Well, it all got decided on Friday.
I’m going to be working towards producing an exhibition catalogue. A physical book, printed most likely by one of the on-demand services.
I have a word limit of 3000 words total and it’s not allowed to be an extended essay (they prefer us to do more experimental projects). The current plan is to produce a longer introductory essay that explores the themes and concepts and then shorter essays introducing each ‘room’.
My subject is going to be how photographers represent themselves through self portraiture, focussing on feminist/queer studies interpretations of the male gaze. I’m thinking that I’d like to plan two rooms, one room with ‘watchers’ and one with ‘watchees’.
I’ll stick some examples up in a sec, although I’m using the internet through my mobile phone since I’ve just moved into my new flat today. No proper broadband until 24th March. 🙁
Nan one month after being battered – Nan Goldin
Self Portrait – David Bailey
Self Portrait – Mapplethorpe
Bailey is a ‘gazer’ in the shot here, while the other two are being ‘gazed’. Mapplethorpe is the interesting one that I’m keen to include – as a gay man he doesn’t fit into the Western Canon of what artists should be… traditionally…
I also want to include an Ana Medieta film – possibly this one. I’m comfortable putting video under photography, or rather grouping them together as ‘lens based media’. I think it’ll provoke interesting discussion with my tutors anyway. This is one of her photographs, but I’m keen to research and include a film.
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