounts of women within more governing positions. If more female representatives were present during the discussion of what artists and role models to insert into

A showcase of

exam papers then perhaps the frequency of female to male appearances would improve - rather than within the SQA national 5 paper, there is only one single female artist out of 12 possible positions. However, looking further into the issue of gender bias subjects I was lead to investigate the charity Teach First and the report by Sundorph (2021, TeachFirst, p.1) ‘STEMINISM’

MATTERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND BEYOND’

. I wanted to explore into this article as it related heavily alongside my own findings within my own project within the classroom.

Carrie Holden, 2024

MUSE, MEDIUM, MISOGYNY: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF REPRESENTATIONS OF WITCHCRAFT IN EARLY TO MID-MODERN WESTERNEUROPEAN ART HISTORY

Megan Kerr

Author bio

The 2024 DJCAD Fine Art graduate Megan Kerr is a Scottish artist, born in Dumfries and now living in Dundee.

Residing within the realm of the surreal and theatrical, Kerr’s art practice is a love letter to the beauty of the natural world. It encompasses painting, sculpture, drawing and printmaking to offer a diverse body of work, laden with symbolism and romanticism. Kerr’s work is influenced by artists such as Dorothea Tanning and Shona Heath, and draws her inspiration from folklore, poetry, and the world around her. The mediums with which the artist engages are primarily hands-on as she believes tactility in the creative process to be hugely important in the transference of energy from artist to art, and that practiced, repetitive actions hold a ritualistic aspect which furthers the mystical and spiritual qualities which flow through her work.

Kerr’s academic interests have fed into her practice, as her research deals with subjects of the interplay of magic and art, the practitioners of these crafts, and their roles and representations within art history, all underpinned by a contemporary feminist standpoint.

Contact via Email: megankerr.art@gmail.com Instagram: @megnkrr

This dissertation forms a critical analysis of the lack of recognition regarding Pagan practices in early to mid-modern Western European art history. Chapter one forms a literature review in which I have examined the available literature on this subject area, including academic journal papers, books and museum materials. Through carrying out this review, I have been able to identify the gap in knowledge which this dissertation has filled. In chapter two I have analysed the ways in which female witches and their practices have inspired artists and contributed to and enhanced developments within art practices and in chapter three I discuss the parallels found within the Pagan practice of Altar creation and the creation of art, investigating the overlap of ideologies and intentions. Through this, the research has made a significant contribution to my studio practice and forthcoming degree show. The issue of misogyny will be a key thematic issue throughout the dissertation, and as such, the findings in relation to Muse, Medium, and Misogyny are explicitly stated in the conclusion. The research has been underpinned by primary and secondary sources of available literature, including attendance at a talk by Judith Hewitt, museum curator for Dumfries and Galloway West.

Muse, Medium, Misogyny: A critical analysis of representations

of witchcraft as seen in early to mid-modern Western-European

art history

The following text forms an excerpt from Megan Kerr’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter two titled ‘Muse’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Megan Kerr

MUSE

Women and art have a complex relationship. Women are responsible for so much within the world of art yet are always the ones to be neglected recognition. ‘Even when they did not make art, early modern women contributed to its production, whether as models, female kin, mistresses, or wives’ (Hults, 2010). Without women, so much art and so many developments within art history would have never existed, yet misogyny remains rife, as it has all through history. One incarnation of women who best exemplifies this tumultuous relationship is the female witch.

The image of the female witch has enchanted creatives for as long as she has existed. From her earliest materialisations in woodcuts to her current domination of popular culture, it is hard to find a medium in which she has not been depicted. Mythos and folklore turned to poetry and plays, words turned to works of art, and the witch was woven into art history as one of the all-time greatest muses. It could be argued that to be a muse is an honour; to be so worshipped to the point of inspiring creation, often thought of as beautiful, glamorous or captivating, but is it really all it is made out to be? After all, there are no rules to ensure your

A showcase of DJCAD

depiction will be complimentary, and no one knows this as well as the female witch.

She first appeared to the Western art world within the realm of printmaking; Albrecht Dürer’s 1497 engraving ‘Die Vier Hexen’ or The Four Witches, is recognised as one of the most important early artworks on the subject of witches, (Artsper, 2021) aligning artistic interest with contemporary issues of the time: the European witch craze. It is believed to depict three witches indoctrinating a girl and is laced with symbolism which supports this narrative. Scottish National Galleries(2020) drawattention to the details: ‘The skulls and bones scattered at their feet are indicators of magic and invocation, where the burning devil in the lower-left reiterates the presence of evil’. And the pose of the witches is likened to classical depictions of ‘The Three Graces’ , figures often associated with classical beauty. This juxtaposition of beauty alongside evil was of particular interest as it subverted expectations of the era. It was more common at this time for evil to be depicted as ugly, most commonly as anattempt to demonise so-called uglywomen. This can be seen with Francisco de Goya’s Los Caprichos ; a series of 80 prints from the late 18th century. Goya’s prints turned the narrative on its head and instead of condemning women, he condemned the condemner – the church. In his series of intaglio prints he depicts witches engaging in nefarious deeds representative of the behaviours of the church at the time, of which he disapproved, as a way of portraying ‘the perils of superstition and ignorance’ (Davenport, 2019). Whilst it was not an intentional attack on women, Los Caprichos still enforced the harmful stereotypes which justified the murder of potentially millions of women (Holland, 2006) displaying how

engrained misogyny was into the narrative of witchcraft. The fact that witches have been depicted as both attractive and repulsive is perhaps the most obvious way to demonstrate the extremity of the misogyny that plagued society; there is simply no way for women to win.

Even as the craze waned, witches and witchcraft were still inspiring new art; Frederick Sandy’s beautiful enchantresses, ‘Vivien’ (1863) and ‘Medea’ (1866), gilded in gold and laden with magical symbolism came about in the late 17th century, 100 years after the last woman was legally burned in 1787 (Holland, 2006). When depicted as attractive, they are harlots, intent on distracting and misleading men, using their mystifying sexual prowess to their own advantage – as opposed to the alternative explanation of men being easily distracted. Deanna Petherbridge outlines this incarnation and her lasting impact on art in Witches and Wicked Bodies (2013, p.21):

The dangerous but infinitely alluring femme fatale has remained a potent figure in European art well after witchcraft ceased to be regarded as an actual threat to society and religion… developed by the Romantic poets [she] became a potent theme for artists in the nineteenth century, particularly the Pre-Raphaelites.

Beauty was punished, just as was a lack of it. When depicted as ugly, it is an attack on the women that do not care to service men – often old, they are no longer of childbearing age, they are withered and unappealing and so do not even provide a visual satisfaction to men, they simply take up space and offer apparently nothing in return. This dichotomy of perception is an insight into just how deep

rooted the misogyny lay; there was no way for women to win.

Whilst misogyny was one of the leading factors in the mass impact of the European Witch Craze, as Jack Holland breaks down in Misogyny (2006, p.128):

At least three conditions conspired to create the emotional, moral and social context for the witch-hunts. First, the fourteenth century, which ushered them in, was... a period of terrible calamities. Plague and war threatened to unhinge society. Fear and doubt caused people to view the world in a darker and more sinister light. Secondly, heretics real and imagined threatened a once seemingly all-powerful institution, the Church... Finally, Christian society’s deep-seated misogyny provided the needed scapegoat in the form of woman.

The witch’s popularity amongst creatives in the early modern period definitely supported the trajectory of the hate. The creative fascination can be traced back to a few core reasons; art historian Linda C. Hults explains in her 2005 book The Witch as Muse; Art, Gender and Power in Early Modern Europe that due to the already established ‘corrupt fantasy’ associated with witchcraft, it was easier ‘for male artists to displace fears about their own vulnerability onto women and to display their control of this unruly beast’ (p. 27). This was not a new concept as Hults later goes on to explain ‘A similar dynamic operated in the early modern period, when artists and poets exploited a topical issue and the inventive elaboration of a negative female stereotype contributed to their identities and self-promotion’ (2005, p. 37) alluding to the larger issue of misogyny amongst these depictions of witchcraft. The figure of the witch provided an “other” to bare the weight of the anxieties of society at

the time, hence her demonisation; what was deemed unacceptable by society was projected onto this figure, brought to life by male artists to enforce conformity. This is evidenced by Catherine McCormack in her book Women in the Picture (2021) stating ‘Anthropologists tend to agree that the image of the witch is a strategy used to make people, chiefly women, conform to expected social norms’ (p. 128). Women accounted for 80% of the executed as a result of the witch hunts (Holland, 2006) emphasising the fact that misogyny played one of the most crucial roles within the craze.

Witchcraft and misogyny brewed another form of creativity in the guise of the printing revolution. As the European Witch Craze was manifesting in the later half of the 1400s, Johannes Gutenberg was busy inventing the printing press (Roos, 2019). Whilst the witch craze was not directly responsible for this invention, it did offer a platform to realise the full potential of printing. Printed works held such authority due to much of early modern society being under-educated and overly susceptible to manipulation, weaponising fear and ignorance. It made information more accessible and felt more real to those who did not know any better. Witchcraftpamphlets were created to feed the beliefs of the church to the general public, and as Carla Suhr writes in Publishing for the Masses: Early Modern English Witchcraft Pamphlets (2012), these were ‘part of the efforts to “reChristianize’” England, or to reintroduce “proper” Protestant doctrine’. They were often formed around real trials and patchworked from legal documentation, perhaps in order to establish some sense of higher power, however, as previously noted, they were intended fora lesser educated audience, many of whom would not understand the

technical terms that are so prevalent in formal writing. This then meant that the pamphlets were required to be simplified for the sake of accessibility, however not to the extent that they no longer held a feeling of authority. Suhr phrases this dichotomy as

[the meeting of two worlds]: the spreading of the elite view to the general masses, hidden in entertaining narratives that are easy to read, to listen to, and to repeat.

The [mis]spreading of information was streamlined into being widely accessible and easily manipulated. Another way in which printing was heavily utilised to make information accessible was through woodcuts. Illustrations were an indicator of the intended audience, as suggested by Suhr, who goes on to explain that it is not necessarily the image itself – often generalisations were made for sake of ease –but simply the presence of an illustration that informed audiences it would be accessible to the semi-literate. Printing also meant the same image could be reproduced with ease offering a standardised visualisation, allowing for certain qualities to become known as defining characteristics due to their prevalence in woodcut illustrations. Jon Crabb (2017) states:

most of the really iconic images found on the internet today come from just one collection, The History of Witches and Wizards: Giving a True Account of All Their Tryals in England, Scotland, Sweedland, France, and New England ... Collected ... By W. P. (1720).

Here women in pointed hats and dark robes frolic gleefully with devils and demons, an image familiar to many when thinking of the classical woodcuts of witches. Mass hysteria

and mass production came together to create the perfect storm in the form of Heinrich Kramer’s Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer of Witches) (1487). Having previously had his findings and theories dismissed by the court, Kramer was able to take control for himself by utilising mass production to distribute his views to less educated, more impressionable audiences, radicalising his readers into sharing his disdain and merciless ambition to rid the world of whom he believed to be witches. Holland describes the Malleus Maleficarum as a justification for genocide (2006, p.118), it acted as a manual for the identification and extermination of witches and as print held great amounts of authority at the time, it was highly effective.

The printing revolution and the European Witch Craze fueled each other's fires, birthing the iconic image of the witch as we know her today and offering a masterclass in how best to utilise a new resource. Without the madness of the witch craze, it is possible to argue that the printing revolution may not have had such immediate massive development and impact, and we may not even communicate ideas in the same ways we do today, and so it is another example of the ways witches and witchcraft are responsible for the development and creation of art and art practices.

Megan Kerr, 2024

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

NO MAN’S LAND: 21ST CENTURY MASCULINITY IN SCOTLAND

Author bio

As a figurative painter and printmaker, I delve into human relationships, drawing inspiration from personal experiences and of those close to me. Exploring lives of the past informs my understanding of the present and guides my vision for the future. I work primarily from photo references, fascinated by the power of capturing fleeting moments that carry profound narratives. Currently, my focus lies in examining the dynamics between men and women, and how societal constructs of masculinity influence these relationships.

Instagram: @calder_mckay_art

Abstract

This dissertation explores the multifaceted landscape of masculinity in Scotland, utilizing a comprehensive approach that encompasses the historical, societal, and cultural factors shaping the unique experience of masculinity in Scotland. Through an examination of existing doctoral theses and original research, the study aims to uncover distinct aspects of Scottish masculinity and its implications on men's lives. The research identifies a lack of specific investigation into masculine ideology related to Scotland, emphasising the need for further exploration. Key findings highlight the challenges affecting the Scottish population, linking them to the influence of traditional masculinity. Original research is conducted, employing both

qualitative and quantitative methods, to uncover public opinions on issues related to Scottish masculinity. The findings emphasize the importance of confronting masculinity at a national level, considering its pervasive influence on men's lives and the broader societal impact. The dissertation offers a foundation for discussions and interventions that could pave the way for a new understanding of masculinity in Scotland.

No Man’s Land: 21st Century Masculinity in Scotland

The following text forms an excerpt from Calder McKay’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter three titled ‘Public Opinion’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

Calder McKay

PUBLIC OPINION

This chapter is structured into two distinct parts: the Questionnaire and Interview sections. Each outlines the methods employed for data collection, offering a comprehensive understanding of the procedures involved. Following the data collection, a thorough and insightful discussion is presented, delving into the nuanced findings derived from both the questionnaire and interview processes.

Data Collection

Quantitative data was collected via an online survey/quiz through Kahoot conducted in person. Twenty-eight participants answered a series of ten questions related to contemporary masculinity in Scotland. Eight of these questions were structured as a multiple choice, with answers ranging, (yes definitely, yes slightly, not really, definitely not), two of the questions were structured in a quiz format with four possible answers and one correct answer. These questions were chosen to gather a consensus of the Scottish general public’s individual opinions on the topic of masculinity, Scottish masculinity, and its effects. Kahoot

was used as it is already a very well-established and intuitive method for data collection. This method would also allow for data to be collected within a finite timeframe, thereby cutting down the time taken, in comparison to collecting each participants individual responses.

Again, this dissertation acknowledges IBM Statistical Package for the Societal sciences (SPSS) as a useful tool for future research and a standard in industry statistical analysis. Given the confines of this dissertation Microsoft Excel was chosen as an appropriate method for statistical analysis and data representation.

Pictorial charts were created using Microsoft Excel to visually illustrate the collected data. Pie charts were used to convey the proportion of each opinion as a percentage in relation to the whole group of participants. The number of responses were displayed, and a legend was provided to distinguish data groups. This dissertation acknowledges the bias that may be put in place given the data collection was conducted during a masculinities conference at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. Participants may have felt pressure to give answers that coincide with the current zeitgeist of the conference or the art school. However, this possible bias was seen as negligible as for most of the questionnaire (8/10 questions) no participants name was displayed. This would hopefully help to eliminate any bias within the data. In future research data collection would be conducted in a more neutral setting.

Statistical Analysis

Generally, the results of the data collection produced encouraging results. The group recognised masculinity as a

pressing issue that is not being discussed enough (see figure 3.1 & figure 3.3). Interesting discussion could be opened up around needs for a new masculine, what masculinities should be lost, and which should remain (see figure 3.3 & figure 3.8). Also, the group recognised a specificity to this issue in Scotland. With a great majority agreeing that there is a difference to how masculinity is experienced in Scotland (see figure 3.7), also concluding that there is a definite need for a new form of masculinity in Scotland (see figure 3.8). The participants’ responses to questions on suicide rates in Scotland, however shocking, were somewhat predictable. Results showed a lack of awareness to the severity of these issues (see figure 3.9 & figure 3.10), calling for change around how these figures are publicised and how further positive change could be made to tackle such issues.

14 Do you think the topic of masculinity is talked about enough?

4

Yes definitely

Yes slightly

Not really

Definitely not

Figure 3.1

‘Do you think the topic of masculinity is talked about enough?’ (2023)

Almost half of the respondents (48%) perceived that the topic of masculinity was definitely not talked about enough, while an overwhelming majority (86%) of participants also thought that the topic was generally not discussed enough. Not much has been written on how the concept of masculinity could be a neglected parameter in discussions of men’s health. Investigations into the lack of self-reporting males suffering from depression, suggest gender related traits and masculine attitudes to mental health as a key factor (Sigmon et al., 2005).

Do you think there is a place for masculinity in the modern day?

Yes definitely

Yes slightly

Not really

Definitely not

Figure 3.2 ‘Do you think there is a place for masculinity in the modern day?’ (2023)

The vast majority of participants (93%) agreed that there is still a place for masculinity in the modern day. The topic of masculinity is often discussed with much trepidation in

contemporary social settings, however there is little written on how the current social climate can impact men’s explorations of masculinity. Loewenthal (2022) writes from the perspective of a psychotherapist, proposing that the consulting room could be one of the few places left where clients feel they can freely explore issues of masculinity. They also fear their colleagues do not feel comfortable discussing similar issues with their clients, further hindering explorations of healthy masculinity. Perhaps more could be done by allowing men other spaces to voice their experiences without inherent stigma.

Do you think all aspects of masculinity should be forgotten? Yes definitely Yes slightly Not really Definitely not

Figure 3.3 ‘Do you think all aspects of masculinity should be forgotten?’ (2023)

More than half of the participants (55%) declared that all aspects of masculinity should definitely not be forgotten, with a further quarter (28%) still agreeing, but with less certainty. This would suggest that some aspects of masculinity are beneficial for all, with the concept of masculinity not inherently negative. With growing discourse around ‘toxic masculinity’ & ‘healthy masculinity’, much is unclear. Some arguing that the term ‘toxic masculinity’ only aids to further present men as the victim, shielding them from their own responsibility in circulating such masculinities of harm. Conversely, ‘healthy masculinity’ asserts itself as the only valid expression of gender, cementing the notion that expressions of femininity and androgyny are somehow lesser (Waling, 2019). However, whilst such discussions do not eliminate all forms of masculinity, there should be steps made, to encourage all expressions of gender.

Do you think men feel masculine pressure in some way?

28

Yes definitely

1

Yes slightly

Not really

3.4 ‘Do you think men feel masculine pressure in some way?’ (2023)

Figure

With the most sizeable common response of the entire questionnaire, (97%) of participants strongly agreed that men feel masculine pressure in some way. It is promising that the common consensus recognises this with such certainty, as the pressure to conform to masculine ideology can lead to a number of harmful consequences. Research into non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in men, propose that the pressure to conform to masculine norms was a potential risk factor. Again, finding that masculine gender socialisation was leading to a lack of openness, therefore causing an inability for men to freely articulate their intentions around self-harm (Green et al., 2015).

Do you think a man must show “manly” qualities to be seen as worthy?

