"Identity"
James Beighton
Essentialism:
- Our Biological make up makes us who we are
- We have an inner essence that makes us who we are
- Post Modernists are against Essentialism
Physiognomy and Phrenology:
- How people would read identity- In every human being, the brain was made up of sections of the
perfect amounts of everything
- Cesare Lombroso (1835- 1909)
- Founder of Positivist Criminology
- The notion that criminal tendencies are inherited
- Imperfect characteristics connote criminals
- Fredrick Nietzsche
- Wrote the book called "Superman" which introduced the concept of the "Blonde Hair, Blue Eyed
Monster"
- Same notion the Nazis had with the need of a perfect race being blond and blue eyed
- "Christ Carrying The Cross" (1515) by Hieronymous Bosch
- Archi-type of Jesus and Mary being European
- Suggesting the Jewish around Jesus are animalistic and saw him to his death
- "Holy Virgin Mary" (1996) by Chris Ofili
- Gives a voice to the African Community
- Mary isn't the beauty that she is expected to be
Douglas Kellner identifies 3 Areas of Identity:
- Pre-Modern- Stable identity defined by long standing roles
- Modern- Wider range of social roles so you can choose your own rather than being born into it
- Post Modern- Accepts a Fragmented self- Be who you want to be
- Institution defines Identity
- Secure identity determined by the related institute with vested interest e.g.. The Solider and the
State
Modern (19th-early 20th Century):
- "The Painter of Modern Life" (1863) by Charles Baudelaire
- Introduces the concept of 'The Flaneur' (the Gentleman- stroller)
- It was important to be seen- Patriarchal System
- Showing what one owns to the masses
- Class Structure- those who don't need to work
"Conspicuous Consumption of Valuable Goods is a means of Reputability to the Gentlemen of Leisure"
- Veblen
Georg Simmel's 'Trickle Down Theory'
- Emulation by Lower Classes to imitate the upper classes
- Distinction of the Upper Class to show their status
- 'The Mask of Fashion'- hiding behind what you wear
"The feeling of isolation is rarely as decisive and intense when one actually finds oneself physically alone, as when one is a stranger without relations, among many physically close persons at a party, on the rain, or in the traffic of a large city."
- Georg Simmel
- Notion of alienation within society- even in closer quarters, we get lonely
- Because of the speed of Modernity, individuals draw into themselves
Post Modern:
- Discourse Analysis by Michel Foncault
- Set of Re-occuring statements that define a particular cultured object, e.g.. Race, Education, Class,
Age, Gender, Criminality, Madness
- Our identity is culminated out of discourses culturally available to us
Discourses to be considered:
- Class
- Nationality
- Race/ Ethnicity
- Gender and Sexuality
Class:
- "Work Town Project" (1937) by Humphrey Spender/ Mass Observation
- Photographs document the belie (everyday) for the Working Class- observing Britain
- Loaded assumption of Working Class from the perception of the Upper Class
- "New Brighton, Merseyside" (1983-6) by Martin Parr
- Celebrating Britishness
- Condescending way of showing Working Class- Self Congratulatory by the Upper Class
- "Ascot" (2003) by Martin Parr
- Acting out parts in a game called Society
- Lower Classes playing the part of the Upper?
Nationality:
- "Think of Germany" (2002) by Martin Parr
- Long-standing Rivalry- sexual over-tones of the representation of Germany
- "Highland Rape Collection" (1995-6) by Alexander McQueen
- Political statement between Scotland and England
- Playing on his Heritage
- Rape of Scotland by the English- Sensationalised
- Las Vegas
- American identity appropriated from elsewhere so it has no true identity
- It is a Microcosm of its own
Race/Ethnicity:
- "No Woman No Cry" (1998) and "Captain Shit and the Legend of the Black Stars" (1994) by Chris Ofili
- Perception of Black People in the media
- References of culture in title and colour scheme choices
- Used Elephant dung based on Stereotype
- Giving a voice to Black Society
- "Signs that say what you want them to say and not signs that say what someone else wants you to say" (1992-3) by Gillian Weaving
- How people felt at the time
- Witty, Amusing and saying something about Society
- "It's A Jungle Out There" (1997) by Alexander McQueen
- Use of Black Models, Horns and Animal Prints and Skins
- Colonialism and White Supremacy throughout History
- "Dress" by Emily Bates
- Identity of being Scottish and Red-Haired
- Ginger stereotype due to the reputation of Mary Madelene
Gender and Sexuality:
"The Fashion Industry is the work not of women but of men"
- Edmund Bergler (1950's)
- "Garconne"(1926) by Welly Soeurs
- Use of French feminine ending 'ne' on a masculine word meaning 'boy'
- Androgynous and looking like a boy
- "Untitled Film Stills" (1977-80) by Cindy Sherman
- Mask of Femininity
- Stereotypes of females within movies- fragility, looking pretty for the camera
- Male perspective
- "Au Naturel" (1994) by Sarah Lucas and "Everyone I have Ever Slept With"(1995) by Tracy Emin
- Playful connotation of title- seen by society as a slut
- Representation of women
The Post Modern Condition And Theory:
- Identity constructed through social experience
- Erving Goffman (1959) saw life as a 'Theatre" made up of "Encounters" and "Performances"- the
self is a series of Facades
"Something to be invented rather than discovered; as a target of an effort, an objective"
- Zygmunt Bauman
- "I think therefore I am" (1637) by Rene Descartes
- "I shop therefore I am" (1987) by Barbara Kruger
- Defined by what we buy and consume
- Superficial identity in Modernity
"The family trip to the shopping mall is the present day incarnation of the sacred"
- Zygmunt Bauman (2004)
"Identity is a hopelessly ambiguous idea and a double-edged sword"
- Zygmunt Bauman (2004)
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