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Maria Arseniuk

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Cinder & Honey

Caitlin Benson runs the brand Cinder & Honey in which she sells her stitched embroideries online. Benson stitches the flowers in colour as she believes that ‘flowers should last a lifetime’ which links with the concept of my project where the feeling of being happy when surround by narcissists should always happen. Also Benson has inspired me to test different types of stitching and create different flowers. I am impressed by how the embroiders have more pastel coloured flowers but still manage to maintain a uniqueness.

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Cecil Beaton

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Peter Lindbergh

Peter Lindbergh was a German fashion photographer who mainly known for his dramatic black and white portraits. He has photographed a variety of famous people such as Kate Moss (1994 and 2016), and Naomi Campbell (1997). After looking at Lindbergh’s portraits, it has allowed me to come to a conclusion that my work will mainly look at face portraits rather than fashion portraits. I believe my idea focuses more on their facial expressions than what they are wearing. In addition, I feel that if the models wore a particular outfit it may add a different concept to the stitching.

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The Narcissism Epidemic

The title for this is ‘The Narcissism Epidemic’ and is followed by a quote from Kurt Cobain, “I don’t care what you think unless it is about me”. I began this project by researching the definition of narcissism which is an excessive amount of self- admiration for one self’s physical appearance. Narcissists self-esteem and self- worth is based upon how other perceive them, and they tend to deny flaws. ‘Photographs furnish evidence’ Susan Sontag. Social media is a key element that aids to conceal flaws, so they are not visible and can make the person numb to their actual image. This is a problem that can significantly affect individual’s confidence, body image and mental health. In addition, reality tv series demonstrate superficial relationships and cosmetic/ plastic surgery which can promote this to individuals of all ages and persuade them into thinking they need to look a certain way in order to be confident.

One idea I had was discovered when I came across this article about ‘How to starve a narcissist’ in which there were 4 ways to help prevent a narcissist affecting yourself. They were to show no emotions, have short responses, minimal interaction and in more severe cases to have no contact. I had the idea that I could replicate each of these four stags by creating photographs that would include stitching to indicate each stage. For example, to have short responses I would stitch in the words ‘yes, no and maybe’ into a photographs of a person looking directly into the lens.

The idea I have decided to focus on is the innocence some individuals may still have even though our society is slowly being sucked into greed and self-obsession. An idea I have is that I would use images of models taken by other people and convert them to black and white to portray a negative atmosphere. In addition I would incorporate stitching into them which would give the impression that the individual still may lack confidence in themselves when surrounded by narcissists. However, deep within themselves they have this beautiful persona which could be represented with flowers that is being submerged. Furthermore, I would like the stitching to depict that many people feel lost in this battle for popularity and that we should help them recognise all the good qualities they have rather than focusing on their imperfections. I would like my images to show individuals that they are in control of how they look and feel, and it shouldn’t be based on what other people around us are doing. If everyone changed the way they look in order to conform to the ‘standards’, everyone would look the same and individuality would become non-existent. I try to not let social media influence the way I look and if I do something like put on makeup, I make sure it is to make myself feel good and not to benefit others. To begin this project, I plan to look at photographers who take portraiture photos as well as artists that embroider flowers into fabric as inspiration

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Lucynda Lu 

Lucynda Lu is a graphic designer who has a fascination for photography from a young age and now uses exclusively photography to create her pieces. Lu’s work was introduced to me on an app called Pinterest in which her worked is projected on there. Her work illustrates intense human emotions as well as portraying the negative thoughts of somebody with a sense of non-existent personal freedom. Personally, I get the impression that Lu’s work expresses the battle people have as part of society and the pressures that force us to feel we should change. Lu left many of her pieces untitled due to her objective being that the viewer’s understanding of the piece would not be tailored to the title. This allows the viewer’s attention to decipher the meaning behind the images for themselves. Lucynda Lu’s work reminds of the extent people will go to conform to beauty standards we form ourselves and then put into practice in our daily lives. Why is being different seen as wrong, what is wrong about being unique and making independent decisions? Lucynda Lu constantly reminds me to keep my work to be unique and original not matter on the opinion’s of others.