Three quarters (76%) of participants strongly disagreed that men must show ‘manly’ qualities to be seen as worthy. This was encouraging as it shows general opinion has swayed 3 3 1 22

Yes definitely

Yes slightly

Not really

Definitely not

Figure 3.5: ‘Do you think a man must show manly qualities to be seen as worthy?’ (2023)

away from traditional ideologies around the masculine. Men should not feel the need to exude virile qualities to feel a sense of self-worth or acceptance of others. Much has been researched partially disputing this, arguing that traditional masculinity rewards men who are conforming with masculine norms of power. Men are thereby punished physically and emotionally for failing to conform, this reaction being distilled within them through their childhood upbringing and masculine gender conditioning (Rivera & Tilcsik, 2019). This proposes the issue as men harming men, which largely is correct as the proprietors of the traditional masculine are in fact men. However, this does not mean to say it must remain like this. This promising result shows a break from the traditional masculine as a hopeful indicator of the current shifting views on masculine conformity.

Do

you think men feel they can talk about their emotions as openly as other genders in our country?

Yes definitely

Yes slightly

Not really

Definitely not

Figure 3.6 ‘Do you think men feel they can talk about their emotions as openly as other genders in our country?’ (2023).

A resounding number of participants (93%)agreed that men do not feel they can discuss their emotions as openly as other genders in Scotland. Clearly there is a widespread acknowledgment that men suffer with expressing emotional openness in Scotland. McQueen (2017) conducted interviews with sixteen men living in Scotland, examining their emotional fluency within intimate relationshipsconcluding that hegemonic values of masculinity caused men to feel a sense of vulnerability when discussing their emotions. This confirms the findings that men feel they can’t be as emotionally open as other genders, offering masculinities of oppression as a potential cause.

Do you think there is a difference to how masculinity is experienced in Scotland?

A great majority (93%) of participants generally agreed that there is a difference to how masculinity is experienced in Scotland. However, the majority only agreed slightly (55%). 11 16 1 1

Yes definitely

Yes slightly

Not really

Definitely not

Figure 3.7 ‘Do you think there is a difference to how masculinity is experienced in Scotland?’ (2023)

This could perhaps suggest that they believe the difference, although noticeable, does not bear as much weight with specificity to Scotland. With Scotland consistently having the lowest life expectancy compared to the UK (The Scottish Parliament, 2023), there is much research into potential causes. O’Brien (2009) investigates how constructions of masculinities tie into our country’s unhealthy living habits, finding men feel pressured to partake in unhealthy behaviours to appear masculine. Heavy drinking, smoking and relationships with sport all are inextricably linked to practices of masculinity. Perhaps more could be done to spread awareness of masculinities bearing on low life expectancy in Scotland.

4 2 1 Is there a need for a new masculine in our country?

Yes definitely

Yes slightly

Not really

Definitely not

Figure 3.8 ‘Is there a need for a new masculine in our country?’ (2023)

A large bulk of participants (90%) agreed that there is a need for a new masculine in our country. This is especially intriguing when looked at in tandem (with figure 3.3) where

the majority of respondents agreed that not all aspects of masculinity should be lost. There is a strong desire for a new masculine in our country, yet not all aspects of the traditional masculine should be lost. This opens interesting discussion again around how we discern positive and negative masculinities. In 2018, guidelines were released by the American Psychological Association, in relation to working with boys and men. Recognising that traditional masculinity was harmful and that there should be greater understanding of ‘toxic masculinity’, its role in societal norms and gender socialisation. This of course wasmet with a backlash, again with critiques arguing that the term ‘toxic masculinity’ presents men as the victim and devalues masculinity entirely (Boise, 2019). Nevertheless, there is still a definite need for discussion around the negative effects of masculinity. Whether or not the term ‘toxic masculinity’ paints men as the victim of their own ideology, is irrelevant. It is an issue still affecting men today, that must continue to be explored.

Which country in the UK has the highest suicide rate?

Figure 3.9 ‘Which country in the UK has the highest suicide rate?’ (2023)

Although the majority of participants (52%) correctly identified Scotland as the country with the highest suicide rate, still almost half (48%) of participants answered incorrectly. There is little publicised fact around Scotland’s suicide rate, especially in relation to the rest of the UK, attributed to ‘psychotropic (prescription) drugs, alcohol and drug use, socioeconomic deprivation, social fragmentation, and other health-related indices’ (Mok et al., 2013). Perhaps there could be more publicity around the risks of suicide in Scotland, with morefunding spent on mental healthservices and suicide prevention?

percentage of our country’s suicides are men?

Figure 3.10 ‘What percentage of our country’s suicides are men?’ (2023)

75% of Scotland’s suicides are men (Scottish Government, 2022). A large majority of the participants (76%) underestimated the ratio of male suicides in Scotland by <10%. This shows the glaring lack of publicity surrounding

the severity of this epidemic of men’s mental health in Scotland. The Scottish Government (2021) did commit to doubling their funding for suicide prevention, that took action in 2022. This aimed to expand awareness and training on suicide prevention. This will not solve the issue, but any aid in promoting suicide prevention and awareness in Scotland is a promising step in the right direction.

Interview

For an original source of research, an interview was conducted with Matthew Wilson-Green, a PhD student conducting one of the latest British Doctoral theses on Masculinity. This was a semi-structured interview where the topics of masculinity, fear anxiety and men’s health were discussed and its relation to both research enquiries (MacKay, 2023).

Discussion

How do you feel about masculinity in the current day?

“Neoliberalism influences individualism which diminishesmen’saccesstocommunitiesthatfurther learningandbehaviours”.

Wilson-Green talked at length surrounding the concept of Neoliberalism and its link to masculinity. Neoliberalism is an economic and political philosophy that advocates for limited government intervention in the market (Navarro, 2007). This emphasising independence and competition commonly associated with masculine traits such as

assertiveness, ambition, and desire for dominance (Mikkelsen, 2017). Wilson-Green argues that this ideology prevents men’s access to communities, hindering the development of positive behaviours that could enable them to move away from individualistic masculine ideals.

Do you think issues of masculinity are talked about enough?

“Differentspacesofferdifferentculturalrules,somedo allow it some don’t but ultimately it needs to be improved”.

The taboo nature of masculine pressures makes discussing such issues difficult. Different settings allow for men's experiences to be acknowledged, fostering an environment where they feel comfortable discussing them openly. However, some groups and communities are less accepting, men don’t feel there is a place for these discussions to take place due to the cultural norms that heavily stigmatise such discourses. Overall, there is a need for improvement in addressing issues related to masculinity, as the current level of discourse may not be sufficient and needs to be more widespread.

Do you think masculinity needs to change?

“Theshortanswerisyes.Weneedtolookatnewways totacklemasculinity,Ilookatthatthroughexposure to fear and exploring for example, Judith Butler’s ‘DoingGender’”.

In Wilson-Green’s area of research, issues of men’s mental health in relation to masculinity is examined through the lens of rock climbing. As a sport where fear and vulnerability play a huge part, Wilson-Green explores how these environments that promote such emotional states can help in challenging masculine gender norms. Allowing men to expose their own weaknesses can help them become much more emotionally open and connect with a broader community. Referencing Bulter’s (2004) reflections on gender as a set of actions and behaviours that we must all at times aim to undo to create more inclusive and liberating possibilities for self-expression. Masculine ideology being at the heart of many gender performances that limit the manifestation of more fluid identities.

What can we do to create a new masculine and better the lives of men, negatively affected by traditional masculinity?

“Exploreandunderstandculturalpracticesandmedia artifactsthathavecreatedsuchbehavioursandlookat ways to challenge and tackle them for the next generation”.

There is obviously a definitive need to assess the ways in which cultural norms and practices have contributed to the development and perpetration of damaging traditional masculine norms. The ways in which media is portrayed and its link to reinforcing masculine ideals are clear. Various forms of media such as movies, television, advertising are all examples of media artifacts contributing to such gender conventionalities. ‘Capitalism has discovered ways of glorifying the accessories of virility: Borsalino or Stetson

hats, Zippo lighters, Marlboro cigarettes and so on’ (Jablonka, 2023, p. 58). We should address current issues and actively seek strategies that address such behaviours, hopefully creating a lasting change for future generations.

Would you be able to give any practical changes that could initiate change?

“Individualised exposure to personal fears and vulnerabilityblendedwithexposuretoarttherapy”.

Research has proven that adhering to traditional and hegemonic masculine norms has been associated with negative impacts on men's mental health, specifically contributing to heightened levels of anxiety (Boxer and Gill, 2021). Wilson-Green along with other researchers identify that fear exposure therapycan help to lower levels ofanxiety and enhance therapeutic outcomes (McGuire et al., 2014). Much has been written on the benefits of art therapy in the treatment of mental health disorders (Chiang et al., 2019). Wilson-Green also discussed his own proposal to utilise creative art therapeutic practices to help tackle men’s anxieties that can be attributed to masculine pressures. These suggested methods of intervention may help to address masculine pressures head on and promote positive men’s mental health.

Calder McKay, 2024

THE DISMISSAL OF WOMEN’S CRAFTS: AN ANALYSIS OF NEEDLWORK BY AFAB ARTISTS IN A HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY CONTEXT

Nina McMullan

Author bio

Nina McMullan is a non-binary artist originally from East Lothian, currently living in Dundee and studying Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. Their main drive to create is directed by their own experiences as an AFAB person growing up in Scotland, influenced by the stereotypes of ugliness and disgust. Through mediums such as photography, drawings, and textile work, they aim to transform what society constitutes as beautiful – tackling insecurities and relationships with themself and others. Collage, text and portraiture are consistently at the base of their work, as well as combining women’s textile crafts to bring together blatantly honest images of bodies and faces as a feminist take on the methods which have historically been dismissed for their association with women.

Email: ninaashermcmullan@gmail.com TikTok: @anklebrain.

Abstract

Researching key points throughout the history of needlework has made it evident that its association with women has resulted in a dismissive attitude and has in turn been disregarded within the art world. This dissertation will introduce notable artists assigned female at birth (AFAB) who have used needlework to create, from names such as Harriet Powers (1837-1910) to Tracey Emin (b.1964), discussing their affiliation with the Arts and Crafts movement and therefore dismissal of their work.

Furthermore, this dissertation will discuss Miriam Schapiro’s (1923-2015) relationship with being a female artist, as well as the topic of anonymity through her series Anonymous Was a Woman (1977). The development of fourth wave feminism introduced around 2012 has raised awareness of the sexist nature of the art world, a longstanding issue which has sparked a revival in feminist work, with artists reclaiming the technique of needlework. This is evident in the contemporary art of Tracey Emin, the final artist analysed in this body of work. The relationship between these artists and needlework has been researched to establish this document through books, articles, and interviews.

The dismissal of women’s crafts: An analysis of needlework by AFAB artists in a historical and contemporary context

The following text forms an excerpt from Nina McMullan’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter three titled ‘Contemporary Analysis of Tracey Emin’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

Nina McMullan

CONTEMPORARY ANALYSIS OF TRACEY EMIN

The contemporary art movement has introduced an assembly of female artists from all backgrounds fighting back by incorporating the traditional use of needlework in a modern setting. Artists are tackling this issue by arguing against the inherent sexism and dismissal of the Arts and Crafts movement, often using needlecraft as a way of disrupting stereotypes and the interrelations between being female and making art. The 1970s saw a surge of female artists contending the historically restricted nature of needlework by reclaiming needlework. Author Elizabeth Emery writes in regard to this resurgence; ‘Needlework was a reminder of women’s oppression under patriarchy but, concurrently, needlework carried with it its own culture, specific to women’s her-story’ (Emery 2019, p.103). This reiterates the fact of women taking back this method of making art in their own way, a way that is no longer under societal expectations of how women are to be. Furthermore, some also use needlecraft as a way of modernising their cultural influences, providing a new perspective, and as a way of honouring those who paved the way for modern women to be accepted into the art world. Though the use of needlework in the past for some was a

necessity for survival, artists today are embracing this method of working in a modern sense.

The appreciation of needlework in recent years has continued to be modernised through websites discussing all things sewing. These online sources allow people across the world to connect and express their passion from all paths of life. As groups historically would sew together in person, their world is now digitalised. Moreover, the advancement of technology has also made the sharing of different cultural inspirationsand methodsof making more accessible. People from all over the world can learn how to perfect their preferred craft in just a few clicks, opening more opportunities for people to create. However, this does also come with the possible downside of styles being less individualistic due to massproduction, taking away from the care put into hand creating. Despite this, some contemporary artists continue to embrace the traditional method of making in a modern form. For example, BritishTurkish artist Tracey Karima Emin, born 3 July 1963, in Croydon, UK. Emin studied at and graduated from the Royal College of Art in London with an MA in painting and is recognised as one of the Young British Artists (YBA). Emin is known for her brutal honesty, and one source which gives a direct insight into the artist’s traumatic life experiences and upbringing is her autobiography Strangeland (2005), a collection of writing over the past 25 years formed into a book. The structure of the book relates to her essence of chaotic tales and her art style with short chapters filled with ongoing thoughts and stories of her childhood and the trauma she has endured as a woman. Though her life is well documented by others through the media, this autobiography is an advantageous source straight from the

artist to inform the reader of the direct links and life lessons of Emin as a female artist in Britain, which has in turn influenced the context of her artwork. Due to its honest nature, using Strangeland as a dependable source to analyse her work feels appropriate. Throughout her career, Emin has tackled themes of sexism, as well as mental and physical health in a myriad of mediums. A few revisited topics in her artwork relate to sex and relationships, her abortions, mental illness, and most recently her bladder cancer diagnosis and surgery, all approached in an unfiltered and raw manner through the style of confessional art. She is even quoted to have said: “Over the last few years I have externalised everything, kind of turned myself inside-out" (Emin 2005, p.201), reinforcing this concept of brutal honesty, embracing the ups and downs of life.

The piece ‘Mad Tracey from Margate, Everyone's Been There’, is an appliqué blanket completed in 1997 by Emin. It is currently conserved in Sammlung Goetz, Munich. Although this is one of many autobiographical pieces made by Emin, it is deserving of its place as it directly illustrates the topic of contemporary Arts and Crafts. The blanket reaches a size of 267 x 215 cm and is assembled from a collection of the artists' friends’ clothing which have been cut and reused in the form of shape and text atop a deep blue background base, using the technique of appliqué (Brown 2006, p.47). The title of the work speaks to Emin’s upbringing and the tumultuous personal problems she endured growing up. At first introduction to the work, it can feel overwhelming. Emin has created a fabric collage where it is difficult to know where to look first – this could resemble the way Emin’s brain felt throughout this time of her life, dealing with the memories of traumatic life events.

The featured text reading ‘and I said fuck off back to your week [sic] world that you came from’, surrounded by nineteen white sperm cellsswimmingaround the sewn black capitalised text, could relate to a story told in Strangeland. Emin writes of when she was just eleven years old and playing at the beach in her hometown of Margate. After being teased by a group of other children and commenting on her physique, she was comforted by a much older man who then sexually assaulted her. Emin writes ‘And I pulled at his willy until a giant spray of white covered my limbs. I wasn’t yet twelve, but I knew it could feel lovely to be a girl’ (Emin 2005, p.20). We as the viewer do not know exactly what Emin’s word choice was influenced by, but we can make connections to the excerpts from this book while reinforcing the idea of using feminist themes with needlecraft. Central of the blanket writes ‘She was masterbating’ [sic] in orange block letters atop blue squares to emphasise the text, the use of vulgar language and imagery is a feminist take due to the nature of the subject matter and confessional stories she is inviting the viewer to be a part of.

Throughout art history, women were made to appear as the ‘ideal woman’, an all-round romanticised and idealistic vision of how women should look and behave, otherwise known as the male gaze. By using this language referring to herself or others, Emin is challenging this unrealistic expectation of perfection. The collage of text varies in emotion overlapping emotions and experiences that are personal to the artist but is also welcoming to the viewer to relate to – especially female viewers who may have experienced similar situations. This work unapologetically evokes moments of love, grief and passion, expressing her

deeper thoughts through fabric and thread, filling up the space of the artist's inner life intimacies. Dutch art historian Rudi Fuchs refers to Emin’s confessional style in saying; ‘She has introduced a practice of realism, and a particular honesty, from which there is no return’ (Fuchs 2005, p.18), emphasising Tracey Emin’s legacy of self- expressive work, embracing the nature of being a woman. The second piece of discussion by Tracey Emin is titled ‘Super Drunk Bitch’ , an embroidered blanket sized 320 x 249 cm, completed in 2005 featuring the title, signature, and execution date positioned at the bottom right. This work has since been exhibited in Edinburgh’s National Gallery in 2008.

As previously mentioned, the beloved attribute of Emin’s work is her ability to be freely confessional and autobiographical. ‘Super Drunk Bitch’ consists of various sections of text, some overlapping to the point it is difficult to read a coherent sentence. The text could resemble ongoing thoughts or excerpts from writing, a mixture of emotions, drunken rambles, or things heard from others throughout the artist's life.It feels like anexpressivedrawing made with fabric instead of a writing pen. Akin to figure 3.1 above, it is easy to be reminded of the life experiences told in Strangeland when looking at her work. The essence of the piece feels like a drawing of collected scribbled writing, especially in the largest text and title of the piece at the upper section of the painting. The writing style used in this form of creating resembles the form of automatism – the method of writing without thinking. The process clashes with the method of appliqué as this technique is a time-consuming way of working, and scoring out the first word makes the intention feel more intense and purposeful. The title and upper text could refer to an incident of Emin appearing on

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television in 1997 at the Turner Award dinner celebration, an event which was heavily publicised. The colour scheme used in this work pales down opposed to the work of figure 3.1, consisting of dull baby pinks and cream/white. White has connotations of purity, which contrasts with the use of obscene language and adult themes. In Strangeland, Emin writes:

I had become conscious of my physicality, aware of my presence and open to the ugly truths of the world. At the age of thirteen, I realised that there was a danger in innocence and beauty, and I could not live with both (Emin 2005, p.24).

This quote is in reference to the story of losing her virginity after being raped at the age of thirteen. She speaks of her changed awareness of herself in the world and how her mindset was altered by this experience. This links to the idea of purity. The variation of pink hues makes one think of childhood and femininity, emphasised by the floral pattern climbing the lower half of the left side, a pink and green flower bed. Furthermore, the associations of childhood could also relate to Emin’s harrowing relationship with motherhood and her experiences with pregnancy and abortion – a topic which is touched upon numerous times in Strangeland and in more recent works. The featured text in the upper middle ground reads ‘So what's your name little girl?’, which can be perceived differently depending on the context of the question. This text could possibly relate to Emin’s childhood and her exposure around older men from a young age, most of which these encounters are difficult to read at times due to the careless and predatory treatment she endured. When this quote is spoken to a grown woman, it

feels patronising and rooted in sexism due to a power imbalance of not seeing a woman as equal. This again suggests the feminist tone of the piece.

The technique of appliqué should be analysed in context to the subject matter and visual elements of the work, as well as who the creator of the work is. Emin’s use of appliqué relates to the Arts and Crafts movement yet features adult themes and crude language in a feminist character. She is using this way of working in a contemporary manner by not sticking to traditional set patterns and forms unlike those in the past, using an uneven background and crude subject matter. This affirms the idea of AFAB artists reclaiming this method of working in their own way, an approach Emin has continued to validate throughout her career successfully.

