contextualstudies21

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The meaning and importance of fairy tales.

I chose the topic of fairy tales for my final project. I didn’t know how interesting and complex it really is until I wrote my interpretation of ‘Once Upon a Time’ by Marina Warner. It opened my eyes on the hidden meanings behind simple tales for children like ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.

What helped me understand and visualise the concept of dreamlike nature of the tales were Gustaw Doré’s illustrations, particularly ‘The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault’. Doré’s detailed, dramatic style added a sense of grandeur to the stories he illustrated, using light, shadow, and intricate details to heighten the emotional weight of the tales.

Gustav Doré

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Exhibition Report. Tate Modern.

Cildo Meireles’ Babel (2001) is a striking commentary on the complexities of modernity, using a towering stack of radios to explore themes of communication, technology, and human disconnection. The work features hundreds of radios, each tuned to different stations, playing sounds in various languages. Together, they create a chaotic, overwhelming experience for the viewer. Meireles uses this sensory overload to reflect on the contradictions of modern life: the simultaneous potential for connection and the alienation brought by too much noise and information.

The name Babel ties the piece to the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, where humanity’s ambition to build a tower to reach heaven led to division through the creation of different languages. Meireles’ modern “tower” mirrors this fragmentation. While we live in a world connected by advanced communication technologies, Babel suggests that these tools often create confusion instead of understanding. The radios, instead of harmonizing, produce an unintelligible jumble of sound, reflecting how modern communication can isolate individuals despite its promises of global unity.

The use of radios in Babel also points to the fleeting nature of technological progress. Once revolutionary, radios now feel outdated in the digital age. By stacking these discarded objects, Meireles draws attention to how modernity constantly discards old technologies, often without fully addressing their social or environmental impact. The tower’s precarious structure suggests instability, emphasizing how technological and societal progress can feel fragile or unsustainable.

Beyond its critique of technology, Babel also highlights the overwhelming nature of modern life. The cacophony of sounds creates a sense of sensory overload, much like the experience of navigating today’s constant flow of information. This overwhelming sensation underscores the difficulty of finding clarity or meaningful connections in a world dominated by noise.

In Babel, Meireles captures the contradictions and challenges of modernity. The work critiques the promises of connection and progress, showing instead how technological advancements often create division and alienation. Through its visual and auditory chaos, Babel becomes a metaphor for modern life: a world of endless communication, but one where understanding is increasingly difficult to achieve.

Cildo Meireles Babel (detail) 2001 Photo: Tate Photography

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Rebecca Solnit

Wander Lust. A History of Walking.

In the chapter “Walking After Midnight: Women, Sex, and Public Space” from Wanderlust: A History of Walking, Rebecca Solnit explores the complex relationship between women, walking, and the use of public space. She examines how societal norms, gender-based violence, and cultural attitudes have historically restricted women’s freedom to walk alone, particularly at night. Through her analysis, Solnit reveals how walking for women is not merely an act of movement but one deeply tied to issues of power, safety, and autonomy.

Solnit argues that public spaces have often been constructed as dangerous or off-limits for women, especially after dark. She writes,

“A woman who walks alone at night is presumed to be either a prostitute or a victim.”

This reflects the societal tendency to view women in public spaces through the lens of male power—either as objects of desire or as vulnerable individuals in need of protection. This perception limits women’s freedom, making their presence in public spaces conditional and fraught with fear.

Through historical and cultural examples, Solnit shows how this fear has been used to control women’s mobility. The threat of violence—whether real or imagined—restricts women’s ability to move freely in cities, depriving them of the same opportunities for exploration, autonomy, and engagement with the world that men often take for granted.

Solnit contrasts women’s restricted access to public space with the relative freedom historically afforded to men. Men walking alone at night are rarely questioned or judged, while women are sexualized, or assumed to be in danger. This double standard exposes the deep inequalities embedded in public life, where women’s mobility is limited not by physical barriers but by social expectations and the looming threat of violence.

In “Walking After Midnight,” Solnit exposes the ways gender shapes the experience of walking and public space. For women, walking is often fraught with danger, judgment, and control, yet it can also be an act of resistance and empowerment. Solnit’s analysis invites readers to rethink the relationship between gender, freedom, and space, ultimately calling for a world where everyone, regardless of gender, can move freely and safely.

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Once Upon a Time

A short history of fairy tale by Marina Warner

Chapter 6 of “Once Upon a Time” by Marina Warner delves into the intricacies of fairy tales and their cultural significance. Warner, an expert on myths, legends, and storytelling, explores how these stories shape and reflect societal values, fears, and desires.