http://www.freshandrawsheisart.com/single-post/2016/04/25/Lucynda-Lu

https://1x.com/member/lucylu/photos/all

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Maria Ionova-Gribina - Natura Morta (2010-2013)

This series of photographs named ‘Natura Morta’ was created by Maria Ionova- Gribina. The animals in the photographs were found dead by Gribina during summer on her bicycle rides to the sea. Gribina’s idea for these photographs were to find a way to save them so they can be used in art and were based on childhood memories. Gribina remembered the times when she used to bury dead birds or moles found with her brother and would decorate the graves with flowers and stones. The images explore the idea of a children’s first experience of mortality and how this particular experience them. Personally, when observing the photographs I get the impression that these animals were unprotected and explore the concept of vulnerability. This artist was discovered when researching an idea for my project ‘Here is always somewhere else’. I found similarities between my idea and Gribina’s work as we both explore the idea of memories in our work and also focus on the subject of life and death.

http://ionovagribina.ru/posts/6-natura-morta

http://blog.sevenponds.com/soulful-expressions/natura-morta-the-photography-of-maria-ionova-gribina 

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Jeanette Winterson- Art Objects

Jeanette Winterson is an award winning English write who wrote a piece of writing named ‘Art Objects’ in 1995. This piece of writing was explored during one of Holly’s sessions. The piece describes how passionate Winterson is with her work and the love she has for art. As a student I found the writing extremely interesting as it offered an insight to how others may view art and the power of healing art can have on viewers. I am particularly captivated by Winterson when she explains the reason some viewers may not appreciate art is due to the lack of understanding about the piece. This piece of writing allowed me to comprehend how I construct my thoughts and opinions on a piece of art and whether the judgement is fair. As a photography student, I should ensure that I give a photograph my full attention and time to form an opinion and not just glance at the piece.

http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2002/nov/25/art.artsfeatures1

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John Berger - Ways of Seeing (1972)

‘Ways of Seeing’ was written by John Berger an English art critic, novelist, painter and poet. The book was published in 1972 and invites the reader to explore different ways of viewing and knowing the world in a different light. The book is divided into two written essays assisted with images and two  photographic essays. When I first started reading the book I found the way in which the essays had been written relatively complicated. The complexity of the essays made the book uninteresting to me. However, I did re-read the book in order to allow a better understanding of what the book is about.

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During today’s session with Holly, we watched a film called 20,000 Days on Earth. The film is based on Nick Cave a musician and actor in which he is asked questions about his past. The movie flicks between the questions and a busy day in the life of Nick Cave. Unfortunately, I did not find the movie inspiring and found it rather misleading compared to the trailer. I interpreted the film to be less of a documentary and more of an drama.  Even though I was not that interested in the movie, Cave did influence me and my thoughts about my work with two quotes of his. Firstly, “It’s your limitations that make you the wonderful disaster” encouraged me to push myself to experiment more during projects. The second quote was “To act on a bad idea is better than to not act at all”, this personally motivated me to discover the worth of an idea by testing it out and not throwing it to one side.

https://www.nickcave.com/films/20000-days-on-earth/

http://www.iainandjane.com/work/film-tv/20000-days-on-earth/

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Casey Neistat - DO WHAT YOU CAN”T (2017)

This is another students video that they brought to Holly’s session last Thursday. It is by Casey Neistat and is called “DO WHAT YOU CAN”T”. My favourite line from this video is “Do what you can’t” as I felt that it linked with the advert I chose by inspiring people to achieve what others don’t believe you can. Many a time I have been told that the art industry already has a competitive range of photographs and that my work will “struggle to be seen”. Also, Art as a subject is still being dismissed as less important than ‘more academic’ subjects and so we artists and photographs must stick together to prove them that we not less intelligent than them.