Though critics have often praised Emin for her expressively confessional style, she is no stranger to facing moments of backlash. Her influence on feminist art is often critiqued, especially when it came to her arguably most famous piece: ‘My Bed’ (1998). Many criticised the artist and claimed that the work took no artistic talent, a sea of ‘That’s not art, I could do that myself!’ as suggested in an article by Lucas Ind last year (Ind 2023). In an article for Artzine, Jakob Zaaiman criticised Emin’s work:

The problem is not her choice of subject, or her confessional audacity: it’s her ongoing inability to connect with anything 'artistically interesting

This is an opinion the Director of White Cube, Georgina Wimbush argues is spoken from a male viewpoint (Wimbush, 2021). These reflections highlight the conflicted judgements upon Emin and her work, inevitably deeply

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linked to her feminist entity. Emin has even commented on this issue herself during an interview with Lauren Christensen of Vanity Fair in 2013. When asked on her method of dealing with negative criticism, Emin responded:

After Venice [Emin represented the U.K. at the Biennale in 2007, spurring poor reviews back home], I was actually really upset about the British press. I was mortified. I was destroyed by it, actually. The press was cruel, because they didn’t just dislike my work; they disliked me, personally my voice, the way I dress, the way I look, my attitude. I’m sure they wouldn’t have carried on that way if I were a man. I’m absolutely convinced of that. (Christensen 2013).

This viewpoint accentuates the ongoing sexist issues within the art world, faced by even one of the most successful female artists of the contemporary art world.

Nina McMullan, 2024

A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE COMMODIFICATION OF QUEER CULTURE IN CONTEMPORARY ART AND MEDIA

River Paterson

Author bio

River Paterson’s artistic practice revolves around the exploration of themes related to identity and the intersection of gender performance and selfexpression, with the goal of challenging typical depictions of femme bodies in traditional art.

Their research broadly focuses on queer and gender studies with a specific interest in how these topics relate back to wider social and systemic issues within and beyond the sphere of the art world. This dissertation aims to unpack the phenomenon of commodification of the culture and language of queer subcultures with a basis in Marxist theory and intersectional feminism.

Drawing on discussions circulating around the politics of identity, class, race and gender, their dissertation attempts to underline a specific issue faced by queer minority groups under capitalism relating to the profiting of their culture within art and media, as well as on a wider corporate and political scale. The featured chapter of the dissertation underlines these points and addresses specifically the philosophy of ‘Queer Futurism’ as outlined by José Esteban Muñoz as a potential vehicle for progress.

Contact Email: riverpaterson054@gmail.com Instagram: riverson_art

Abstract

This paper serves as an examination of the gendered politics of the contemporary art world from a queer perspective and will explore in depth how those in

power in this sphere profit from marginalised identities whilst simultaneously maintaining the institutions that oppress them. This paper will attempt to underline the phenomena of performative activism within these spheres of power, and the active harm this perpetuates against marginalised artists. An objective of this paper is to examine the works of artists such as Marlon T. Riggs, The Gran Fury Collective David Wojnarowicz and Robert Mapplethorpe in the context of the reception and wider socio-political implications of their work. This paper will examine Marx’s theories of commodity underlined in Capital (1867) in relation to this topic. The first chapter will underline crucial context necessary to understand this area of study, defining the term ‘queer’ based on seminal feminist works such as Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble (1990) and outlining this text’s stance against biological essentialism and the heterosexual hegemony of our wider social culture. David Getsy’s introductory essay to his anthology ‘Queer’, ‘Queer Intolerability and its Attachments’ (2016) will be used as a point of reference to further define the historical context of the topics explored in this paper. The second chapter will serve as a critical examination of the historic and contemporary censorship of art institutions and galleries against queer artists and the phenomenon of ‘PinkWashing’, the term coined by activist Sarah Schulman and defined as the weaponisation of queer identity against nonWestern nations to justify colonial aggression. The third chapter of this paper further explores the phenomenon of assimilation as it lends itself to commodity culture and provide critical analysis of the Gay Liberation Front Manifesto (1971). This chapter will also examine theories explored in José Esteban Muñoz’ book Cruising Utopia: The

Then and There of Queer Futurity (2009). Finally, this dissertation will conclude with a summation of the themes discussed, avenues for further research and a discussion regarding the feasibility of potential reform.

A Critical Examination of the Commodification of Queer Culture in Contemporary Art and Media

The following text forms an excerpt from River Paterson’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter three titled ‘Dismantling Assimilation, and on Liberation and Queer Futurism’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

DISMANTLING ASSIMILATIONISM, AND ON LIBERATION AND QUEER FUTURISM

Charles Spielberger in his book Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology (2004) defines cultural assimilationism as, ‘the process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a society's majority group or assimilate the values, behaviours, and beliefs of another group whether fully or partially’ (Spielberger, 2004, p.615). This phenomenon is most often seen with regards to ethnic minorities; however, I believe it is a prevalent issue within the LGBTQ community within Western society as well. This is, when ‘forced’, an insidious phenomenon that works subtly to undermine the art and culture already belonging to a pre-existing community by co-opting said practices and thus removing any of their cultural significance, or by attempting to erase these practices entirely.

In her seminal essay ‘Queer Sociality and Other Sexual Fantasies’ (2011) Juana Maria Rodriguez, professor of ethnic studies, gender and woman’s studies and performance at the University of California, Berkeley, posits that:

the Right deploys a rhetoric of perverse sexuality to silence, censure, and criminalise sexualized and racialised subjects, and the mainstream gay and lesbian movement responds by disavowing these same subjects and

projecting an image of hyper normative domesticity worthy of political respect and validation’ (Rodriguez, 2011, p.332).

Often assimilation, as it relates to the queer community, only serves to further engender hatred toward those whose status as a minority intersects multiple boundaries of race, sexuality and gender, whilst grudgingly allowing those with identities that align closer to the institutional structures of power in place to be tolerated insofar as they are willing to conform. Assimilation is, then, not the way forward for our community, as it endangers those who will not, or cannot, assimilate successfully, whilst lending itself to the commodification and sterilisation of the themes and importance often prevalent in queer artworks. Just as corporate and institutional cries of allyship must be viewed with, in my opinion, a measure of suspicion at the very least, the subtle modes in which our community is called to assimilate into the heterosexual capitalist patriarchal mainframe that the West is built on must be questioned.

The Gay Liberation Front was founded in London, 1970, by students Bob Mellors and Aubrey Walter. In 1971, they published the ‘Gay Liberation Front Manifesto’ which went on to shape much of the core principles of many gay rights and queer liberation organisations in the west that followed in the eighties and nineties. Their manifesto called not for additional laws to be set in place or pre-existing laws to be reformed, as they argued;

Reforms may make things better for a while: changes in the law can make straight people a little less hostile…but reform cannot change the deep-down attitude of straight people that homosexuality is at best inferior to their own way of life…It will take more than reforms to change this

attitude, because it is rooted in our society's most basic institution the Patriarchal Family (Liberation, 1971, p.7).

Rather, they fought for a radical, revolutionary overhaul of Western society.

They also argued that the traditional heterosexual family unit itself propagates internalised homophobia and sexism in children at a young age, and that the rigid enforcement of traditional gender roles imposed by the ‘nuclear family’ harms not only queer youth but the progression of our society as a collective. In teaching us that gender and sexuality is immovable and fixed at the crux of identity - misogyny, along with homophobic and transphobic values are ingrained in us by the ‘family’ by impressing that any deviation from the binary, or from presupposed behaviors attributed to the assigned gender at birth is abnormal and poses a threat to the patriarchal structure. In a similar vein, Butler argued that ‘it (gender) operates as an interior essence that might be disclosed, an expectation that ends up producing the very phenomena it anticipates’ (Butler, 1990 p.15). In other words, what we are taught from a young age regarding our sexuality and gender, what we are raised to expect when we see heterosexual cisgendered couples engaging in romance in the media we consume and what we learn through observing the behaviour of those around us informs the crux of our gender identity, not necessarily the other way around. So then, queer representation in media and art is undoubtedly a positive phenomenon, as it lends itself to deconstructing the binary nature of our society and provides a transgressive and more nuanced lens through which to view the world. However, as outlined via several examples in prior chapters,

the matter of representation and visibility is a more complicated and often more deeply political matter than simply showcasing queer characters on a television screen and leaving it at that. It can be argued that too often, the desire to represent queer bodies in media can translate to tokenisation, in relation to this subject, something that serves as an indication or as proof of the existence of queerness, that does not serve to denote its reality in any meaningful way. Media is often an arm of the structures of power in place, and so often any representation of queer lives in mainstream media serves to depoliticise our existence and render it harmless, to assimilate us into the realm of heterosexual desire and being, when often queer desire and relationships are fundamentally very different from that experienced by the heterosexual couple. Whatever tolerance the assimilated can afford themselves in the short-term will never provoke lasting change. As The Gay Liberation Manifesto puts it, Self oppression is any other kind of apology: 'We've been living together for ten years, and all our married friends know about us and think we're just the same as them'. Why? You're not’” (Liberation, 1971, p.6) This is not to diminish the privileges that institutional protection can offer a minority group. For example, much of the fight for gay marriage rights during the AIDS crisis was so that a spouse could protect the rights of their partner posthumously, should that individual fall victim to the disease. Marriage rights afford gay couples the same legal protection that heterosexual couples have and was a profoundly important goal for the gay rights movement in establishing a basis for equality and opportunity. However, the rights won by LGBTQ+ people throughout the 20th and 21st century did not come from the benevolence of the

institutions that have oppressed us but rather from the efforts of queer activists in securing them, and assimilation is harmful when it causes progress to stagnate and ‘others’ those facing greater marginalisation.

How then, can this be applied to notions of reform within queer media? In the age of media like Glee and RuPaul’s Drag Race, described by Tina Takemoto in her essay ‘Queer Art/Queer Failure’ as “shimmering spectacles” (Takemoto, 2016, p.86) that provide an idyllic and glamourised glimpse into a reality that for most of us is unattainable, a form of escapism that can be dangerous when it blinds us to the politics of everyday life, how do we advocate for queer visibility without pandering to the heterosexual framework and the capitalist consumer culture that has only advocated for us in the short timeframe it has been fashionable to do so? In her book, Feeling Backward: Loss and the Politics of Queer History, Heather Love calls for

a genealogy of queer affect that does not overlook the negative, shameful and difficult feelings that have been so central to queer existence in the last century (Love 2007, p.127).

I do not disagree with this point necessarily, it is irresponsible forartand media to overlook the historical and political attachments to the figures they represent, and it is all too easy for media to become assimilationist and reductive when it blatantly ignores the nuances of queer identity and struggle. However, I do believe that queer escapism has its place in art, and that the two should coincide. Queer escapism, or queer futurism, is defined here as a mode of creative thought that allows for a greater understanding of the present through an artistic analysis of

what the future may look like.

José Esteban Muñoz in his book Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity posits that

Queerness is not yet here. Queerness is an ideality. Put another way, we are not yet queer. We may never touch queerness, but we can feel it as the warm illumination of a horizon imbued with potentiality. We have never been queer, yet queerness exists for us as an ideality that can be distilled from the past and used to imagine a future (Muñoz, 2009 pp.1).

The notion of ‘queerness’ not as an identity, but as a creative and political tool, a goal to strive for as opposed to a signifier of something constituting a wider identity, is, I believe, the original intention behind the reclaiming of the word. As Muñoz posits, we may never achieve this ‘goal’, but the inspiration that stems from the potentiality is at the crux of much queer art. You cannot commodify or weaponise an abstract concept against itself, and so, perhaps, the utilisation of queer futurist thought within the constraints of our present capitalist oppressive system is what may allow for the dismantling of it.

River Paterson, 2024

SPECULUM

OF THE OTHER

PLACE:

THE NEED FOR A REVOLUTION OF CARE

Emir Rizzato

Author bio

Iam a multidisciplinary artist with an eclectic and intimate style of painting, accompanied by sculptural work which often includes glass and multi-sensorial objects.

Within my practice and in my dissertation, I invite reflection on themes within our society that are often left ignored and need attention. My dissertation is focused on the need for a revolution of care in the way we approach the world and the environment; and focuses on the hope that there will one day be a more balanced relationship between humans and nature.

Emirrizzato@hotmail.com

Abstract

As we face multiple crises, ecological, social, and political to name a few, the question of how we can make a better place for the future generations to live in and start correcting our mistakes arises. This dissertation investigates the relation between women and the environment and finds a hopeful light of change in our collective mindset through a revolution of care. It aims to create a voice of hope for women battling with the struggles of today’s times of crisis. Through the lens of critical analysis, this body of research was undergone through the investigation of works by Luce Irigaray, Donna Haraway, and Elena Pulcini; and artists, initiatives and exhibitions such as Michelangelo Pistoletto, Art 2030 and the Venice

Biennale. An objective of this dissertation is, through research into these selected feminist writers and artists, to combine the feminist feelings of Luce Irigaray’s Speculum of the other woman with the ecology through ecofeminist theories. The first chapter sets out the groundwork needed to fully understand the topic, defining Irigaray’s theory, setting the background research on ecofeminism through collections of essays on feminist ecology such as Feminist Political Ecology: Global issues and Local experiences and understanding the philosophy of care that Elena Pulcini addresses. The second chapter applies Lucy’s ‘Speculum’ philosophy to space and environment, also bringing a setting to the theory by using Venice as an example. The third chapter explores the impact art can have in promoting social change through organisations such as the Third Paradise and Art for Hope. Finally, this dissertation concludes by proposing a catalyst for change in our times and envisioning how we should all work together for a better future, with the hope to move those who took the time to read this with a sentiment of change and care for our shared home.

Speculum of the Other Place: the Need for a Revolution of Care

The following text forms an excerpt from Emir Rizzato’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter two titled ‘Speculum of the Other Place; the Case of Venice’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Emir Rizzato

SPECULUM OF THE OTHER PLACE

This secondchapter further delvez into Luce Irigaray’s theory of the ‘Speculum’, applying it to the complex relationship between humankind and the environment. I will explore the relationship between people and places, and bringing the previously explored theories into a concrete setting, by using the city of Venice as an example of how positive change may be contextually envisioned in the near future.

Luce Irigaray criticises the lacking equality of man and woman throughout the history of philosophy and psychoanalysis, arguing that Western thought follows what she calls, ‘the logic of the same’ (p. 26). This logic holds that individual entities are assumed to be exchangeable for one another due to their sameness, and emphasises their speculated and mimetic character. The standard is represented by man, the one who self-represents by reflecting himself in the other (the woman), whom instead has the function to mirror (Irigaray, 1974). With Irigaray, feminist philosophy turns its focus more specifically towards the exploration of the sexual difference between women and men, namely something that had been rendered unthinkable in men’s thought. She defines women’s condition as one of alienation, and while she was not

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primarily interested in an engagement with nature in her earlier works, her theories and writing can be used to develop a different vision of nature.

While primarily applied to the field of gender studies, the idea of the Speculum which Irigaray develops can also be thoughtfully extended to the domains of ecology and place, offering valuable insights into our relationships with the environment and the spaces we inhabit. She links feminine representation to the idea of the specular mirror. The speculum’s curved surface creates a distorted image that flips the reflections of language associated with masculinity. In the words of Irigaray (1974), ‘the specular surface [will be] found not the void of nothingness but the dazzle of multifaceted speleology. A scintillating and incandescent concavity’ (p. 143). This surface symbolises the intrinsic uniqueness of the female form. In order for women to define themselves as social beings capable of forming healthy connections with one another, they must first portray themselves to themselves (Mambrol, 2016). This idea of the ‘Speculum’, delves into the ways in which Western philosophy and culture have historically marginalised and objectified the female body, perpetuating a pattern of objectification that can easily be extended to the natural world. Irigaray argues that these objectifying tendencies are rooted in the male-centric capitalist perspective that characterises our society, seeking to control and dominate the ‘Other’ (p. 134) whether that ‘Other’ is the female body or the natural world.

In applying Speculum Theory to ecology and place, we can explore how this framework can help us understand and rectify harmful patterns in our interactions with the environment and the places we occupy, represented among

other things by extractivist and exploitative practices. The field of ecology, as the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environments (Smith & Pimm, 2019), can greatly benefit from this different feminist perspective. As Western perspectives and the JudeoChristian tradition often objectify nature as a passive and controllable resource, it has always been interpreted as a mirror of the man, as something that is at his disposal (Bourdeau, 2004). This objectification has led to environmental degradation and exploitation throughout history, as nature is viewed as an ‘Other’ to be conquered and tamed. By applying Irigaray’s theory we are prompted to recognise the importance of respecting the environment as a subject, not an object, and to acknowledge the unique characteristics and agency of ecosystems and individual species within it. Furthermore, it makes us realise how the environment is a place of its own, that exists for itself and not for someone else. By recognising the environment as a subject, interconnected with human society and other species, we are more likely to approach environmental problems as shared issues that require collective solutions. Issues such as climate change and ecological disruption can then been looked at in a different light. This shift in perspective encourages us to consider the ethical implications of our actions and to foster a sense of responsibility towards the environment, respecting its interdependence with other species that inhabit the ecosystem.

As Pulcini said,

It is imagination, in fact, that allows us not only, kantianly, to emancipate ourselves from givenness of the present and to broaden our mentality, but also to give space,

through the representation of the possible, to the transformation of the existing (2020, p. 149).

And this is why coming together and imagining better futures and ways to make that happen is the key step needed going forward. The idea of home, of our territory, is as old as human attachments to portions of the earth. These attachments to places may be nothing less than profound, and when these attachments are under danger, we may feel endangered as well. We are as much a part of places as they are of us. In this unsettled age, under the influence of anthropogenic climate change, hazardous temperature shifts and unpredictable weather events are increasing in frequency and severity, with wide-ranging impacts across ecosystems and landscapes. In these fragile times, this is when we most think about what people make of places (Basso, 1996).

Luce Irigaray’s ‘Speculum’ theory, which challenges the objectifying tendencies of Western thought and emphasises the importance of recognising the subjectivity of the ‘Other’ in spite of diversity, has the potential to transform our approach to ecology and place. By adopting this perspective, we can better understand the complex, interdependent relationships between living beings and the environment, encouraging a more respectful and harmonious coexistence. Similarly, in the context of place, this perspective fosters a sense of reverence and responsibility, acknowledging the subjectivity of the places we occupy. By looking at ecology and place through different eyes, we can create a more just and sustainable coexistence between humans and the natural world and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the unique qualities of the places we call home.

A crucial point I learned during this research process, is the idea of an ecological interdependence between the land, all living things, people, language, and culture, a notion that rests at the core of many indigenous cultures. This is an ethical, reciprocal, and cultural relationship with place that speaks to a sense of place-based identity and stewardship of the land for future generations, while also recognising the essential role that humans play on the ecology of a place. More so, this is also represented by the idea that ‘people belong to places, rather than places belonging to people’ (McFadyen, 2023). Through acts of care and connection we can restore a more caring relationship with place and our environment. This is not about a glorifying and yearning for a romanticised past, rather it is about searching for methods to fight the forces of global capitalism and seeking new ways of living with the trouble. We must do this with care.

