COP2 - Identity notes

Theories - Essentialism, a traditional approach - Our biological makeup makes us who we are - Modern art theorists disagree.

Physiognomy - Phrenology
Cesare Lombrose 1835 -1909, was the founder of Positivist Criminology - the notion that criminal tendencies are inherited, a suggestion that criminal tendencies are passed down - born with it.

Historical theories:

- Pre Modern Identity
A persons identity is stable, defined by long standing roles within society. You are judged by what you accomplish, what actions you take.
- Modern Identity
Modern societies begin to offer a winder range of social roles, a possibility to start 'choosing' your own identity rather than have one being forced upon you by society.
- Post modern Identity
'Secure identities' - related to institutional agency, eg. Farm Worker - landed gentry. The Soldier - the state, Factory Worker - industrial companies/capitalism.

Charles Baudelaire - the surge of a new class - Flaneur (gentlemen stroller) seen in Le pont de l'Europe, 1876. Velben - 'conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure.' Here women are seen as an accessory - time to walk around meaning he doesn't have to work.

Gustare Caillebotte Paris Street Rainy Day 1877- seeing no work clothing suggests that they are all upperclass, they don't need to work - have the money they need.

Georg Simmel - tickle down theory, emulation, distinction, The mask of fashion.

The lowerclasses want to look like the upperclass, using the money and materials at hand to recreate the fashion - the upperclass then change their clothing and vice versa.
Edvard Munch 'Evening on Karl Johan' - sense of isolation within a crowded place, not seen as a person but another one of the crowd, no sense of individuality. - Simmel suggests, because of the speed and mutability of life, people try to change and standout.

Discourse Analysis
Identity is constructed out of the discourses culturally available to us - age, class, gender, education, income. Further divided into, class, race and gender. What is a discourse?

‘… a set of recurring statements that define a particular cultural ‘object’ (e.g., madness, criminality, sexuality) and provide concepts and terms through which such an object can be studied and discussed.’ Cavallaro, (2001)

'Class' - Humphrey Spender - Mass observation, Worktown Project, The rich documented life with in the working class, recording through photography. An insight into different classes of their way of life.

'Race' - Chris Ofili - One of the black artists to become recognised and famous. 'No woman, no cry' and 'Captain shit an the legend of the black stars' - a perception of what a white person would consider a black hero to be.

Emily Bates - Red Hair
"Hair has been an issue throughout my life, it often felt that I was nothing more than my hair in other peoples eyes'

 Bates piece, Dress- made from her own hair and other ginger hair from the hair dressers.

'Gender' 1920's women cut their hair short and finally began to create an identity for themselves.

Post Modern Theory - constructed through our social experience. Erving Goffman saw Life as 'theatre' made up of 'encounters' and 'performances'. This can be related to Barbara Kruger's work 'I shop therefore I am' 2006. Further implies that we are evaluated by the actions and roles that we play in public, we are labelled.