Cindy Sherman - Identity

Cindy Sherman deals with identity constantly in her artwork because she is usually her own subject. She assumes a variety of roles not only as the subject but as the artist since she acts as photographer, make up artist, model, etc. As a film enthusiast, I'm especially drawn to her Untitled Film Stills series, in which she remakes herself into the various roles that women have been portrayed through film. She plays with the notion of stereotypes by constantly reinventing herself, rejecting standard ideals of femininity. I think this series is especially reminiscent of cinematographer Robert Burks and his collaborative work with Alfred Hitchcock (who was notorious for the way he treated women in real life and portrayed them on film).

Cindy Sherman. Untitled Film Still #56. 1980

 

 

"Untitled Film Still #35" (1979)

 

 

 

Portfolio for Art Education Applicaton

"Saxophony" (2009)
9x12
linocut

"Accordion Music" (2009)
9x12
linocut printed with expired ink

"Talking to Trees" (2010)
9x12
linocut with colored pencil

"Old Uncle Henry" (2011)
12x15
woodcut

"Tree House" (2011)
approx. 22"
paper

"Miles Davis" (2011)
9x9
colored pencil

"Youth" (2011)
18x24
colored pencil

"Grandma in Constant Rest" (2009)
8x10
black & white film

"Touch" (2010)
digital photography

"Brothers" (2010)
digital photography

"Dandelions at Home" (2010)
digital photography

"Drop" (2010)
digital photography

Studio Explortations

 A) I am still deciding whether or not I'd like to explore the Woodstock Site,  Smallwood Lake, or both, since they are somewhat related. The Woodstock Site is pictured below, and is the old farmland that once hosted the 1969 Woodstock festival. As a kid, I did a lot of community work with my parents and the town to clean up this area, plant gardens, and help with the harvest festivals they put on in the late 1990s. I also attended all of the Woodstock reunion shows that were held in the 90s. This piece of land has since been developed and is now home to the Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center, which has become a tourist attraction to the "yuppies", as us locals call them. The field isn't available to the public to explore anymore and the town has since lost its sense of community, catering specifically to the yuppies. The Woodstock Site has become the antithesis of everything Woodstock was about. Similarly, Smallwood Lake, which was also once open to the public and local residents, has also become private as a result of greed. I am no longer allowed to swim in my lake, a place where I was allowed to do so for so many years. In the case of both places, the seasonal residents of my area are given more attention than the permanent residents, simply because they have money.

I found this photo through a google image search and interestingly enough, the file name is "No Walking Allowed".

 

 

 

Smallwood Lake, Winter 2011

Smallwood Lake, Autumn 2009

B) Should non-locals be given more consideration than locals residents? Shouldn't locals be given any kind of advantages, such as discounts? How does someone own a body of water?

 C) I think I'm going to talk to some local residents who have observed these places both then and now. I also plan to take a look at the records of how many year-round residents actually belong to Smallwood Lake, as opposed to seasonal residents.

D) I'm not sure which artists I plan to use for inspiration yet, but probably some artists relating to the Woodstock era.

E) Since my sites are about restriction, I'm thinking about making a trespassing sign or something else to signify restriction. I may also do something with the iconic Woodstock dove image.

Response to Trimmis-Savva Article

I liked this article, though it seemed very repetitive. It clearly illustrates how teachers take on the role of a scaffolding by posing questions to children and providing them with meaningful experiences through exploration of materials and their environments. My main concern regarding the reading was that the authors recognize the schoolyard and the building/grounds as part of the chorotopos but don't spend much time talking about how children interact with this space as part of their understanding of chorotopos and their relation to it and their learning. I agree with the authors that it is important to explore the surrounding area of the school but I would be interested in seeing the students experience the school grounds in a similar manner. I think it could also be worthwhile to investigate the origins of the school itself.

Ideas for Studio Exploration

I have two sites in mind for this project: the 1969 Woodstock site and the private lake near my home. I spent a lot of time at both of these public sites when I was growing up and they have both since become private land. The Woodstock site, which was once a symbol for peace, is now a symbol of capitalism and greed. The owners of the land want nothing to do with the original festival except what they can exploit for profit. Similarly, the lake in the hamlet in which I live was also once a public site which has become private for reasons of greed. Unless I give up a lot of money, I am no longer welcome at either site.

Some of my work

As of right now, my body of work is small and underdeveloped. I've been exploring various themes such as nature, portraiture, music, youth and senility. I would ultimately like to work in children's television and I've been exploring the concept of childhood in my work recently. I am interested in working with children because they are honest and uncorrupt, which I hope can also be said of my own work.