The Case of Venice

This next part looks at the Metropolitan City of Venice, located in the Venice Gulf. Known as a city for its unique environment, history, and societal structures, it offers a captivating backdrop to explore the intricate relationship between humans and the environment. Salvatore Settis says that Venice is a “thinking machine”, a universal toolbox of concepts through which we can ‘ponder the very idea of the city’ (2016). He continues:

To look at Venice and think only of Venice would be to miss the point entirely: the processes currently underway in that city […] can be found everywhere else on the planet. […] Thus, whatever happens in Venice requires

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special scrutiny as both an indicator and a laboratory of what fate has in store for the cities of the future (Settis, 2016, p. 170).

One of the biggest issues that locals are against is the daily entrance of massive cruise ships into the lagoon area, bringing a large influx of tourists that have gradually turned ‘La Serenissima’28 into a sizable theme park and have changed the city’s architectural style and urban landscape (Comitato No grandi navi, 2012). Some other important threats, particularly for dynamic and vulnerable coastal areas such as the Venetian lagoon, include storm surges, rising sea levels, and powerful waves which result in land loss, inundation, erosion of the shoreline, and alterations to the biodiversity and ecosystems (Andriani, 2020).

Venice’s geomorphology has had a particular historical relevance, the environment having been transformed by humans and natural elements over thousands of years. The very existence of this city mixes together water and land, fundamentally interwoven with human life, and the same water that defended and created Venice, is now threatening the city. This is a perfect example to explain how our actions are having an evident effect on the land, constantly proven by the extreme weather conditions and floods in this area. Geologically, biologically, and culturally this area has been constantly reshaped since the Middle Ages, by controlling sedimentations, the agricultural uses of water, the heavy boat traffic within the urban aesthetic among other events. Built on petrified wooden pillars, and spreadacross more than 100 islands, the destiny of this magnificent city has taken a turn in the last

28 Venice’s nickname, from the Italian ‘the very serene one’.

30 years, not because of the water but because of man himself. For instance, some of the phenomena which have radically changed this ecosystem’s functioning include the fact that industries have started to subtract water from the Lagoon, that nitrogen and chlorine waste produced by nearby factories has caused the foundational pillars to corrode, and that the floods caused by incremental climate change have been putting the city’s future at risk (Merchant, 2022).

More specifically, in recent years, the effects of climate change have become evident in a variety of ways, including hydrogeological threats, the warming of urban areas, problems of coastal and lagoon defence, and the deterioration of historical buildings (Menga, 2023). Various anthropic attempts have been made to preserve the historic centre and maintain the lagoon’s ecotone in a stable balance countering its natural evolution. The most common symptom of the Lagoon ecosystem’s fragility are the periodic events of acqua alta (high water) that damage the city due to its geographical position and its physical characteristics. Despite the recent droughts over thelast few summers in neighbouring areas, including the river Po, Venice and many coastal areas and islands around the world are expected to return underwater in the space of a few decades. As a solution to these floodings, the search for devices and protective measures to mitigate the most negative effects becomes more urgent.

The MOSE (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico –Experimental Electromechanical Module) project was selected after a long decision-making process, with the objective of providing a complete defence of the land from these floods, but without intruding with the landscape

(Corila, 2021). It consists of 78 mobile gates which form four barriers that can temporarily separate the lagoon from the sea to protect Venice from the high tides. This however does have its limits, some of which are unknown for now and will be tested as more extreme conditions arise. The interventions to safeguard the Venetian Lagoon are based on scientific knowledge, where decisions were made without taking into consideration the knowledge or opinion of the locals andinhabitants of thisarea (MOSE, 2015). This is what is happening everywhere (Rocheleau, 2013), following the belief that humanity’s intelligence and power, based on scientific and engineering knowledge named technocratic geoengineering by Donna Haraway (2015), can solve any problems of future crisis. But local knowledge and the specificities of native fauna and flora from the Venetian ecosystem, as many others around the world, are absent from these decisions and have not been considered. The MOSE project, in fact, ‘was constructed on a perception of nature as recalcitrant and in need of control’ (p. 114). Local knowledge was neglected, and the environmental impact has been overlooked, as

fishers have begun to describe the Lagoon as a ‘sick’ and rapidly changing organism”, while many others “[…] blame the MOSE, a manmade product, as the main culprit in the progressive death of the Lagoon (Vianello, 2021, p.1, p. 114).

The bright yellow mobile gates of the MOSE now sit in the lagoon as a reminder of mankind’s continuous disruption to the environment.

What would a future where nature and locals are put at the centre of decision-making look like? Starting from a restoration and preservation of the ecosystem of the Lagoon, this could become possible through the flourishing of fauna and flora fostered by natural filtration systems provided from vegetation and floating gardens. Ecofriendly alternatives to motorised boats, such as electric and solar-powered boats, could silently glide through the canals, allowing for current transportation needs while releasing zero emissions. The cruise industry and unsustainable tourism could be solved through subsidies to visit one’s own local environment, while creating a culture of localisation and appreciation of environmental limits (Local Futures, 2023). In terms of the local economy, fisherman’s practice could develop more sustainable fishing methods, while providing a native seafood supply for the local population. The buildings could undergo important transformations, incorporating sustainable design principles and a green architecture philosophy, while the city employs renewable energy from the sea or sunlight to power itself. It is all very accessible and possible to the imagination, and some of these solutions have been experimented in various places, yet this still has to become reality in the Venetian Lagoon.

Emir Rizzato, 2024

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

Art etc.

Sophie Duncan Georgia Dunn

Maddie Farquhar

Alex

Harrow

Lukasz Lesnik

R.L. Taylor

Rosalie Thorley

A showcase of DJCAD fine art research

IN

THE NAME OF ART: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ETHICS OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND ITS TENSIONS WITH EXPLOITATION OF PRIVACY

Sophie Duncan

Author bio

Sophie Duncan is in the final year of her Fine Art degree at Duncan of Jordanstone. Originally from Perth, she works mainly with photography, painting, and written observations. Both her writing and practice centre around themes of privacy and exploitation. Her interest is in critiquing the ethics of artistic expression and the moral obligation of the artist.

Instagram: @_sophieduncanart_

Abstract

This dissertation will analyse the growing contemporary concern for the ethics of artistic expression and its tensions with the exploitation of privacy. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the moral obligations of contemporary artists and the constructive and detrimental impacts of artistic expression on both a subject and a wider audience. This study examines the complexity of the debate and demonstrates the diverging consensus on what is a valid piece of work or an exploitation.

The first chapter investigates Sally Mann’s ‘The Last Time Emmett Posed Nude’ (1987). I find that there is a strong correlation between controversial works and their ability to challenge inherited actualities. Confronted with vulnerability, an audience can discover within themselves their own boundaries which is pertinent for cultural growth. The second chapter reflects on the work of Heather Dewey-

Hagborg. Her work ‘Stranger Visions’ (2012-2013) suggests that the evolving advancements in the modern digital age are dissolving calls for privacy. I analyse society’s ignorance to ethical violations in this age and find artists can provoke a re-examination of ignored elements of our shared culture that deserve our attention. In chapter three, through research of Richard Prince’s ‘Spiritual America’ (1983), I challenge censorship as a means of protection against an artist exploiting a subject. Censorship of artistic expression can brand certain subjects as inherently bad and there is damage in this. Ultimately, acknowledging the unstable, shifting boundaries of our society, I argue the importance of accountability and the responsibility of the spectator.

In

the Name of Art: an Analysis of

the

Ethics of Artistic Expression

and its

Tensions with Exploitation of Privacy

The following text forms an excerpt from Sophie Duncan’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely that titled ‘Sally Mann: the Last Time Emmet Posed Nude (1987)’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Sophie Duncan

SALLY MANN: THE LAST TIME EMMET POSED NUDE (1987)

American Sally Mann, born in 1951, is an artist widely acknowledged for her photography. Her body of work is made up of photographs and subsequently published books that are critically acclaimed and recognised internationally (Artnet, 2023). Mann intentionally uses an antique large format camera with an 8x10 view to capture her subjects, embracing stunning detail in her images (Savage, 2017). She concentrates on the complex realities of social and familial relationships. In addition, she contemplates the connection between memory, nature, and history (Mann, 2015). Her practice, despite winning numerous awards, is often discussed with criticism due to its controversy, with particular regard to her children as the subjects (Appleford, 2010).

In 1992 Mann published a book titled Immediate Family. In the tranquil backdrop of the southern landscape of Virginia, she depicts spectacular images of her children in private moments at their summer home. In this collection of 65 duotone images, the story of intimacy, childhood innocence, weakness, and fragility is told (Nightingale, 2014). Mann dives into not only the triumphs but also the hardships, for example documenting injuries, wet beds, and

vomit (Mann, 2015). A realm of private familial interaction between mother and children is eternalised in film. However, this interaction is often cited as almost “unbearably intimate” (Williams, 2020). The role of a mother creates an unmistakable quality to the poignant photographs with what can only be described as an ardour of love (Nightingale, 2014). The children are frozen in their youthful antics, often in states of undress, and are repeatedly posed in mimicries of adulthood. Mann’s photographs evoke the “profound cultural fantasies of an innocent, ‘natural’ childhood.” (Hirsch, 1997, p.152). With this offer of innocence comes the risk of exploitation.

At an initial glance, one would assume Mann’s photographs are taken in the decisive moment, similar to street photography. However, her memoir Hold Still (2015) reveals the staging of her images, with the artist directing her children into these scenarios. They are not accurate representations, but recreations of the feelings experienced when witnessing her child naturally exploring their home (Mann, 2015). ‘The Last Time Emmet Posed Nude’ illustrates how the roles of mother and artist can become blurred. Mann became obsessed with the perfect image, shooting over seven to eight days, continuously critiquing her son Emmet as he posed in a freezing lake. Consequentially, this laborious process resulted in his refusal to pose again for his mother (Mann, 2015). In the final photograph, Mann captured Emmet waist-deep stepping through seemingly glossy dark water. The viewer is confronted with the vulnerability of a young naked boy, surrounded by ominous dark shadows. Yet it is clear Emmet is not fearful, he is in mid-stride towards the camera. His mouth set in a harsh line and a striking ferocity in his eyes.

There is a clear defiance against his mother and the harsh conditions that he has been repeatedly subjected to. Furthermore, his hands sit gently but confidently on the surface of the water, fingers splayed ready to emerge from the river, another indication that Emmet was not comfortable continuing further (Crapo, 2015). Ethically, the mother is no longer doing the expected, taking care of the child in moments of intimacy or distress but willingly using them, even repeating the difficult moment over. Therefore, predictably, Mann’s work is regarded with apprehension (Savage, 2017). Ultimately, it is a privileged intrusion against the children, where the viewer is left questioning the morality of witnessing it. When reflecting on the increasing anxieties regarding the exploitation of her children she defends that

children cannot be forced to take pictures like these: mine gave them to me. Every picture represents a gesture of such generosity, and faith that I, in turn, felt obliged to repay them by making the best, most enduring images that I could….in many cases, they did this while hot, hungry, tired, or like Emmet, shaking with cold (Mann, 2015, p.126).

Privacy In the Private Sphere

It is integral in the discourse of privacy to analyse the topic in the context of space. There are increasing concerns over artists violating personal boundaries. Mann’s photographs are taken in the private boundary of a home, a trusted space. Furthermore, from the trusted role of a parent (Parsons, 2008). This exemplifies the power dynamic of artist vs subject and parent vs child. It is the same, ultimately, the

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reasonable or unreasonable expectation of respect. Mann clarifies the importance of her home as a setting: ‘Within the sweet insularity of its boundaries I still find my equilibrium’ (2015, p. 99). It is ‘protected by distance, time, and our belief that the world was a safe space’ (2015, p.161). Albeit what may be a naïve beliefaboutthe world, Mann’s home allowed for such a resonant expression of childhood purity. The profound nature of the home as a sacred space is expanded on by Gaston Bachelard, a professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne University. In his book The Poetics of Space (1994), he introduces a theory called “topoanalysis” which is the study of how we experience space, specifically the home. It centres around the deep relations we form with our inner self and the outer world through this space (Bachelard, 1994). Bachelard emphasises

The house is one of the greatest powers of integration for the thoughts, memories, and dreams of mankind…It is body and soul. It is the human being’s first world. Before he is ‘cast into the world’, …man is laid in the cradle of the house…Life begins well, it begins enclosed, protected, all warm in the bosom of the house…(Bachelard, 1994, p.7)

He acknowledges the concept of the hunter and the hunted has always existed and suggests this need for a safe refuge, and that this pleasures us primally. The ubiquitous influence of hiding from the outside world activates within us feelings of safety and opens new possibilities of wonder and adventure. From this privacy, there evolves a sense of learning about your own identity in the self and the other (Bachelard, 1994). American author and professor, Shoshana Zuboff, in her work The Age of Surveillance Capitalism (2019, p 477) further advances this theory: ‘Home

is our school of intimacy, where we first learn to be human…It is shelter, stability, and security work to concentrate our unique inner sense of self.’. It suggests the influence a secure space can have on the development of self, a learning device that realises the way we experience home and universe, refuge and world, and private and public. It sustains us.

Indeed, Mann utilises the power a safe space can provide as a tool for artistic expression. Her intention was ephemeral moments, meant to be viewed in isolation from the outside world and its preconceptions (Mann, 2015).

Public Consumption

Through the process of her work set in a home space, Mann is exposing a private existence for public scrutiny. The sanctity of her home, and her children’s actions in said home, are exposed for public consumption. The images are re-circulated, not just in the contemporary art world, but through gallery exhibitions, printed books, and digital media (Parsons, 2008). As a result, the morality of this is therefore questioned; can it be considered a violation? It can be deduced that the violation amplifies Mann’s message: this is what already exists, innocence is real and pure. A responsibility is placed on the spectator to assess the danger of labelling certain subjects as inherently wrong, such as the child nude. Generally, the artist and their subjects follow Bachelard’s primal concept of hunter and hunted. There is a danger surrounding this and consequently, fears of exploitation. Mann later confessed that her children’s permission was acquired once they reached a certain age, and they had full censorship over what they wanted to make

public (Mann, 2015). However, does this equivalate to the initial act being any more ethically sound? Is it no longer an exploitation of trust? Once an artist publishes the images, it is out of their control what reaction the public has and how they consume the image? The power is with the viewer. Despite her motherly identity of protection, the artist has to become morally indifferent to this and must sacrifice her work, her children, and her sanctity.

The Taboo and Protection of Children

There is an inviolable rule regarding children. An injury or injustice against a child holds greater weight in a court of law. Childhood encompasses vulnerability, dependency and fragility that must not be violated. Art advocates and adversaries can acknowledge the taboo of using children and their innocence to create art (Julius, 2002). The uproar from critics of Immediate Family put weight on the uncensored nudity of the children as an exploitation. The religious organisation Save the Children even organised a book burning (Parsons, 2008). The concept of an artist and the obligations of their vocation being superior to their morality is well argued. An obligation of respect is expected, but not mandated. There is a continuous confusion over the implementation of limits of such artistic expressions. Ones that offend, or cause injury, or that resist societal boundaries (Julius, 2002). Michel Foucault specifies ‘criticism indeed consists of analysing and reflecting upon limits’ (1984, p. 45). From a process of doing something society considers unethical or immoral, a new rule can emerge, illuminating the need to disregard the past rule. With contemporary audiences, it can be argued there is a certain significance in

dislodging complacencies for cultural growth (Zuboff, 2019). This theory is further lamented by lawyer and lecturer, Anthony Julius. His book Transgressions, The Offences of Art (2002) dissects the question of censorship in art. In reference to the protection of art practices, he lists a set of defence systems. His “Estrangement defence” outlines how art can transform preconceptions, turning the unchallenged problematic and the familiar into something strange (Julius, 2002, p.26). Opposition can amplify the meaning of a work. In our reaction to something disagreeable, we discover in ourselves our own boundaries. There is a call forchallenging the spectator, embracing resistance as a tool for necessary self-exploration and confrontation of inherited actualities. A ‘transgression’ involving a child has aesthetic potential for this (Julius, 2002). In this instance, it can expose deep feelings when contemplating childhood. Manns’s work aggravates our awareness that we would rather overlook due to the initial discomfort. The question then evolves - is this nudity exploitation or innocence expressed through art? Sally Mann counters in her memoir,

An artist’s job is to make the commonplace singular, to project a different interpretation onto the conventional… some below the surface cultural unease about what it is to be a child, bringing the dialogue of innocence and threat and fear and sensuality and calling attention to the limitations of widely held views on childhood (2015, p. 153).

She summarises, ‘childhood sexuality is an oxymoron’ and her morality should not be considered a factor (2015, p. 158). It can therefore be deduced that artworks can demonstrate how our preconceptions are supposedly wrong and should always be questioned. In this case, Sally Mann

offers a new interpretation: the children are as innocent as you would be inclined to believe. They are representations detached from the regular conventions of the world and its opinions, giving a pure and resonant image. The spectator experiences her images afresh, a glimpse into the shelter of a free utopian life of a child.

Sophie Duncan, 2024

SUNNY DISPOSITION: DETERMINING THE CLOWN’S AGENCY IN VISUAL ART

Georgia Dunn

Author bio

Georgia Dunn is an interdisciplinary artist whose work concerns identity politics, humour, and absurdism. This practice draws upon separating reality, parody, and gender performativity in performance art. With a keen interest in cultural commentary and intersectional feminism, Georgia moves between exploring subcultural theories such as ‘the art of failure’ (Halberstam 2011), film genre, and pastiche in her print, performance, sculpture, and academic works. Georgia’s work addresses voyeurism in utopian and dystopian spaces through character studies and comedy monologues.

Website: https://www.georgiadunnart.com/ Instagram: georgia_dunn_art

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the figure of the clown in historical and contemporary contexts. I approach this subject via a reflexive case study on the character ‘Kirk Gleason’ from the popular television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007). Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) is a comedydrama television series created by Amy Sherman Palladino. Originally, the character was only meant to appear in one episode, however, Sherman-Palladino decided to have Kirk return by working different jobs in Stars Hollow. Kirk is an endearingly odd character; he lives in his mother’s basement, has chaotic career ventures, and views life

through a lens that is eccentric, innocent, and lonely. Berman (2010) notes that Sherman-Palladino’s decision was an homage to her father’s (Don Sherman) multiple roles in Here is Lucy (1968-1974). I direct this dissertation to examine the importance of Kirk’s clown identity in a lineage of work that uses humour to navigate the figure of the ‘other’. This dissertation is divided into four main chapters: the introduction, critical literature review, analysis, and conclusion. The critical literature review examines scholarship on the carnivalesque, clowning, and utopian theory. My analysis of the clown's agency is also divided into three consecutive subchapters on the subjects previously mentioned. The analysis chapter relates some of the scholar's ideas on Kirk and other examples of performance and visual artwork such as Bobby Baker’s How to Shop (1993) and Buster Keaton’s Cameraman (1928), among others that are relevant to my art practice. The concluding chapter shall collate the arguments made throughout the dissertation to evidence why the figure of the clown has a conflicting status in art and media.