One of the key themes in this chapter is the way fairy tales serve as mirrors to the culture that produces them. Warner analyzes how these stories can both express and challenge the social ideologies of their time, particularly when it comes to issues of gender, class, and morality. She highlights the way certain motifs, such as the evil stepmother or the helpless princess, can both reflect and reinforce the societal expectations placed on women.

Marina Warner brings attention to the darker aspects of fairy tales, noting that they often contain elements of violence, punishment, and moral lessons that are not always clear-cut. The fairy tale world is one where justice is meted out through magical or extreme means, which can make it both appealing and unsettling for audiences. The chapter considers how these narratives serve as a way for people, especially children, to confront complex emotions and situations such as fear, suffering, and the quest for justice.

The Symbolism of Red: "Red Riding Hood" herself is a complex character who represents both innocence and potential danger. Warner points out the significance of the red cloak, which is often seen as a symbol of both sexual maturity and vulnerability. In traditional interpretations, the red color can evoke the blossoming of puberty and womanhood, making the character of "Little Red Riding Hood" a figure that stands at the intersection of childhood and adulthood. This duality reflects cultural anxieties about the sexualization of young girls and the dangers that await them as they transition from innocence to experience.

The Wolf as a Predator: The wolf in the story is another central figure that embodies both predatory and symbolic meanings. Warner explains how the wolf is often seen as a symbol of masculine threat—something that preys on the helpless, vulnerable girl. In many versions of the tale, the wolf represents the sexual predator, preying on the girl's innocence and tempting her away from the safety of the home and her mother’s protection. However, the wolf can also be interpreted as embodying broader fears related to the wild, the unknown, or the untamed aspects of human nature.

The traditional moral of "Little Red Riding Hood" often emphasizes the importance of obedience and caution. In many versions of the story, Red is punished for straying from the path or disobeying her mother's warnings. This reflects societal expectations for young girls to adhere to social norms and avoid exploring dangerous or forbidden territories. Warner suggests that these kinds of tales serve as a form of social control, teaching young girls the consequences of defying authority or venturing into unknown or dangerous situations. She also explores how the tale has evolved over time and how different interpretations reflect changing attitudes toward gender and sexuality. The earliest versions of the story, such as those collected by the Brothers Grimm, are darker and more explicit in their depictions of the wolf as a sexual predator, whereas later retellings often sanitize the story or shift its emphasis toward the girl’s triumph or rescue. For example, in some versions, "Little Red Riding Hood" is saved by a huntsman or a male figure, reinforcing the idea that women need male protection to survive.

In “Once Upon a Time”, Marina Warner also references to "The Uncanny" (1919), a seminal essay by Sigmund Freud, as part of her exploration of fairy tales and the deeper psychological meanings embedded in them. Freud’s concept of the "uncanny" provides a framework to understand the strange or unsettling feeling we experience when something familiar becomes unfamiliar, often in an eerie or unsettling way. Warner applies this concept to fairy tales to analyze how these stories evoke powerful emotional responses, often drawing on fears, desires, and repressed memories.

In Freud's essay “The Uncanny”, he defines the term uncanny as something that is both familiar and alien at the same time. He argues that the uncanny arises when something that was once hidden or unfamiliar resurfaces in a way that feels both strange and frightening. This feeling is often triggered by encountering things that blur the boundary between the known and the unknown, the living and the dead, or the human and the non-human.

The Uncanny in “Little Red Riding Hood”

The transformation of the wolf into the grandmother represents an uncanny moment—the wolf, a creature of danger, assumes the familiar and comforting role of the grandmother. This blurs the boundaries between safety and danger, innocence and threat, creating a sense of dread and discomfort.

Fairy tales use symbols and archetypes to help us face deep, unconscious fears in a way that feels both familiar—because these symbols are universal and part of the human experience—and unsettling, as they often evoke a sense of discomfort or confusion. By doing this, these stories bring repressed emotions to the surface, allowing people to process their fears symbolically.

Overall, Chapter 6 of "Once Upon a Time" offers a rich analysis of fairy tales as more than just simple stories—they are complex, multi-layered texts that reflect and influence the human experience in profound ways. Warner invites readers to reconsider their assumptions about these familiar tales and encourages a deeper understanding of their cultural and historical context.

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The Red Shoes 1948

The 1948 film The Red Shoes, directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It shows the exploration of art, ambition, and personal sacrifice.