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Always - #LikeAGirl (2014)

For last weeks session with Holly, we had to find a video that inspires us or relates to our current body of work. I decided to pick the advert for Always #LikeAGirl. There are variety of people within the advert from young girls to a grown man which are each to reenact a girls run, fight and throw.

I feel strongly towards this advert, as I am a female and have heard many a time when younger that I was not allowed to play a certain game because I was female or not able to a martial arts course because “girls are weaker”. I was shocked by the female teenagers responses as I have learnt that we need to be kinder to ourselves and stick together especially in todays society. This video also links with my current degree as an arts degree is still seen as an “easy way out” or not as important as more academic degrees. When the advert was shown during our session every found the beginning rather funny when the older people act using the typical ideas of females, however everyone became more serious when the younger girls were trying their hardest and felt like “like a girl” has a rather negative connotation around it. I want to change this concept and been seen as equal which is quite an unrealistic goal but if i can be part of this change and inspire others then collectively we can start to rule out stereotypical gender ideas.

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Christian Hopkins - 2013

Christian Hopkins was discovered when I was researching some artists for my current project “The Way We Live Now”. Hopkins uses photography as a coping mechanism for his depression in which the photographs reveal a helplessness that everyone can comprehend. This artist linked with my project as this work explores the emotional expression of mental health and a mental battle with oneself. Hopkins inspired my project to include non literal photographs of my anxiety that explore mental health in a more surreal light. 

https://mymodernmet.com/christian-hopkins-photography/

https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/depression-photo-series-christian-hopkins

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Richard Billingham - 1994

Richard Billingham has been spoken about in many lectures, in particular his series of photographs called “Ray’s a Laugh”. The series is about his chronic alcoholic father Ray and his mother Elizabeth who is a heavy smoker. I find these images rather hard to look after discovering what my father went through with his drug addiction. 

Billingham took his photographs using cheap film and got the film processed in the cheapest place possible. I interpret Billingham’s photographs being a coping mechanism of what he was going through. I believe he did this by documenting what happened with his father and how mood can drastically change because of the alcohol.

https://www.americansuburbx.com/2010/07/richard-billingham-rays-laugh.html

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/billingham-untitled-p11756

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Karen Mackinnon

Karen Mackinnon is the director of Artes Mundi and recently came to visit our university to give students an insight to what her job entails as well as this years top 5 participants. I find Mackinnon very inspiring as her role as a female director during today’s society is encouraging to many young students who may want to follow in her footsteps.

http://www.artesmundi.org/news/artes-mundi-announce-karen-mackinnon-as-new-director

https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/art-design/ad-professors-of-practice/karen-mackinnon/

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Katheryn Allen Hurni, “Witness” 2017

I have recently visited the Elysium gallery based in Swansea to view the work of a photographer called Kathryn Allen Hurni. It was the first time her work “Witness” has ever been exhibited in the UK. The body of work was taken using colour film which was rather helpful as I have recently begun a project using Hasselblad cameras and her work can be used an inspiration. I was personally interested in her work that displayed nature as my work includes landscapes and Hurni encouraged me to think about the lightening of an image and how this can affect the photograph. 

http://kahurni.com/

http://www.elysiumgallery.com/events/event/5846/

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Henri Cartier Bresson -  1954, 1972

Henri Cartier Bresson was a French humanist photographer and viewed photography as capturing a decisive moment. I find Bresson’s work very observational and passive as the photographs are natural and not posed. In addition, when looking at Bresson’s photographs above they make me feel like i am experiencing what he is visioning with his eye. This is due to the positioning of the camera being in relation to his body. As most of projects are documentary, Bresson has inspired me to think about my positioning when taking the photographs so the viewer are experiencing what I am seeing.

http://wideseanoanchor.com/henri-cartier-bresson-my-inspiration/