Sunny Disposition: Determining the Clown’s Agency in Visual Art

The following text forms an excerpt from Georgia Dunn’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely chapter two titled ‘Analysis’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Georgia Dunn

ANALYSIS

Kirk, Performance, and Transgression

Carnivalesque performances show birth, death, and gore, and these elements are transferable between media. The carnival has a historical legacy that spans centuries in textual media. Marlowe’s Dr Faustus (1592) is a classical Carnivalesque text. Marlowe subverts Faustus’s formalised pursuit of knowledge by showing his moral and social decline after he offers his soul to the devil. The plot is symbolic of the death drive, as Faustus falls victim to his self-destructive tendencies when he is unable to control himself in his isolated environment and is pursued by the devil’s messenger.

Kirk’s performance ‘The Journey of Man’ (in We’ve Got Magic to Do, 2005 - See Appendix I) highlights the inevitability of death. Kirk mimes his conception and demise, both features allude to a broader consensus that life is ruled by death in an elaborate extension of Klein’s death drive. The performance has genuine artistic merits such as mime, theatricality, and sound. Like Dr Faustus, ‘The Journey of Man’ is a morality tale where Kirk abstractly mimes his conception, birth, childhood, adulthood, and death. The performance veers into the grotesque as he

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imposes acts of self-violence and makes exaggerated facial expressions that range between terror, possession, and ecstasy. The performance is unfortunately, misunderstood and in a poorly aged moment (on the part of the series), referred to as ‘spazzy’ by Lorelai. We’ve Got Magic to Do is a polarising episode of the series. Ableist language is never funny, and Kirk is being laughed at, rather than laughed with and these actions jeopardise his agency as a character. Carnivalesque entertainment has a dark history of exploitation and ableism. A canonical example is Tod Browning’s Freaks (1932) which associates ‘real-life’ carnival performers conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and Harry Earles, a vaudevillian performer with dwarfism alongside the horror genre. Lorelai’s ableist remark at Kirk’s expense deems his status as a clown because her word choice othershim in the tradition of the disabled performers in Freaks, who are similarly othered.

Carnivalesque artwork strongly correlates to political criticism (Clark & Holquist, 1984). Rose English’s My Mathematics (1992) is a performance work about past, present, singular, and plural identities. English’s oeuvre has been titled Abstract Vaudeville (Guy 2014), as she disjunctively reflects on herself and society. My Mathematics is a narrative piece where Rosita Chavel (played by English) reminisces about how she was once a great circus rider. In the latter part of the show, Chavel summons Mathematics, a horse that used to belong to her. Mathematics is referred to as ‘a horse who knew too much’. At this point in the show, a horse shares the stage with English. Rose and Mathematics (the horse) perform a sequence of biomechanical movements together. Biomechanics is a transgressive form of theatre that uses exaggerated mimetic

movements. Braun (1998) asserts that the form has a carnivalesque origin (1906), as Vsevolod Yemilyevich Meyerhold pioneered the movement’s opposition to Soviet Social Realism. My Mathematics (1992) was presented in the Serpentine Gallery, London, and uses the vulnerability of the clown to address loss and self-belief in post-Thatcherite Britain (Guy 2014). The Journey of Man is ironically tender and self-compassionate when Kirk holds himself in the foetal position as he ‘dies’on stage.The jerking motions that his legs make on stage resemble biomechanical movements. The gestures, however, are marked more tenderly, compared to his eccentric expressions from earlier on in the piece. These movements call for a sympathetic response from the audience, as from Kirk’s point of view, the ‘seriousness’ of a man dying is tragic. Buchanan (2010) refers to Angela Carter as a carnivalesque author, because she pairs opposites and pluralities with Bakhtin’s concept of dialogism. Wise Children 22 (Carter 1991) is a realistic and fantastical text about twin girls Nora and Dora Chance. The term ‘Sunny Disposition’ is bothtrue and ironic because whilstthe clown masks under the guise of a smile, i.e., humour in the cases of Nora and Kirk, there are much darker elements of tragedy under the surface. The text, narrated in Nora’s voice, is as much satirical and bears similarity to the style of an insult comic as she is aware of the fantastical realism amongst her family. This type of humour contrasts with the allusiveness of Kirk’s humour which is ambiguously strange in its origin. Carter’s writing and Emma Rice’s 2018 stage adaptation of Wise Children explore paternal absenteeism through a carnivalesque lens. There are also intertextual similarities between the trajectories of the Chances and

Kirk. Nora and Dora Chance are the illegitimate daughters of Melchior Hazard, a selfish theatre actor who ignores his children. Like Kirk, the Chances are the breadwinners for their family; theywork tirelesslyassong-and-dance girls, and they move from job to job throughout the text.

Carter uses the carnivalesque to oscillate between social boundaries, one of the ways that she does this is through ‘second hand’ incest (Hardin 1994). At the age of seventeen, Dora confides in Nora that she has become infatuated with her boyfriend, the blond tenor. Nora helps Dora plan her first sexual experience by agreeing to have Dora impersonate her. In ‘An Affair to Remember’ (2003see Appendix J), Kirk prepares for a date with Lulu, his brother’s ex-girlfriend. The sharing of a romantic and sexual partner between siblings is ignored by the show which uncomfortably disables social boundaries, reminiscent of Wise Children. One of the most unsettling examples of behaviour in Wise Children happens offstage. Dora is briefly engaged to Genghis Khan, a film producer who is very much her senior. Throughout this period, Dora is stalked by his ex-wife. On the day Dora is meant to be married, his exwife arrives at the wedding after having extensive plastic surgery so that she can successfully masquerade as Dora. Wearing a mask to embody a different person besides the self is a carnivalesque motif, because it is a fetishist form of masquerade (Tseëlon 2001).

Sherman-Palladino explores cringe comedy, through Kirk’s oversharing and awkward interactions with the Gilmore girls in ‘Always a God Mother, Never a God’ (2005 - see Appendix K). In the episode, the town hosts a baptism for Sookie and Jackson’s children (the couple are close friends of the Gilmores and have asked Lorelai and Rory to

be their godparents). On their way to the ceremony, Rory compliments Kirk’s suit and he replies that ‘it is the suit that they buried his dad in’. Rory decides to ignore Kirk’s comment, because it is too strange to decipher. Kirk’s comment has a dark subtext. It questions if the suit he is wearing is the same suit that his father was buried in and, if this were the case, has Kirk dug up his father’s grave and stolen his suit? Kirk’s isolation from his mother and the death of his father further underpins the morbid origins of the clown, which extends more broadly to the series, because absent fathers are used to criticise the darker side of suburban family life. The episode expresses themes of death, renewal, and liminality (Clark & Holquist, 1984), as Kirk’s suit acts as a metaphorical bridge between the beginning and end of life.

In ‘Teach Me Tonight’ (2003 - see Appendix L), Kirk declares his passion for filmmaking and his wishes to show his short film I Love Your Daughter in Stars Hollow’s annual film festival. The film is nonsensical and brutal towards Kirk (who stars as himself) in his efforts to win over his fictional love interest’s family. After an expressive dance piece, Kirk is left half-naked and alone on screen. Whilst Lorelai is planning the festival, she mentions the possibility of screening Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective (1986-1988). Across his oeuvre, Potter’s work veers into grotesque and absurdist by contrasting violence and noir with ‘sitcom’ dialogue and hallucinogenic dance sequences (Creeber 2007).

Kirk, People, Animals, and Inventions

One of Gilmore Girls’ main themes is unrequited love (Berman 2010). In ‘The Haunted Leg’ (2003 - see Appendix M), Kirk professes that Lorelai ‘is the most beautifulgirl that he has ever seen outside a really filthy magazine’ and he officially asks her out on a date. Kirk’s mention of ‘a really filthy magazine’ is a form of verbal slapstick. Slapstick means to have a violent mishap. His comparison between Lorelai and adult material is a slapstick form of selfsabotage, as heaccidentally embarrasses himself andLorelai. The concept of a task going wrong is not unusual in clown and vaudevillian entertainment. Physical comedy was used to explore isolation in Buster Keaton’s The Camera Man (1928). In the film, Keaton plays a cameraman who is fumbles at the sight of a beautiful studio receptionist. Keaton tells the receptionist that he wishes to take her picture, and sheagrees buthe must wait forthree hours until she is finished. In the next shot, the woman is photographed but as the shot widens, Keaton is disappointedly still waiting whilst another photographer takes pictures of the receptionist. Keaton’s disappointment mirrors Kirk’s loneliness arc (Berman 2010) as both scenarios leave the clown isolated and vulnerable.

Humour is often derived when the Ego is ‘over-ruled’ by the Id (Zupančič, 2008). I argue that this imbalance exposes the clown’s death drive on a conscious or unconscious level. Bobby Baker’s How to Shop (1993) is a piece of video performance art that explores humour and psychoanalysis. The video shows Baker shopping in a supermarket. Baker is dressed in a white dress coat that looks like a strange combination of a doctor’s lab coat and

a hospital gown. As she walks through the store’s aisles, a voice-over narrates her internal dialogue as she tries to appease her Id’s destructive desires. After trying to reason with her Id (which the viewer can assume she hears in private), she removes the outer cardboard from a tin of sardines and places the tin in her mouth. After placing the tin in her mouth, Baker hunches over her trolley whilst her face shows physical and emotional anguish. Self-inflicted violence and humiliation are an extreme form of slapstick comedy that amplifies the clown’s social awkwardness. Whether the action is physical or verbal, both Kirk’s and Baker’s scenarios show how the clown is ‘injured’ by their self-destructive behaviours. In the later part of The Haunted Leg, Kirk is rejected by Lorelai. Kirk is not surprised by her response, instead, he looks down as though he is looking deep within himself, confirming his expectation to which he replies, ‘at least I tried’. Similarly, Baker acknowledges her humiliation when she states, ‘Oh god, I feel so stupid’. Comparatively, ‘Scene in a Mall (2004 - see Appendix N) exudes absurdity as Kirk establishes himself as the town’s dog walker and soon appears to be walking eight dogs at once. Human-to-animal relationships are shown in William Wegman’s video work. Wegman humorously presents his Weimaraner dogs’ responses to different phonetics in alphabetical order in Alphabet Soup (1995). Eyres (2018) states that awkwardness is characterised by pauses that are definitively unclear. Throughout the same episode, Kirk carries the dog around town in a handbag and his interactions with the dog/bag resemble the delayed responses in ventriloquist acts where the performer goes between being themselves and another being. Alphabet Soup displays this type of interaction as Wegman gives the illusion

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that the ‘queen’ dog is moving her hand by hiding behind the pillar where the dog is placed.

This form of visual ventriloquism has influenced my artistic practice. In 2023, I developed a series of screen prints called ‘The Desperate Horse Wives’. Unlike Wegan and Kirk, the screen prints diverge from working with live animals, however, the part animal and the part human composition remains the same. This hybrid is inherently awkward and comedic, as the form of the being in the image is unclear. Moreover, it is a co-dependent dynamic that humorously moves between human and animal characteristics.

Waiting for Godot (Beckett 1953) is an absurdist text, because it explores a static situation and the banality of the human condition (Esslin 1991). In contrast, Gilmore Girls creates comedy out of Kirk’s determination for purpose and self-fulfilment. In ‘Those Lazy, Crazy, Days’ (2003 - see Appendix O), Kirk proclaims that he has revolutionised skincare. Kirk explains that he has ‘discovered the secret of cows’ as one day, it occurred to him that ‘cows never wrinkle’. Kirk’s passion for cows and skincare is fleeting, and by the end of the episode, he realises that the product is poisonous. The temporal nature and inadequacy of Kirk’s invention relates to the sense of foreboding in Waiting for Godot. Just as Becket explores anticipation and limitations of hope, so too, Kirk’s experiences of disappointment rotate throughout the series as Kirk’s creative abilities are not immediately rewarded.

The artist’s iteration of a mass-produced product creates a sense of incongruity that juxtaposes methods of making (Eyres 2018). Object-orientated comedy was similarly shown in the sitcom Ally McBeal (1997-2002).

Throughout the series, Elaine Vassel creates many inventions that feature her take on functional products. In ‘Only the Lonely’ (1997 - see Appendix P), Elaine creates ‘The Face Bra’, a cumbersome garment to be worn throughout the day to reduce the movement of facial skin. Like Kirk, Elaine’s inventions are met with cynicism by those around her, and the consensus is that she makes inventions because she seeks gratification.

Kirk and The Road to Somewhere

Depictions of American suburbia in the late 90s and early 00s show utopian and dystopian spaces. Gilmore Girls is predominately utopian and shows both neoliberalist and individualist attitudes through rose-tinted glasses. Ghost World (Clowe 1997) is another millennial text that uses humour, in contrast to clowning, in a suburban space, however, this portrayal is profoundly dystopian. Edelman (2004) states that nihilism was a consequence of cultural and interpersonal uncertainty before the beginning of the twenty-first century. Comparatively, Daniel Clowe’s comic Ghost World (1997) is a sombre reflection of modern life that provides a darkly comedic commentary on adolescent anxiety about the future. Both Clowe’s comic and Terry Zwigoff’s (2001) film adaptation detail the summer separation of sardonic best friends Enid and Rebecca. Rebecca gradually conforms to suburbia; she gets a steady job and moves into a rented apartment whilst Enid becomes progressively detached. Enid pursues a relationship with an older man, Seymour, that ends in dismay. Enid also loses her place at art college, due to a misunderstanding about a sourced piece of artwork. In the tradition of the American

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Grotesque and suburbia, Enid occupies the role of the wanderer, and she wanders into the darkness of the unknown. Subsequently, the film and comic ends with her leaving town on a bus to nowhere.

Ghost World is a critique of neoliberalism, free-market capitalism, and the phonymiddle classes (Giroux 2003). The text replaces privatised utopias with dystopian notions, individualised values, and low-skilled labour (Giroux 2003). Ghost World has a conclusive attitude towards suburbia; once you leave, you can never return. Ghost World’s ending has multiple interpretations. Thora Birch (2003 - the actress who played Enid), speculated that the ending was a metaphor for Enid’s decision to end her life. Comparatively, Clowes and Zwigoff (2002) stated that the ending is unclear and that her decision to board the bus is symbolic of her decision to move on with her life.

Gilmore Girls, in contrast, depicts a fantastical version of middle-class neoliberalism. Financial reward is evident across the entire town of Stars Hollow because, as a place, it runs solely on free-market capitalistic structures. Throughout the series, labour is portrayed as a ‘fun’ activity in which all residents have varying success (Mastrocola 2017). The consistent wholesomeness of the town’s community runs throughout the series. If Stars Hollow needs money, the residents will collectively host a fundraiser, e.g., the Tennessee Williams look-a-like contest mentioned in ‘They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?’ (2004See Appendix Q). The show balances community and freemarket capitalism through privatisation and organisation via the work of the town selectman and elders. Stars Hollow has a utopian and individually orientated ideology unique to the people and businesses of the town. Suburbia in Gilmore

Girls operates more compassionately than the suburbs of Ghost World

Concrete utopias were interrogated via American examples of clowning and performance art in the 90s after the post-Gulf War economic recession. Walsh (2015) notes that the change in America’s economic climate prevented educated graduates from capitalising on their qualifications. Bag’s video work ‘Untitled ’95’ comments on said disaffection by using signifiers of grunge. During the video, Bag Figure 3.1: Enid Leaves, (Comic), Ghost World (Clowe 1997) 31 quotes ‘deadpan’ characters Beavis and Butthead and wears heavy black eye makeup. ‘Untitled ’95’ shows Bag becoming increasingly dissatisfied with art school and the social inequalities of low-paid work. Bag’s progressive detachment is heightened for comedic effect when she cries and dances to Morrissey’s ‘Suedehead’ which simultaneously shows her vulnerability and the consequences of neoliberalist trajectories on alienated youths.

Stars Hollow is in many ways, an abstract utopia, as it plays into the fantasies of the character's hopes and dreams. It is also mostly devoid of grunge. A character who is considerably ‘grunge’ is Lane Kim, Rory Gilmore’s best friend. She is a second-generation Korean immigrant who (against her Christian mother’s beliefs) is deeply passionate about rock music. During the series, she joins a band named ‘Hep Alien’, although the band never reaches great success. By the end of the seventh series, many fans consider Lane’s storyline a disservice. After Lane marries her band member Zac, she falls pregnant and is forced to grow out of the rock and roll life that she once envisioned for herself. Furthermore, Diffrient (2010) goes as far as to say that

P.O.C. (People Of Colour) characters are confined to the background in Gilmore Girls. Ultimately, Lane has an unresolved ending as she becomes alienated from her former self, just as Bag lost touch with the hope of becoming an artist.

Gilmore Girls is guilty of privileging the trajectories of white men over P.O.C. and female characters. Portrayals of masculinity and ‘normative’ behaviour can be interrogated by inverting the status of white men through low theory (Halberstam 2010). Gilmore Girls, in many ways, is a product of its time. Lane, Lorelai, and Rory fall into the manic pixie girl trope which provides comedy through the idiosyncrasies of ‘quirky’ women, but also limits their agency over men (Rabin 2009). Gender representation in comedy has since moved on and women and gender nonconforming people’s quirks have been narratively grounded and substantiated such as in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-19 - see Appendix Q).

In ‘An Affair to Remember’ (2003), Kirk is anxious about his date with Lulu. Kirk’s oversharing goes into the realm of blue humour when Kirk says to Luke, ‘I’m so lonely, not even Animal Planet does it forme anymore’ (Kirk, 2003). Kirk’s behaviour becomes more outlandish, as he goes as far as to videotape his practice dates with himself and asks other customers if meatloaf is romantic food that ‘gets you hot’. Kirk’s solo dates and questions are a form of capitulation, and he is contrasted by the naturalistic backdrop of the diner, where the date is set to take place. Kirk’s practice dates show comedic repetition, carnival time, and Meisner’s philosophy of rehearsal. Meisner’s rehearsal technique requires persistent repetition of a line of text until the performer feels that they have captured the ‘truth’ of the dialogue (Moseley 2012). This repetition mirrors Kirk’s

search for realism as he goes to surreal lengths to find a version of himself that he is comfortable with presenting to a prospective partner.

Kirk’s actions are not stopped by his fellow townspeople, instead, they co-exist with him. Bloch (1986) states that utopias are liberated environments that draw upon educated hope, a relationship between empathy and possibility. Across the internet on sites such as Instagram and Reddit, influencers and commenters have speculated on weather Kirk is Autistic, (Neurodiverse). I believe this to be true and I empathise with Kirk’s social experiences as an autistic person myself. Furthermore, I see many parallels between Kirk and the artist David Byrne. Byrne is also autistic and uses heightened movement and visual surrealism as a performance intervention. Stop Making Sense presents David Byrne, the frontman of Talking Heads wearing an absurdly large and ever-expanding suit (inspired by Noh Theatre), throughout the whole concert. The suit adds an unexpected irony to the film as the suit comedically propels him to move awkwardly as he dances. Upon further reflection, I submit that Kirk is perhaps based on David Byrne and his cultural legacy. Gilmore Girls is transgressive because it does not try to define his character via a neurodiverse or neurotypical lens. Kirk’s identity privilege allows his portrayal of ‘diversity’ to be more nuanced, as in this period, normative examples of masculinity went through a process of ‘unknowing’ (Halberstam 2018). Hegemonic order in the Gilmore Girls universe is suspended through drag. Gender is not a biologically binary subject and ideas of gender can be instituted through repeatedly stylised acts (Butler 1993). In ‘A Woman of Questionable Morals’ (2005 - see Appendix R), the town

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hosts a reenactment that displays how a ‘woman of virtue’ distracted an invading British General to save Stars Hollow. Lulu is cast in the role of ‘woman of virtue’, however, after she is unwell, Kick willingly gets into drag so that the reenactment can continue. In this case, Kirk is a ‘Butch Queen Up in Drag’ (Bailey 2011), as he has not manipulated his body to present more ‘feminine’. Although Kirk is portraying the ‘woman of virtue’, he does not alter his masculine features, i.e. his chest is flat (some drag queens choose to wear a breastplate), and his thick eyebrows are still visible, as is stubble on his chin. Kirk’s gender fluidity is highlighted throughout the series as he works ‘traditionally’ masculine and feminine jobs; in ‘Face-Off’ (2003 - see Appendix S) he works as a sports commentator, whereas in ‘Ballroom and Biscotti’ (2004 - see Appendix T) he is a beauty expert in the town’s make-up store.