The film is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Red Shoes, where a girl is cursed by magical shoes that make her dance ceaselessly. Like the fairy tale, the film uses the shoes as a symbol of uncontrollable desire and the dangerous ambition. In both stories, the shoes lead the protagonist to her ruin, highlighting the devastating effects of uncontrolled passing.

The central character, Vicky Page, is torn between her love for composer Julian Craster and her commitment to dance under the authoritarian impresario Boris Lermontov. Vicky’s ultimate fate suggests that this conflict is irreconcilable: to pursue her art at the highest level, she must sacrifice her personal life. Vicky represents the archetype of the tragic artist whose immense talent comes at a personal cost. From her first encounter with Boris Lermontov, she expresses a profound and almost mystical devotion to dance, saying:

Why do you want to dance? Why do you want to live?

This declaration sets her apart as someone who views art not as a choice, but as a necessity. Vicky is often viewed as a victim of patriarchal figures who seek to possess her. Both Lermontov and Julian try to control her destiny, forcing her to choose between art and love.

Vicky Page’s character reflects anyone who has struggled with ambition, passion, or the pressures of others. Her tragic fate serves as both a warning and reminder of the sacrifices that often come with achieving greatness. Through her, audiences encounter a character who represents the universal struggle between personal fulfillment and societal demands. She is a complex character whose journey captures both the beauty and sorrow of an artist's life. Her tragic story is both heartbreaking and profound, leaving a lasting impact on viewers.

Symbolism in The Red Shoes

Red shoes

The red shoes represent obsession. For Lermontov, it symbolizes his pursuit of perfection and control, as he attempts to shape Vicky into his vision of the ideal artist. For Vicky, the obsession lies in her passion for dance, which both nourishes and ultimately ruins her.

Steam/ Fog

In theatrical productions, steam creates a dreamlike and surreal atmosphere, adding to a sense of mystery, fantasy, or even danger. It can also represent a metaphor for emotional or psychological pressure building within a character that comes with hidden desires and secrets.

The scene that left the deepest impression on me was when Victoria Page, under the cover of night, discreetly opened her drawer to gaze at her ballet shoes—a poignant symbol of her stifled aspirations. In contrast, Julian, seated in another room, diligently composed at the piano, steadfastly advancing his career. While he pursued his ambitions without restraint, she was confined to the role of a ordinary dancer, her dream of achieving unparalleled greatness overshadowed and unfulfilled.

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Reflection on life drawing

The 16th of October 2024 life drawing session

On today’s life drawing lesson we talked about themes of identity and gender starting a discussion about the boundaries between feminine and masculine identity. By switching the clothes, the models blurred the line and experimented with different ways of seeing and perceiving gender.

I asked myself a question: What is a relationship between body and gender?

Gender is a fundamental part of a person's identity, referring to the social, cultural, and psychological attributes associated with being male, female. It is shaped by cultural expectations, norms, and personal sense of self. While gender identity refers to one’s internal understanding of their gender, gender expression is how someone outwardly expresses their gender through behavior, clothing, hairstyle, and more. This can either conform to societal norms (for example, a man dressing in traditionally masculine clothing) or challenge them (such as a man wearing makeup or traditionally feminine attire). The relationship between body, clothes, and gender is a crucial element of identity, self-expression, and social perception.

The idea of gender as performance comes from philosopher Judith Butler, who argued that gender is not something we inherently are but something we do. Clothing plays a key role in this performance, as it allows individuals to enact, present, or subvert gender identities.

Exploring different forms of gender expression through clothing and body modification is liberating, allowing for more authentic expression of self. The connection between body, clothes, and gender is a dynamic interplay that reflects both personal identity and broader societal expectations. While traditional norms have long dictated how individuals should present their gender, the growing acceptance of gender diversity is challenging these conventions. Clothing, in particular, serves as a powerful tool for expressing, questioning, and redefining gender, making it a crucial aspect of both personal freedom and social change.

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Reading Report Project

‘Exiles, diasporas and strangers (Diaspora aesthetics: exploring the African diaspora…) by Sieglinde Lemke and Mercer, Kobena.

The author of the text is trying to understand the concept of diaspora. They asking themselves questions:

What is exactly? What does diasporic art look like? Is there a particular style we can identify as diasporic?

From the book we can say that diaspora refers to the dispersion of a population from their original homeland to different geographical locations. It involves groups of people who, voluntarily or forcibly, move away from their ancestral lands and establish communities elsewhere, while still maintaining social and cultural connections to their place of origin. Diasporas often play significant roles in shaping the culture, economy, and politics of both (host and origin) countries.