Historically, the clown’stransgressive nature relatesto their androgynous form as generations of mimes, jesters, and picaros have rejected gender binaries (Tobias 2007). In turn, I argue that Kirk is ‘A-gendered’ (an identity that does not subscribe to a dominant gender), as he oscillates between masculine and feminine signification. This oscillation happens between Kirk’s different jobs from episode to episode. The transition is seamlessly ephemeral as Kirk’s vocations are side plots to the drama within the Gilmore Family. Kirk’s gender identity relates to Muñoz’s (2009) argument that utopian ephemera exists on images left behind, ‘hanging in the air like a rumour’.

Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator of Gilmore Girls, was influenced by satirist Dorothy Parker. Parker is known for her witty pessimism and leftist ideology during Hollywood’s golden era (Meade, 1989). Kirk’s uninflatable

aspiration for work against his consistent failure is an interesting parallel to the influence of Parker. Conversely, the townspeople do not try to stop his future ideas, he is given the space to form his version of success. Kirk’s success is exemplified in ‘Blame Boose and Melville’ (2005 - see Appendix V), as he is revealed to be the richest person in Stars Hollow. Here, Kirk explains that he saved a quarter of a million dollars by working 15,000 jobs over the past eleven years.

Georgia Dunn, 2024

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THE VALUE OF OBJECTHOOD, SPACE AND MATERIALITY WITHIN CONTEMPORARY CERAMIC ART

Madeline Farquhar

Author bio

Madeline is a ceramic artist studying at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. Since learning how to throw clay last year Madeline has submersed her practice within ceramic art and has enjoyed pushing the boundaries between what defines ceramic art as craft, domestic and contemporary. Madeline is also very interested in Scottish whitewater rivers and has used her ceramic objects to play between the tranquility and extreme sides of moving water.

Instagram: @mads_artii

Abstract

This dissertation examines how the re-materialisation of the object within contemporary art practices has affected the value and popularity of ceramic art forms. By using my knowledge as a ceramic artist, this dissertation discusses how modern artists have used space and materiality to transform the value of ceramic objects from domestic to contemporary. It will look at current exhibitions and popular artists like Grayson Perry, Edmund De Waal, and Ai Weiwei, who have all used materiality to re-examine the domestic object. The first chapter explores the history and origin of ceramic art and how modernisation impacted the narrative of ceramic art objects. The next chapter moves on to discuss how materiality and social influences has shaped ceramic art objects into what we know today. Then lastly, chapter three observes how artists have utilised gallery spaces to transform the domestic

ceramic object into visual art. This dissertation also looks at recent exhibitions such as Strange Clay: Ceramics in Contemporary Art (2022-23); Ai Weiwei: Making Sense (2023); and Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman (2021).

All these exhibitions have re-examined the value of ceramics as contemporary art objects.

The Value of Objecthood, Space and Materiality within Contemporary Ceramic Art

The following text forms an excerpt from Madeline Farquhar’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely Chapter two, titled ‘The influence of materiality on ceramic art objects’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

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Madeline Farquhar

THE INFLUENCE OF MATERIALITY

ON CERAMIC ART OBJECTS

The social connection between materiality, ceramic art and the body

The solid material object in art has derived from a history of craftmanship, skill and making that has evolved from modernists ideals in the 1960s/70s. Conceptual artists like Marcel Duchamp and the Dadaists, proposed “a new thought” (Duchamp, 1917) for art objects, which proposed conceptual meanings over conventional forms. This act of deskilling within the art world meant that according to Lucy Lippard, in her article ‘Art International’ in 1968, ‘ideas were in the air’ (Lippard, 1968). She discussed how artists were losing interest in the physical object, and that the dematerialisation of art was the new trend. According to writer David Beech in his article ‘Words and Objects After Conceptualism’ , in 2009; he argued that conceptual objects needed more to exist than just simply being. They required a narrative to give them a voice in the room. He stated that ‘the life of objects is given back to them though the social processes in which they participate’ (Beech, 2009). These new ideals surrounding how artists could interact with materials and space gave objects an identity that society could connect and relate to.

In Azza Zein’s article titled ‘Re-materialization, Art, and Affective Economies’ , he discusses how

the experience of space is intertwined with its diverse materiality. It is through the emotional relation with its materials that we form an affective impression of the space’ (Zein, 2019).

Zein has recognised the importance of this emotional relationship between the viewer, space and material object and shows how it is the foundation of all good art practices. The tactility and manipulability of clay enables the artist to form a relationship with the viewer as it is a materialwe have all encountered.

Aspiring artist Bosco Sodi has represented this importance between connection, space, and matter through his modern installations. He has brought light to the importance of the re-materialisation of the object within the combined use of abstract sculptures and paintings. He has incorporated clay and other disregarded natural materials within his work to explore the unknown territory of materiality within the natural world. By working closely between different mediums, he has formed a dialogue within his art that speaks to the viewer. Bosco Sodi’s recent exhibition in London titled Totality in 2021, was an exploration towards his fascination regarding objects in nature and their relation to the material world. Sodi believes there is ‘a very thin line between sculpture and painting’ (Kumar, 2021) and focusses on the process over the outcome. In figure 2.1 we can see how Sodi has used space to form a relationship between the object and surrounding space through his clay spheres and paintings, demonstrating how these mediums can work together in harmony.

Sodi explained in an interview to Rahul Kumar from Stir World that his practice is an “organic process” (Kumar, 2021) that was aimed to serve as a collaboration between material, space and object to create an overwhelming “elemental” connection (Kumar, 2021). He states to Kumar how he hopes his exhibition ‘will help us connect with our own selves’ (Kumar, 2021) to form an honest relationship to the material and physical world.

Like Sodi, renowned artist Grayson Perry has also used social engagements to surround his artistic practice that gets people talking about art. His bold, informal, and charismatic self makes the visual arts look appealing. He has made art look fun, by using humour within his ceramic vessels to address difficult topics regarding sexuality, culture, class, identity, and societal norms. Perry aims to use material forms, innovative art spaces and new media techniques to dismantle the hierarchy surrounding domestic objects in art. Perry has become a revolutionary asset within the movement of materiality and ceramic art due to his social and approachable nature. According to historian Lisa Jardine he ‘blurs the boundary between familiar homely clutter and the way the gallery space strives to keep us aware of the representational strangeness of the thing we are looking at’ (Jardine, 2004). Jardine has spent the last twenty years examining Grayson Perry’s work and believes Perry is a unique artist who has captured the extortionary power of contemporary art.

As a recognisable figure within modern contemporary art, Perry has used materiality to take away social pressures and reachout to younger generations. Perry has aimed to use materiality to dissolve the stigma surrounding the fine arts and make work that resonates

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with the viewer. He described in an interview with Ruby Boddington from Its Nice That, how he wants art to ‘be accessible in a realistic way. It’s not a mystery and sometimes it’s held up’ (Boddington, 2021). He believes that ‘the art world is very slow to acknowledge a more popular, sensuous, funny, entertaining version of what art could be’ and that it has been ruled by art academia ideals for too long. Perry is also widely known for his appearance as his alter ego Claire, who often emerges at exhibitions and interviews. Perry’s artwork is also highly influenced by in own life that has deepened this relationship within the contemporary art community. As a recognisable figure, Perry has brought his own personality to his practice that has aided him develop this social connection between the public, material and body.

In his exhibition Grayson Perry: The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever, back in 2017, he aimed to tackle this ‘idea of popularity […] to widen the audience for contemporary art’ (Grayson, 2017). The exhibition was designed to reach out and connect to everyone from different backgrounds and start conversations between people. Perry has taken this “emotional relation” (Zein, 2019) between material and the self to the next level by submersing his material art objects into current political affairs. Perry did this by opening his exhibition The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever, on election day, that acted as a form of mockery. He used the exhibition to address the ‘elephant in the room for our British society’ (Grayson, 2017) and discussed topics like Brexit, masculinity, and art popularity. According to Adrian Serle from The Guardian, Perry’s work had “curmudgeonly” behaviour, ‘poking at prejudice wherever he finds it’ (Searle, 2017). This exhibition highlighted how

beautifully crafted objects like ‘Matching Pair’ (2017), have the capacity to exist within a contemporary art setting. They delicately represented the argument to ‘remain’ in the 2016 referendum that laughed at Britain’s current political affairs. More recently, Perry has addressed this art/craft divide through his recent exhibition of Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman, in 2020-21. He used this exhibition to recognise the history of craftmanship, and acknowledge just how far traditional forms have come within contemporary art. He curated and displayed a collection of 200 artifacts at the British Museum, with thirty of them being his own pieces. These works range from contemporary objects to craft items and antiques, selected by their connections to his own works. The exhibition is a reminder of incredible skill seen within craft and enables some of history’s forgotten masterpieces to regain the respect, status, and space they deserve. His final showpiece was his own vessel and ship form called the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman’ , which is what the exhibition was named after.

Curator Grayson Perry states in the British Museum press release regarding the exhibition that

the tomb is a memorial to all the anonymous craftsman of history. I meant it to be the shrine at the epicenter of a site of pilgrimage, the museum. It holds in its center the tool that begat all tools, a flint hand axe. The ship is a symbol of trade and cultural exchange, loaded with images from all across the world held in the Museum. From its masts hang the blood sweat and tears of those craftsmen and pilgrim’s past. It is a ship of death (Perry, 2021).

By displaying craft forms and visual objects together, Perry has highlighted the new social connections contemporary art now has with its past craft culture.

Referencing back to art critic Paul Greenhalgh who believes ceramic art has been ‘actively denied its place as an artistic practice’ (Greenhalgh, 2020, p.512). Perry has showcased how his work has broken down these negative barriers between “money, class and race” (Greenhalgh, 2020, p.512). His exhibitions have provided new perspectives regarding the worth of traditional materials that have revalued ceramic art forms. In a bid to strip away the prestigious ranks of contemporary art, Grayson Perry also started Grayson’s Art Club on Channel 4 that unleashed new art practices. His programme was released in May 2020 during the COVID pandemic and brought in a million viewers each week, creating an astounding connection to the public. Grayson Perry’s blunt, and informal personality has showed a different side to contemporary art which has softened the serious facades of fine art.

Madeline Farquhar, 2024

SUBSTANCE ABUSE WITHIN ART

Alex Harrow

Author bio

Alex Harrow is a visual artist from Perthshire. He practices mediums in metal, sculpture, wood block relief print, oil paint and pastel. Often working across multiple disciplines, he uses relief prints enlarged from previous sketches as the foundation for oil paintings. Harrow explores life though colour, capturing a moment to impose a bias into a situation. Using colour, he conveys emotion whether that is through the blues of sorrow or the light of joy. He reflects on how as society we focus on the positive aspects of life, ignoring the negative. Harrow’s work highlights that to feel wonderful during golden hour, you must experience the dark shadows, and moments of despair, in order to truly appreciate the beauty of life.

He addresses issues in today’s society such as social isolation, mental health, and addiction, often conveying these ideas through bright hues as a means of displaying something which is contradictory to those themes.

Depicting Scottish landscapes, still life and people, Harrow portrays the vibrant emotions attached with a poignant moment, influenced by art movements such as impressionism, expressionism, and fauvism. He demonstrates the ideas and techniques of these past movements yet bridges them into a contemporary context through his stylised work.

Currently exploring the history and effects of substance abusewithin thearts, Harrow focuses on how this correlates to great works being produced but at the detriment of the artist’ s health. Meanwhile he also evaluates the societal implications of addiction as people willingly

wasteaway their lives seeking the next highwhether through the bottom of a bottle or more potent means to avoid their lows.

Email: a.harrow.art@gmail.com Instagram: a.harrow.art

Abstract

This dissertation explores the subject of ‘Substance use within art’ examining the work produced by artists from the 19th century to the current day while they were under the influence of mind-altering substances. It discusses such themes as the artistic relationship with drugs, mental health connections, and the creative implications or otherwise of drug use. A stereotype of those who are creatives is that they will abuse illicit substances as a means to create art. This dissertation aims to explore that concept and establish if there is any merit behind it.

This work has used scientific research that dates back to the 60s with studies that investigate this concept of drug use within creativity. These studies vary in their results throughout the years with some stating there wouldn’t be any creative benefits to drug use, while others state that perception of image and colour is heightened while under the influence of certain psychoactive substances.

This dissertation analyses the lives and works of thirteen different artists who have been documented as affected by narcotic abuse to some extent throughout their lives and have used this experience as a means to create art. The artists selected have engaged with substance abuse within their practice experiencing euphoric highs as the

most miserable lows, some have never recovered from their involvement with drugs as their addiction becomes consuming in some cases even leading to their death. It seems that many of the artists who use substances within their practice would later go on to regret it. It will also touch upon other creatives such as writers, poets, and musicianssubstance use thus isn’t exclusive to painters, as other careers within the arts have also found creative benefits as a means to produce work.

Substance Abuse within Art

The following text forms an excerpt from Alex Harrow’s 2024 fine art dissertation, namely that titled ‘Early Interactions of Intoxicants within the Arts’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Alex Harrow

EARLY INTERACTIONS OF INTOXICANTS WITHIN THE ARTS

Acrucial time when the dangers of drug abuse were introduced to the world was in 1839, the start of the first opium war. Throughout the 19th Century, recreational use for opium was higher than it had ever been in history, leading to social and economic disruption in China as well as an addiction crisis. The war would also have other ramifications for the rest of the world as opium would gain in popularity and spread throughout the Western world reaping havoc. Without the knowledge of the major health risks, and dependency people would fall into its trap. This led to a rise in opium dens where people who had succumbed to addiction living for the next high. Louise Crane (2011, p.5) states

The 19th century was a crucial period of drug-taking development both in terms of potency and plurality. The Victorians took not just alcohol and opium but cannabis, coca, mescal and, with the invention of the hypodermic needle in the 1840s, morphine and heroin. The 19th century also saw the origins of drug control, and the medicalisation of addiction to these substances.

Widespread use of now illicit substances was commonplace as medication during the Victorian era.

The works which came as a result of the opium wars often depicted these opium dens. ‘Opium Smoking’ by Gustave Doré an etching as a means of representing a tale of fiction written by Charles Dickens, notably The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The scene depicts a scene from the novel involving smoking opium in the Lascar's Room. A woman is caught by candlelight holding a large opium pipe with a large crowd of people watching and waiting behind her for their turn.

Other creatives also found a benefit from opium, this was not exclusive to painters as writers and poets also experimented. One intriguing poem written on opium is called ‘Kubla Khan’ and is an account of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s experience with prescription opium, also known as ‘A Vision in a Dream’ written in 1797. The final extract states: “And all who heard should see them there, and all should cry, Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair! Weave a circle round him thrice And close your eyes with holy dread for he on honey-dew hath fed, and drunk the milk of Paradise (Kumar, 2016, p.5).

The poem’s meaning has been speculated for over 200 years but there are some intriguing terms within the conclusion, such as religious elements where Coleridge seemingly refers to himself as having the face of God, where those who looked at him would have to close their eyes in holy dread which is referred to within the Old Testament (Altman 2019). He also refers to the promised land with terms such as honey, milk, and paradise. So, it seems that Coleridge believed that if he were able to correctly recount and recreate his dream, he’d become a godlike being able to

create the perfection of an Eden within his poem. The influence of opium seems to have expanded his spiritual perspective allowing Coleridge to create something ethereal through this remarkable experience.

The critically acclaimed ‘Ophelia’ by Sir John Everett Millais admittedly, is not initially associated with opium, but on reflection of the circumstances surrounding the work, it’s hard not to link this painting with the reality of the opium crisis. This Pre Raphaelite painting created by Millais, portrays a scene from Shakespeare’s Hamlet where Ophelia is singing while floating in a river before she drowns. Millais managed to capture the scene with an astute accuracy depicting Shakespeare’s description perfectly from the willow tree, botanical flowers, and river that carries ‘Ophelia’ through the piece and including subtleties like the robin.

A theme of this work is death, it depicts Ophelia’s suicide after becoming mad when Hamlet murders her father; Millais uses the Poppy as a means of representing death in this piece. The poppy is also the flower that produces opium there is little to correlate them, other than the model Elizabeth Siddal who was addicted to Laudanum at the time (an opium tincture). Through the contemporary lens described in Roland Barthes 1967 essay ‘Death of the Author’ where the interpretation of a piece of artcanchange over time once the artists have passed away. This is the case with ‘Ophelia’ due to the model’s addiction.

Siddal originally took Laudanum for chronic pain but shortly felt addicted to the high, this left a vague expression on the model's facewhichcan be seen in ‘Ophelia’ and other Pre-Raphaelite depictions of her. Truly the greatest tragedy of Ophelia occurred a decade after it was painted as

Elizabeth Siddal passed away from an opium overdose when she was only 32, shortly after she had given birth to a stillborn daughter. It seems Elizabeth Siddal also drowned as Ophelia did, consumed by madness and grief she was dragged under by the current of her addiction.

After the death of Elizabeth Siddal her husband Dante Gabriel Rossetti, another Pre Raphaelite, was torn with grief. She continued to be his muse, buthis piece ‘Beata Beatrix’ is the most poignant tribute to her. Based on the book of poems La Vita Nuova by Dante Alighieri, Beatrix is an element of his divine comedy, the piece depicts Beatrix at the moment of her death. Rossetti uses different symbolism to portray his loss, the red dove on Beatrix’s arm is used to show both love and death as it delivers a white poppy, intended to represent the cause of her death with opium being the reason behind her overdose. Behind her is a sundial representing the fleeting time they had together, and the background is a depiction of the heavenly kingdom which casts light across the piece. There are two figuresone in shadow is Rossetti himself looking over to the angel of love, shown in a red gown holding the flickering flame of Beatrix’s life in her hand. Rossetti also suffered from an addiction as he first gained a taste for the substance Chloral but through substitution therapy, he swapped Chloral addiction to Morphine which would have a tragic toll on Rossetti as the opiate caused severe depression. Suffering from hallucinations these later played into his psychotic breakdown (David et al., 1938). The tragic romance of Elizabeth Siddal and Dante Rossetti echoes the consequences of opium. The raw power behind these paintings’ imagery is so significant with their heartbreaking depictions of grief.