If it comes to the second question the author has a clear answer: ‘Sometimes diasporic art expresses longing for a home, and frequently it tries to construct a collective identity out of its mostly heterogeneous reality’.

I found really interesting the part when the author was explaining the meaning of roots, routes and riots in terms of metaphorical, deeper meanings.

Roots refers to imagined or real origins. Example of this is painting ‘Negro’ in an African setting’ by Aaron Douglas.

Douglas used his art to reimagine the African American identity, encouraging a return to African origins. His stylized works often depicted African figures and symbols, showing African Americans in a heroic light. His aim was to recast Black identity in terms of pride, strength, and cultural continuity, especially in contrast to the often negative depictions of Black people in Western art and society. In this sense, Negro in an African setting for Aaron Douglas is about reclaiming the African American experience through a visual dialogue with Africa—transforming the narrative of African Americans from one of displacement to one of proud connection with their heritage.

Routes stands for the act of traveling which defines the diasporic condition. To prove the theory the author gives an example of Jacob Lawrence ‘In every town Negroes were leaving by the Hundreds to go North and enter into Northern industry’ piece.

Lawrence's simple, abstracted style and use of bright, contrasting colors gave these scenes a powerful emotional resonance.

Riots represents political and cultural conflicts between the host and the diasporic community. To show this relation, the author referred to Untitled: History of Black People by Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Basquiat’s art draws on a mixture of cultural references, historical events, and his own distinctive graffiti-inspired aesthetic to challenge traditional narratives about Black history and representation.

One of the central themes in this painting is the history of Africa and the impact of European colonization. Basquiat often engaged with African heritage in his works, attempting to reclaim and highlight elements of Black history that had been ignored by Western narratives. His painting also touches on the history of slavery and the forced migration of African people through the transatlantic slave trade. His inclusion of specific symbols, words, and figures often refers to the dehumanizing conditions of slavery and the exploitation of African labor. By doing this, Basquiat challenges the erasure of Black contributions to history and culture, calling attention to the often violent ways Black people have been written out of history.

‘Untitled History of Black People’ can be seen as both a celebration of African heritage and a critique of the way Black people have been treated throughout history. Basquiat’s layering of symbols, texts, and imagery creates a dialogue between past and present, highlighting both the achievements of Black people and the ongoing struggles they face in a world shaped by colonialism and systemic racism. His work is rich in meaning, and part of its power lies in its ability to make viewers confront difficult and often uncomfortable aspects of history, while also offering a vision of pride and resilience in the face of adversity.

The author ends their reflection on diaspora saying: ‘To conclude my exploration of diaspora of aesthetics and the close analysis of the African American diaspora, I would like to highlight that diasporic art tends to be figurative. Even in its most obscure renderings, there is a visible interest in such topics as exile, memory, migration and the psycho-social conditions of diasporic life. ‘

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Francis Bacon (1909-1992)

Francis Bacon was a major figure in 20th-century art. He was an Irish painter, born in Dublin to English parents. Bacon was named after a famous English philosopher and scientist Francis Bacon.

Francis Bacon was a shy child who experienced a lot of anxiety as a young boy. His family relations became abusive and brutal as Bacon came to terms with his homosexuality which was illegal during that time. Bacon’s career was marked by his personal tragedy, including struggles with his own sexuality and relationships, which informed much of the emotional intensity seen in his paintings.

His work is often associated with themes of existentialism and suffering. He was known for his abstract style that deconstructs human figures, showing them in moments of agony. Some of Bacon's most famous works include his "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X," which reimagines Diego Velázquez's 17th-century portrait. Bacon's art is noted for its psychological depth and its ability to provoke strong reactions in viewers, creating images that are both disturbing and mesmerizing.

Francis Bacon's "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X" (1953) is one of his most famous and haunting paintings. Bacon's version distorts and intensifies the figure. It is an example of Bacon’s ability to merge classical art with his own deeply personal style.

His style is very expressive. He creates big, heavy brush strokes using strong colours like red, black and blue to show depth and dark emotions living inside him. Bacon’s paintings combine dramatic brushwork and often flat background painted with one colour. His work reflects not only complex inner world of the artist but also the time and circumstances in which he lived and worked.

In 2013 his painting ‘Three Studies of Lucian Freud’ broke the record for the most expensive work ever sold at auction, when it was purchased for $142.4 million at Christie’s New York.

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