Inebriated Impressionists

During the 19th century, there was another revolutionary artists’ movement that occurred in France when artists gathered to admire light and colour - creating impressionism. An aspect of the impressionists which is rarely discussed is their relationship with alcohol, which they would often drink as a means of heightening their vision, the drink favoured by the impressionists being absinthe.

Absinthe grew in popularity due to grape vines being decimated by phylloxera during the 1870s. Easy to produce and inexpensive, it contained wormwood which by itself has no psychedelic effect but was said to introduce thujone into the drink which gave it certain hallucinogenic qualities which many artists took advantage of. Artist Paul Gauguin stated, ‘Absinthe is the only decent drink that suits an artist’, showing the influence which the drink has within creative circles (Bole, 2019, p.937). Impressionists saw potential in the hallucinogenic effect that absinthe had used to develop their sense of light while painting (Quarterly, 2003). One such artist who was influenced by absinthe was Edgar Degas.

Degas was one of the founding members of the impressionists and though he wanted to be regarded as a realist it’s hard to deny that his painting technique encompasses many elements within the impressionist’s teachings. Although Degas is often best recognised for his depictions of dancers, his more criticised work ‘L’Absinthe’ painted in 1876, was poorly received by the public due to the portrayal of the couple in the work – derided as ‘uncouth’ and ‘degrading’. The woman was derogatorily labelled as she was out in a bar with a heavy spirit in her

decadent dress. Art critic George Moore even went as far as to say, ‘Heavens! – what a slut!’ (Bos, 2019). This painting shows a typical scene of urban life during the 19th century where a couple arrive in a bar to order a glass of absinthe. The viewer ostensibly sits at the closest table where Degas would have painted the scene. Absinthe is a focal point of the work no doubt showing that Degas would have been frequently drinking while creating his paintings. The girl in the piece is meant to represent the feeling of absinthe with her vague expression, stooped shoulders, and a melancholic smile. Degas saw how absinthe was becoming commonplace among the lower class and artists during this time, capturing a moment that involved social isolation within a rapidly changing Paris (Byron’s Muse, 2014).

It is well documented that post-impressionist Vincent Van Gogh suffered greatly throughout his life. He struggled with his mental health and alcohol dependency, which was worsened by an impoverished life. Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in a letter:

The only thing to bring ease and distraction, in my case and other people’s too, is to stun oneself with a lot of drinking or heavy smoking.

This gives insightinto the extent ofVan Gogh’s relationship with abusive substances and how he would use them to numb himself as a means of dealing with his mental health (Douma, 1999, p.8). His drink of choice was absinthe, the same as the Impressionists - thus Van Gogh created his study ‘Café Table with Absinthe’.

Van Gogh’s addiction to absinthe was extremely deep as the Thujone in the absinthe seemingly had other effects. Apparently, this may well have led Van Gogh to desire his

terpenes, and this could have led him to even consume his paints as a means of satiating his addiction (Niels, 1988). He developed his renowned brush technique using vivid colour hues and thick paint distribution whilst under the influence of the hallucinogenic spirit.

The piece ‘Café Table with Absinthe’ has been watered down losing that sense of colour Van Gogh painting with its use of orange and greens, but its pale appearance only provides context to the work as the viewer is instantly drawn to the clothing of the passersby outside the café. However, the glass of absinthe appears almost to be glowing with the vivid use of green the subject matter is made clear by its compositional placement.

The painter struggled throughout his life with numerous issues one of the most prominent was when Van Gogh got in a fight with his housemate and fellow painter Paul Gauguin, eventually mutilating himself. This event would cause him to institutionalise himself as a means of seeking help (Blumer, 2002).

Sadly, just two years later he suffered from a major mental breakdown caused by manic-depressive psychosis, when he turned a revolver on himself in an apparent suicide (Blumer, 2002). Paintings created by Van Gogh were undoubtedly assisted by the use of absinthe during this subverted the misery of his life. Likewise, it is expected that well known works such as ‘Sunflowers’, his self-portraits, and ‘Starry Night’ may have never been created without the inspiration of the green fairy.

Alex Harrow, 2024

A

EDGE OF OBSCENITY –THE LINE BETWEEN ART AND PORNOGRAPHY

Lukasz Lesnik

Author bio

Lukasz Lesnik is a Polish artist based in Scotland who mainly works in painting and sculpture. Through these mediums, Lesnik explores themes of gender, homosexuality, and intimate emotion. A common theme in his work is the involvement in queer culture and his lived experiences as a gay man. The artist employs oil and acrylic paints to create an erotic landscape of the male body. These erotic paintings are visually arresting and direct works, unshrouded by myth or fantasy they are rooted in the now, questioning the nuances between art and pornography. The composition of the artworks removes any personal characteristic and highlights the topic by focusing on the act of sex rather than the feelings associated with it. However, the artist’s goal is to leave room for interpretation and allow viewers to create their own meanings and understandings of each piece.

Instagram – l.lesnik_art

Email - lukaszlesnikartist@gmail.com

Artist website: please follow QR below:

Abstract

This proposed exhibition explores artworks relating to the field of erotic art. Edge of Obscenity; The Line Between Art and Pornography aims to bring about conversations regarding distinguishing art from pornography, question artistic organisations, give visibility to queer artists and put pressure on main social media corporations to change their algorithm as well as terms and conditions.

The works chosen range in the mediums used, they include photography, painting, film, and digital manipulation. This exhibition will display art by some wellknown artists such as Nan Goldin, Tom of Finland and Robert Mapplethorpe as well as up-and-coming artists who work with erotic themes. The choice was also made to include David Hurles the pornographer, to further promote the discussion on art and pornography.

Edge of Obscenity –

The Line between Art and Pornography

The following text forms an excerpt from Lukasz Lesnik’s 2024 fine art curatorial/exhibition dissertation, namely Chapter One, titled ‘History of the Erotic/Pornography’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

Lukasz Lesnik

HISTORY OF THE EROTIC/PORNOGRAPHY

The history of erotic art is long and complex. It is hard to point out when exactly erotic arts began, some say it is a practice as old as the human race. The first known example of something that would fall into the field of erotic art is ‘The Venus of Hohle Fels’. It is estimated that this figurine is curved out of mammoth-ivory and is between 35,000 to 40,000 years old. This is the oldest Palaeolithic Venus and this one like many others prompts theories regarding its purpose. As highlighted in the article by Liew (2017), they might have been used for rituals due to the shapeand size of themas they representedfull and curvy woman at a time where most women would have been lean and muscular and the small size would have made them easy to carry.

The theory proposing the ritual use of the Venuses remains speculative, but the undeniable fact is that ancient Greeks and Romans existed in a milieu saturated with sexuality. Current excavations in Pompeii a city preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79 have uncovered a vast number of relics and murals depicting

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explicit sex scenes (Giuffrida, 2022). This continued for hundreds of years but, with the collapse of the Ancient Greek and Roman empires and the ascension of Catholicism, public opinions underwent a transformation. The belief that sex was something that shouldn’t be discussed or enjoyed took over. Denova (2021) notes the push of Christian ideology, where sexual intercourse was deemed a sin, albeit a necessary evil, with the Church Fathers insisting on the use of genitals solely for procreation. The Church employed shame, guilt, and fear to control public opinion, this however did not eradicate sexual depictions, it changed them. Depictions of sadomasochistic nature were normalised in religious paintings.

The portrayal of Saint Sebastian is a great example, the patron saint of archers was ordered to be killed by arrows. There is nothing inherently sexual in this biblical story but one mention of him being stripped naked before his attempted execution. This allowed artists to run wild with the story, often portraying him with minimal wounds, tied up and without much pain in his expression, like the Saint Sebastian painting by Perugino (1446-1523). This painting was executed in 1495 and depicts an adolescent Saint Sebastian with two arrows in him, however as mentioned before the facial expression is at most concerned and the amount of blood coming from the wounds is hard to notice. Erotic art, once the domain of the rich and educated, became accessible to the general public with the invention of the printing press. Giulio Romano (1499-1546) created illustrations of heterosexual intercourse, initially devoid of controversy although they ignited a scandal when Marcantonio Raimondi (c.1480?-1534) engraved and reproduced them. The incident resulted in Romano’s flight

and Raimondi’s imprisonment. In the centuries that followed, the views of people and the power of the government and church fluctuated until the Nineteenth Century, being noted that:

at the beginning of the nineteenth century ‘obscenity’ began to be the consideration that overrode all others in deciding how to classify objects of the past (Tang, 1999, p. 41).

The measure of obscenity meant that anything in art that was considered immoral or indecent could be prosecuted by the government.

Up until this point, the histories of erotic and pornographic art followed parallel trajectories. However, with the advent of the camera and video camera, a clear distinction emerged between what was considered art and what was deemed obscene. The next part of this chapter will focus on how people try to differentiate between what is art and what is pornography.

Understanding Erotic/Pornographic Art

The terms ‘erotic’ and ‘pornographic’ are not easily defined and in fact the attempt to define these terms is as complex as the debate on the difference between them. So, the difference between them is what defines them, therefore the long discussion on the difference between what is erotic and pornographic lacks a singular answer.

Some argue that if something is art, it cannot be pornographic. The four main arguments in the debate revolve around representational content, moral status, artistic qualities, and prescribed response (Maes & Levinson, 2012).

The first argument is that pornography is sexually explicit, often depicting rough and violent sex which stands in contrast to erotica which is representational and emphasises passion, love, and equality (Webb 1975, p. 2; Steinem 1995, p. 31; Mahon 2005, p. 15). This argument draws from the etymology of the words, where pornography originates from the Greek words ‘porne’ meaning prostitute and ‘graphos’ meaning ‘writing about’ or ‘description of’. Erotica comes from ‘eros’ the Greek god of love implying passion, consensuality and romanticism.

The second argument aligns with the first, linking the sexually explicit nature of pornography to moral corruption. Proponents of this theory believe that pornography depicts violence, rape, and aggression and even with the right treatment of the actors, pornography can still cause harm to the viewer. Many assert that pornography encourages misogyny, dominance, and aggression from males towards females. Steinem (1995) believes that pornography depicts force and violence, some might be obvious in the depiction when portraying torture, bondage, wounds, bruises, or humiliation while others are more subtle with the use of age, unequal nudity, attitude, race, or class. In contrast, proponents of this argument believe that erotica embodies mutual equality and morality.

The third argument emphasizes artistic qualities. In this argument there are two layers. The first layer is that art is complex, thought-provoking and multilayered, and

pornography serves a singular function of sexual arousal. This one-dimensional focus prevents pornographic movies to present as anything other than a product for commercial gain with artistic qualities that are lacking in many cases (Webb 1975, p. 6; Mahon 2005, p. 14). The second layer is that art is original while pornography is formulaic and full of cliches. This argument states that pornography is a product of mass production which makes it repetitive.

Both artist and pornographers deal in fictional worlds, but the imaginative creations of artists offer us a way of perceiving and understanding the reality we actually live in. Pornographers, by contrast, simply seek to refashion reality as the compliant object of our desires and fantasies (Scruton 2005, p. 15).

This means that because pornography adheres to the majority of human desires it can be perfected and made into a formula. On the other hand, art challenges views by being original and questioning our reality.

The last argument explores the notion of a prescribed response, with the belief that pornography hinders imagination by offering explicit details while erotic art is meant to be contemplated and appreciated. Levinson (2005) differentiates erotic art from erotica and pornography, his belief is that both erotica and pornography aim to sexually affect the viewer, however erotica aims to stimulate, and pornography to arouse. Erotic art also aims to stimulate but at the same time it encourages the viewer to think about the medium and how it manages to achieve it.

Despite the complexity of these theories, none are infallible, as each can be countered. Works of art and

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pornography exist that challenge even the most established philosophical perspectives. Humans are perhaps the most complex beings in the world, and everyone has their own opinions around the subject. The strict differentiation between art and pornography poses challenges, particularly when a work of art is labelled as pornographic (Maes & Levinson, 2012, pp. 38-40).

Historical instances, such as Egon Schele’s imprisonment in 1912 or the controversial Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition, where graphic homoerotic photographs led to the cancellation of the entire show, underline the repercussions faced by artist exploring explicit or pornographic themes. Instances of censorship extend across museums, bookstores, movie theatres, magazines, and social media (Hencz, 2021). The now famous painting by Gustave Courbet called ‘The Origin of The World’ is perhaps the most famous example of modern censorship. John Beckley (2016) states that in 2011 a news story broke out when a Copenhagen based artist posted the image on Facebook which led to the banning of the artist’s profile as well as all other pages containing this painting regularly got disabled. This led to a lawsuit and a change of policy from Facebook, however Facebook still regularly follows the algorithm that they have created which isn’t always accurate. It is undeniable that the treatment of something that might be considered explicit or in any way pornographic leads artists to self-censorship (Redmond, 2020). Hans Maes (2012, pp.38-43) suggests a different perspective, acknowledging that while mainstream pornography may lack aesthetic appeal, exceptions exist, prompting a proposal for a category of pornographic art. The category of pornographic art could create an ultimate way to deal with

this issue. Artworks that are deemed too graphic for erotic art could be considered pornographic art. This would still give them recognition as artworks that encourage other artists to create works that fit this category.

Lukasz Lesnik,

2024

A

UNDERSTANDING IDOLS IN ART AND SOCIETY

R.L. Taylor

Author bio

My practice encompasses portraiture of emotional toil, often combining various life forms as one. This merges with my area of research, which circles around attempting to understand groups of people, the events we reel from and how we perform our responses. Through these works I explore absurd interactions as a response to miscommunication and embarrassment, aiming to create fictional worlds in which the subjects could possibly exist. My degree show work, Freakshow, is informed by an interest in Christianity, conspiracy, mythological beings, limitations to escapism, and ritual as a means of overcoming the barrier of the currency of guilt. In my dissertation, titled Understanding Idols in Art and Society, I analysed sociomoral groups through the lens of contemporary art, aiming to understand the advent and persistence of idols in our society in a chronological form. Luckily, my dissertation research area is inextricably tied to my studio practice, I see religion as something to explore in forming narrative in my work and research, likely due to the astounding lack of ritual in my own life. My dissertation findings pointed to the idea that idols are currently seen as a necessity to and by the public in current culture, when the idea of simple speed is seen as a convenience, not a frightening waste - ultimately, the public’s contribution and reward is essentially a subscription to coverage, rarely of ourselves; this dissertation has contributed to that in a small, meta way.

Rising Stars 2024

Email: rltaylorart@gmail.com https://r-taylor-portfolio.webnode.page/ Instagram: @rl__taylor

Abstract

Iaim to understand the advent and persistence of idols in our society. To uncover the importance of idols, I examine sociomoral groups and the choices they inform, using sociological, symbolic and psychological frameworks as a foundation to compare Caravaggio and Gentileschi’s versions of Judith and Holofernes, then examining Andres Serrano’s ‘Immersion (Piss Christ)’ (1987), all containing idolatrous references. In dissecting these works we must understand their narrative and the furore that follows them. Much of this furore was due to perceived vulgarity and weaponisation of shame: two concepts I believe are part of our everyday lives, whether we actively perform and share them or not. From here, I will explore schismatic culture wars present in creative media, referencing the impact of musical performers Taylor Swift and Lizzo, highlighting Christopher Lasch’s work on the subject of narcissism to extract understanding of sociomoral allegiance and evaluating the need for escapism amongst the public, who follow idols with varying levels of devotion. This research area is inextricably tied to my studio practice, both areas cross and drag each other towards resolution. I see religion as an arena to explore in forming narrative in my work and research, likely due to the astounding lack of ritual in my own life. Time is an important aspect of my argument as understanding trend is relevant to the future.

Importantly, when we understand and possibly solve the collective desire for escapism, we reach an exalting conclusion.

Understanding Idols in Art and Society

The following text forms an excerpt from R.L. Taylor’s 2024 fine art curatorial/exhibition dissertation, namely chapter three, titled ‘Stagnation’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

R.L. Taylor

STAGNATION

We can understand celebrity culture as the sharing of media by those existing in a revered upper echelon of our society with the rest, or the other. This narrows a gap in the social hierarchy by attempting to demonstrate that the personal lives of celebrities (idols) and followers are relatable, sometimes extremely closely (Notaro, 2021). This forms what can be felt by followers as an emotional bond, comparable to a narcissistic relationship, transactional in its nature. In Culture of Narcissism (1979), Christopher Lasch argues that narcissism’s rising rates - diagnosable as narcissistic personality disorder and first popularised by Freud (1914) –result from continuous progress into modernity. From his Marxist learnings, Lasch saw the concession of formerly left-leaning, now liberal individuals, to socially mobilise upwards as disingenuous, and that when challenged these individuals would highlight another facet of their identity as a means of absolving responsibility. He felt that modern work, offering more individual gains, took away from meaningful work that benefits the community and institutions such as family and religion, a comparable view to Weber (1930). Lasch goes on to argue that the heightened access to media (1979, p. 93) informs a vapid and overly

convenient attitude in the public, imposing an unrealistic understanding of the world around them, leading to disappointment, confusion, delusion and fragility.

Critics of Lasch argue his work is typical of postWorld War II social commentary, released at a time where women and racial minorities gained access to academia more broadly (Averbeck, 2021). Lasch’s view of gender and sexuality brought much criticism. His link of pansexuality as a common narcissistic trait (1979, p. 53), is a wayward swing and likely stated in poor faith, to bring fanfare from conservatives. Better documented was critique from a feminist standpoint of his posthumous Women and the Common Life (1997), lazily tying mainstream feminism to liberalism, grabbing for whatever he could to include in his boogieman label, offering that most progress tied to feminism was merely promoting corporate presence of women (Willis, 1997). Arguably, Lasch fails to understand that a huge portion of feminist activism came from the anticapitalist left, like himself, and that the simple explanation for the retreat of many women to domestic settings was due plainly to the return of men fighting overseas during war (Falconi et al., 2020).

Lasch’s writings have also been said to predate their release, seemingly predicting a notion that would only swell as time passed, where the 21st century unleashed a wide acceptance of narcissism amongst what is perceived as the elites (West, 2020), while finding a nuanced place amongst the American right during the election and presidency of Trump (Smith, 2022). Traits of narcissism (Kacel et al., 2017) can be easily aligned with the inception of celebrity in an individual (Sansone & Sansone, 2014). Warhol’s rise and maintenance of an in-crowd type of celebrity, or elites, can

be compared to sociomoral grouping through shame in Christianity (as established in Chapter 1).

For the modern idol, a celebrity with a level of fame greater than that of their contemporaries, there is greater demand for information about their personal lives. Much like how historians and biographers have unearthed details of the lives of Caravaggio and Gentileschi, enrichingthe lore around them, increasingly convenient access to media like Wikipedia and YouTube offer followers opportunities to research and share content about the lives of idols they follow; these are examples of websites where the information contained is not routinely checked as being factually true.

There are numerous and numerical ways to segment devotion in following a celebrity; such a level of fame suggests the number of fans an idol has and the most famous idol across any creative media currently might be Taylor Swift, who I will use as an example of in-grouping amongst followers of an idol. To appreciate Swift’s level of fame, I will first refer to the Richter scale, after her fans caused the equivalent to a 2.3 level magnitude earthquake in their frenzy during a stadium performance (Sykes & Rosenbloom, 2023). Swift can also help us segue into understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy fan behaviour (Levine, 2021): she has many normal, functional fans, and stans – dubbed Swifties - who can cross over into the obsessive.

Psychologist Gayle Stever’s Fan Intensity Scale (2011) captures how strongly a fan feels about a celebrity, with Level One being an anti-fan (a negative interest in the celebrity) and Level Eight (the interest is pathological and harmful, worrisome to those around the fan, affecting the

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social group) – which is easily compared to Parsons’ third function (1937). Stever has stated (Bond, 2023, p. 61), that the vast majority of dedicated followers of Michael Jackson she met were completely functional, pleasant people. We can also look to the Celebrity Attitude Scale (Maltby et al., 2006) which uses 34 questions to range followers in three groups; entertainment-social (talking about the idol positively amongst social group, e.g. fan clubs), to intensepersonal (stans, those who are fairly emotionally involved with the idol and would defend them morally to their social group), to borderline-pathological (the relationship between idol and follower is dysfunctional for the follower and may lead to erratic behaviour). Here we see fandom at its most extreme - dictating the personality of a follower, where the two scales’ upper bounds can be linked to stalking, for example. Both must also be understood with Horton and Wohl’s coining of the term ‘parasocial relationship’ (1956), where one person produces and controls context, and the other merely exists, which is easily tied to a transactional relationship with a narcissist: a leader and a follower, one benefitting, one emotionally locked in to feel like a part of proceedings. The rise of attacks on performers by fans at concerts, driven by social media challenges, can be seen as a deeply unsociable and debatably narcissistic upending of the transaction between idol and follower, possibly a result of Covid-19 lockdowns (Fenwick, 2022).

The link of obsessive fans who lack emotional fulfilment in their lives and celebrities sharing more about their personal lives can widen the scope of the parasocial relationship. Until 2018, Swift, who started her career in country music, where a socially traditional sentiment is present, stayed apolitical; beginning to use her platform for

social change, she commented on gun control and feminism from a liberal viewpoint. Her fame has since exploded, with branding very much orientated towards women; in a business-sense, she is enormously successful (Moore & Snapes, 2023, pp. 26-40). However, throughout her career she has suffered backlash that could be linked to her gender; speculation around her dating life has clearly affected how she can pursue romantic interests, due in part to her own stans’ expectations, particularly during the rumours she was linked to The 1975’s Matty Healy, who has a history of making comments that mismatch Swift’s liberal image (Di Placido, 2023). Petter (2023) argues interest in her romantic life is a misogynistic double-standard. Swift has also been routinely miscredited for her songwriting and production royalties (comparable to Gentileschi), in Nashville as a teenage girl, but most egregiously with super-producer Scooter Braun, who was victorious in a court battle with Swift. This led her to re-record all of her Braun-produced work – endearing the artist, who was split across cultural and seemingly gender lines simultaneously, to her fans, from the casual to the most pathological Swiftie, some of whom sent death threats to Braun (Savage, 2019). The media reporting of the trial between Braun and Swift inadvertently exposed valuable information about the system in which the idol and the follower operate. The highest-grossing touring artist (Dellatto, 2023), Swift also re-re-releases albums (Taylor’s Versions) in different designs, but identical musical content, with liner notes giving coveted clues to lyric meanings or personal events; a deft but perhaps immoral use of her position and clear emotional connection with millions of young people. Swift has been accused of allowing Swifties to run wild online and offline (Ahlgrim,

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2023), wherethey have developed areputation fororganised targeting of those not meeting their moral standards.

Lizzo is another musical idol who has received sexist (and racist) backlash for what she symbolically represents in media. Initially a reinvention of the wheel of celebrity, the start of August 2023 saw the overwhelmingly positive narrative built around Lizzo by the creative industries change dramatically. Allegations of sexual misconduct, body-shaming and bullying fuelled by Christian morals (Rawlings, 2023) were levelled against the star, her dance captain and production company by two back-up dancers. This news was disappointing to many due to her very vocal support of causes around inclusion of various marginalised identities, promoting what could be seen as vulgar by conservatives, similar to Serrano. The news also came during a period of heavy media coverage of self-proclaimed misogynist influencer Andrew Tate. The types of people publicly criticising and defending Lizzo seemed to stand as a polar opposite to those defending Tate; one, a plus-size Black woman eschewing inclusive ideation - the other, a combat-trained man with extremely right-wing views and a relaxed view on sexual violence against women (Cousineau, 2022) – both are symbolic to the point of almost caricaturising what they represent to potential followers.

Lizzo’s factional sociomoral struggle relates to both Weber’s (1930) and Lasch’s (1979) views of flimsy values under the guise of social mobility, whereas with Swift and the activity of intense stan groups, comparisons can be made with Parsons’ third function where religious-like shaming can take hold. The heightened media and the information, or perceived and accepted narrative (Kim et al., 2016), can add new dramatic meaning to the work of artists

like Lizzo and Swift; like Caravaggio and Gentileschi they are prototypical of their genre, and their moral narrative undoubtedly plays a part in their trajectories and legacy. Our choice in factional allegiance could be psychologically linked to cognitive dissonance achieved by emotional investment (Lee et al., 2016); a sense of loyalty could subconsciously protrude logical and moral reasoning in an increasingly fast-paced media. By now I have established that the logic we apply to idols in art or media, we may also apply to those around us, being more forgiving of our friends than distant acquaintances or strangers (Forbes & Stellar, 2022), and ourselves (Dong et al., 2022), as could be derived from Lizzo’s media presence after the allegations. This theory of moral hypocrisy on the microlevel with a trickle-down feudalistic thread can be tied to Tafjel’s Social Identity Theory (1970).

Cultural effects on idolatry and the parasocial relationship that followers experience through idolisation of people like Swift, Lizzo and somehow Tate, we can speculate stem from a sense of emptiness, or flimsiness of values amongst the public, where what can feel like a majority of the world’s most famous people, idols, seem to have such flawed moral viewpoints but are able to promote a narrative that offers an escape from feelings of doom. Perhaps this space between their talent and shortcomings is a way into understanding the dissonance between the social responsibility of an individual versus the collective, that sometimes the individual, as the leader, imparts on the followers. Perhaps this deeper delve by the followers, taking part in the rituals the idol sets out, can further the feeling of emptiness or isolation, leading to ostracisation by how others perceive them via Stever’s (2011) or Maltby’s (2006)

theories. Notably, feelings of loneliness have been recorded as higher amongst Millennials and Gen-Z than previous generations (Twenge et al., 2021).

As in mainstream celebrity culture, contemporary art is another part of the creative industries where sensationalised factions exist through orchestrated narrative, using subjective modes of morality and vulgarity, where gossip has the power to run wild and solidify these groups. This occurs over the pyramid of the current contemporary art world, from art schools (Miller, 2022), to artists breaking through the ranks of hegemony (Shaw, 2023), to the most premier collectors (Armstrong, 2023) –emboldening how the industry gatekeeps the market through narrative control.

Writer Naomi Klein (Chambers, 2023, pp.34-55) argues that the most influential people who have recently disseminated disinformation online, such as Trump and Tate, have been trained in this arena partly through their background in reality television. We can link the somewhat unsurprising success of their targeted campaigns, using populist methods, to orchestration around counterculture by Serrano and Warhol, and to Tafjel’s demonstration (1970) of confident leaders’ ability to communicate arbitrary or unverifiable information at their convenience. It becomes more understandable that conspiracy theories offer a relieving sense of secure narrative when we realise that many who follow conspiracies have suffered traumatic events in their life that may have impacted cognitive functions (Bilewicz, 2022; Bilewicz et al. 2019). We can also compare cognitive development of people who grow up in religious fundamentalism (Zhong et al., 2017) to recent studies arguing close followers of celebrities may present similar

issues (McCutcheon et al., 2021). This escapist mindset can sometimes take form in narcissistic ideation, with groups like Targeted Individuals sharing stories online and at wellattended events, circling around the idea that they have devices implanted into their bodies with the aim of sabotaging their lives as they know too much incriminating information about political and military operations (Guerrero, 2018).

Bowes et al. (2023) argue there is a link between conspiracy theories and social relationships, although Klein’s findings (2023) report a long history of malleability of conspiracies, down the rabbit hole to extreme beliefs like antisemitism, somewhat comparable to Lasch’s writing on the elites (1979).

Much of this dissertation has circled around behaviour recognised as morally acceptable by the hegemonic population, to varying degrees. Cults could be seen as groups where morality is skewed from the norm and where leaders of fringe ideological groups are idols to their followers. In Cultish (2021) Amanda Montell argues that the defining cause of cult formation and membership is language, and that risk of indoctrination is highest during tumultuous periods socio-politically. People are likely to feel more personally insecure during polemic political debate; Montell’s findings are backed up by clinical psychologist (specialising in narcissism) Ramani Durvasula (2019), who quotes the Gallup 2017 report, which found that emotions such as stress and anger were at the highest rate in ten years, arguing that this was due to incivility caused by accepted narcissistic behaviour. Language offers more variation and power than image in terms of promoting vulgarity: when an idol implements strong use of language their bounds for

influence grow exponentially. This resonates with Parsons’ second function (fostering openness) (1937), with Weber’s references to timely conversion to Protestantism (1930), Geertz’s symbolic code of behaviour (1972) and is even comparable to Lasch’s analysis of post-war populations (1979). This wide scale insecurity occurs when the distance between the individual and the collective is confusing and angering, where shared difficulty can seem like the only thing that bonds us, where we resort to clinging to anyone we can relate to in any fraught way.

R.L. Taylor, 2024

THE PORTRAYAL OF MARY

Rosalie Thorley

Author bio

Rosalie Thorley uses her practice to explore the similarities between her Druidic roots and interest in Mariology, using her practice as a devotional and meditative process. Her interest in iconography and spiritual art has been inspired by her travels to Hungary with her partner as well as her upbringing in the Druid community. Heavily inspired by Byzantine and Eastern European art, she creates a modern spiritual approach to iconography. She hopes to heighten representation of feminine figures in religious spaces and art.

Abstract

This dissertation outlines and investigates the similarities and differences of art portraying Mary in Eastern and Western Europe, researching how culture and religion has influenced this, as well as understanding the possible connection between Mary and contemporary Pagan worship. A critical part of this research will be to conduct research into religious artwork and analyse their portrayal of Mary in both a historical and contemporary context. An important goal of this dissertation is to unravel the complexities of why Mary is portrayed in a specific way, whilst also looking at how the portrayal of Mary in art could be linked to how women were viewed at the time of the artworks’ creation. This dissertation will be an attempt to contribute to a deeper appreciation of the intricate relationship of art, culture and

religion, whilst creating an understanding of the shaping of Mary’s portrayal through history.

The Portrayal of Mary

The following text forms an excerpt from Rosalie Thorley’s 2024 fine art curatorial/exhibition dissertation, namely Chapter three, titled ‘A contemporary take on Mary in relation to Paganism: the Goddess and the Virgin’. To view the full copy of the dissertation please use the QR code below:

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Rosalie Thorley

A CONTEMPORARY TAKE ON MARY IN RELATION TO PAGANISM: THE GODDESS AND THE VIRGIN

Religion is highly subjective and often open to interpretation; the ongoing evolution of religion can lead to the intersection of different religious beliefs and practices. One can argue that all faiths are interlinked through culture, geographic location, and doctrines, such as modern-day Pagan Druidry and the Marian doctrines of Catholicism, however this is an extremely controversial view. It is important to understand that everyone will have their own individual views on religion and that religion is a sensitive topic that one cannot fully explain in a short chapter. In the 21st century ‘Pagan’ is considered an umbrella term used to describe a wide variety of faiths, philosophies and lifestyles such as Druidry, as well as other faiths such as Wicca, Hellenism and Heathenism. The Cambridge Dictionary has two definitions of the adjective ‘Pagan’: ‘belonging or relating to a religion that worships many gods, especially one that existed before the main world religions’ and ‘belonging or relating to a modern religion that includes beliefs and activities that are not from any of the main religions of the world, for example the

worship of nature’ (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). However, it must be understood that in a historical context ‘Pagan’ describes those not of Christian faith.

The possible connection between Mariology and modern-day Paganism can be split into four interconnecting sections: The Goddess Archetype, Syncretism and Interfaith Connections, Contemporary Devotion and Ritual, and Feminist Spirituality. Syncretism is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as ‘the combining of different religions, cultures, or ideas’ (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.).

Researching and understanding different religions and their similarities and differences is an import part of exploring and appreciating culture and helps in rejecting harmful stereotypes and embracing multiculturalism. Christianity and Paganism are often seen as opposites, perhaps due to historical persecutions of those of both faiths. Garth Fowden describes the animosity in his 1988 review article of Pagans and Christians by Robin Lane Fox: ‘Late paganism and early Christianity cannot do without each other. They are forever entangled in death-struggle or fruitful intercourse, according to prejudice’ (Fowden, 1988). Whilst this is evidently referring to the relationship between religions towards the beginning of Christianity, it is still relevant in the contemporary world as people of many faiths suffer discrimination and have those of other faiths try to convert them. For example, in an article for the Scottish Pagan Federation revealing the initial results of the 2020 Pagan Discrimination Survey in Scotland, Steffy Von Scott states that 41.46% of respondents who were members of the Pagan Faith Community had experienced direct discrimination because they were Pagan, and 66.67% respondents have had those of other faiths attempt to

convert them (Von Scott, 2021). This also helps to highlight why the explorationand understanding of different religions is so important, as to help eradicate prejudice in contemporary spaces.

The adaptation of Pagan symbolism, holidays and ceremonies by early Christians is still evident now, with the public not realising that they are celebrating something which has turned into a multi-cultural holiday. A prime example of this is Christmas, originally called Yule in Northern-European and Germanic countries. Yule is now celebrated on the Winter Solstice by many Pagans but was originally celebrated from the 21st of December to the 1st of January. This tradition is similar to the Twelve Days of Christmas which start on Christmas Day (25th of December) and finish on Epiphany (6th of January), however it cannot be said that the Twelve Days of Christmas was directly adapted from Yuletide traditions. Another Pagan element that has been brought into modern day Christmas is mistletoe. Whilst Heathen Pagans believe that mistletoe brings bad luck as it is associated with the death of Baldur (one of their gods), other Pagans, predominantly Druids, believe that mistletoe brings fertility and banishes evil spirits. In an article for The Faith and Belief Forum, Jennifer Uzzell explains the importance of mistletoe for Druids: ‘It has a special ‘liminal’ quality as it is ‘born between heaven and earth’ growing parasitically on trees, particularly oak and apple, both of which have particular significance for Druids’ (Uzzell, 2020). This is further explained in a CBS News interview with historian Kenneth. C. Davis: ‘If you met someone in the forest you gave them the sign of peace under the mistletoe so people started to hang mistletoe above their doorways as a symbol

A showcase of

of peace. This was such a powerful symbol of paganism that English churches actually banned the use of it’ (Davis, 2018) Bringing greenery, such as holly, ivy and coniferous branches, inside is also a pre-Christian tradition that has been integrated into Christmas tradition. Whilst Yuletide traditions are not inherently Christian nowadays, it is clear to see how as Christianity has developed it has become merged with old Pagan traditions.

Christian churches and cathedrals with a Mary chapel, such as Mátyás-templom in Budapest, will have a place to light candles as a way to send a prayer to Mary. Druidic ceremonies do the same and it is not unusual to see candles lit to honour ancestors or spirits in Pagan sacred spaces. For instance, the Druid celebration of Imbolc (which takes place in the beginning of February) is a light festival in which participants will light candles to signify the ending of winter and the lengthening of daylight hours. Imbolc is celebrated on the 1st to 2nd of February, marking the beginning of spring, and is otherwise known as Saint Brigid’s Day (or Saint Briget’s Day). Many Pagans will have ceremonies to celebrate the days getting lighter and will dedicate candles to the Mabon (a child of light) and Saint Brigid. The story of how Brigid spread her cloak over Ireland to claim land is often told in circles whilst celebrants make Brigid’s Crosses out of rushes. Sarah Carr-Gomm explains in an article for OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids) how Imbolc was integrated into Christian religion: ‘This holiday eventually became modern day Candlemas with Saint Brigid’s Day and the Feast of the Purification of Mary being celebrated during this period of time’ (Carr-Gomm, 2020) and goes on to explain how Brigid, a Goddess of the Celtic Pantheon, became a Christian saint.

In order to incorporate Brigid into Christian worship, and thus insure Her survival, Her involvement in the life of Jesus became the stuff of legend. According to the stories in The Lives of the Saints, Brigid was the midwife present at the birth, placing three drops of water on His forehead. This seems to be a Christianised version of an ancient Celtic myth concerning the Sun of Light upon Whose head three drops of water were placed in order to confer wisdom.’ (Carr-Gomm, 2020). Saint Brigid shows that religions can co-exist and that by sharing celebrations and legendsa much richer tapestry of cultural and spiritual traditions can emerge, with people of all faiths gaining a deeper understanding of human and spiritual experiences.

Many Pagans worship Goddesses or Goddess-like figures in a remarkably similar way to how many Christians will pray to Mary, and both hold an intercessory role. Mary is thought of as a mediator between God and Jeus, and Christians. In an article for The Association of Mary, Queen of All Hearts, Father A. Raymond explains Mary’s intercessory role and it differs from the roles of other saints: ‘there is such a world of difference between Mary’s power of intercession and that of all the saints together, that the famous theologian Suarez once said: Suppose – by a stretch of the imagination – that all the angels and saints in heaven got together to ask God for something while Our Blessed Mother asked for the contrary – God would hear her prayer in preference to that of all the saints. And the reason is obvious – she alone is the Mother. They are but servants (Raymond, 2021). The mediator role of Mary is further backed up in the introduction by Steve Boardman and Eila Williamson to The Cult of Saints and the Virgin Mary in Medieval Scotland: ‘The wide recognition of Mary as a type of ‘super

intercessor’ does much to explain the intense and widespread veneration of the Virgin in Perth’ (Boardman and Williamson,2010, p.xiii). For many Pagans, the goddess or goddesses they worship hold a similar role, creating a bridge between them and the human and divine realms. It is a common misconception that pagans do rituals to bend gods and goddesses to their will, however this is not the case. The worship of gods and goddesses in pagan rituals can be explained as sending a message to the divine to open opportunities and lend a helping hand, much like Christian prayer. William Holman Hunt’s painting ‘The Light of the World’ (1853-54) shows just how easy it is to relate Christianity and Paganism to each other. Hunt depicts Christ in white robes, wearing a cloak and carrying a lantern. His halo could be mistaken for a moon hanging low in the night sky just behind his head. If one did not know that Hunt was depicting Christ, it would be very easy to mistake this painting for a druid carrying a lantern into the forest. The divine feminine qualities present in Marian worship can be applied to the pagan worship of goddesses, whilst they are widely different religions it is obvious through the lens of syncretism that they are two sides of the same coin.

Rosalie Thorley, 2024

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