Hollow Issue One
s t n e t n co
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This issue is about DIVERSITY. We live in a word of all genders, shapes and sizes and acceptance is important, more now than ever. Inside this issue we features on GENDER EQUALITY and BODY IMAGE; schedules of events on going AND upcoming. If you want to get involved please write. ‘women should be as equal as males and not seen as objects’.
what have I got to do with body image anyway? If Barbie could talk, What would she say?
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is Barbie to blame for the body issues young girls now hold? What would Barbie say if she was a real person? Would she be upset by the comments of the media? Or happy that she’s still getting attention? The media can be a harsh judge but when you’ve got a dream house, a private plane, a boat and a perfect husband to match your perfect closet, do you really think Barbie would care what people think? With Barbie being branded a bad influence and a blonde bimbo you can’t help but feel sorry for the creators of this dolls as this couldn’t of been what they originally intended. After all it is just a piece of plastic and not actually a person. Celebrities like Rhianna and Miley Cyrus are worldwide names and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know who they are. They’re known for being shocking and like to create a media storm in absolutely anything. Barbie has been
When the doll became popular with the older teens and young adults Mattel saw a gap in the market and brought Barbie to life, with an Instagram account. With the tagline ‘The possibilities are endless when you experience the world with Barbie!’ Mattel had ultimately added a personality and a promise to the doll for all the young children who are playing with her. In 2014 Mattel started a campaign for Barbie called #unapologetic. This was a campaign that told viewers the creators (and Barbie) didn’t care about the backlash they are facing and soon after she featured in a special Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, showing off her body.
everything from a doctor to a vet and even a princess, but when your 10 year old daughter is picking who she wants to be when she is older, who would you rather she chooses? A doll with morals and a respected job or a pop star that sings about sex and drugs.
Both the campaign and Instagram account opened up a side showing Barbie not just as a caring family orientated doll but also as a fashion obsessed airhead, with images featuring her in a hot pink car with a group of friends and another in a London Fashion Week inspired venue it just confirms what some people have always thought. Bad Influence.
If Barbie was a person recent studies show this would be impossible. Her body would be too thin to hold her vital organs, her neck too long to hold her head up and her legs too long to hold her up. There is a bad side to the body image of her but she was made to be a doll, a play toy, never an actual person.
Barbie has become such a big deal in the fashion industry and even though she’s just plastic, people relate to her but she is no more than a character. She doesn’t have a say in what way she is portrayed. She isn’t a criminal. If she was real she would be just as insecure as any of use. People should be thankful that she isn’t a real person but if she was I’m sure she would be hurt at the things she gets called.
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it’s a mans world
words and images by Kelsey Jones 7
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the fashion industry has higher expectations of women’s beauty now more than ever. The fashion industry has higher expectations of women’s beauty now more than ever. Women are expected to look flawless on a daily basis and in an industry dominated by feminine figures it’s a shock that women are still being portrayed as objects. As women it’s a rare occasion that we can go into public without being sexually harassed in one way or another, whether it be verbally, by a horn of a passing car or a males’ wandering eyes. This is called street harassment and statistically by the age of nineteen over 90% of females are believed to have experienced this. For many years now men have been seen as a higher status over women. Women are expected to accept a lower pay than men and also live up to a media created ‘ideal of beauty’. A lot of media publications use the sexualisation of women to sell items. In 2013 editor of Esquires magazine, Alex Blimes made comments that sparked controversy in regards to women featured in the magazine saying, ‘they print ‘ornamental’ females that are to be looked at in the same way that men look at cars.’ This comment shows the vulnerability of women in publications around the world. In June 2013 accessories designer Johnny Farah released an advertisement promoting an exhibition showcasing a collaboration with photographer Joe Kesrouani. The advertisement itself attracted the publics attention for featuring a women being strangled by a male with a belt also the woman’s face was covered by a bag. The advertisement suggested that women were objects, by covering their faces with the products they were promoting it took away their personality making them an object for the advertisements advantage.
With advertisements it’s not all female based as males do have an ‘ideal’ to live up to, although the pressures are not as strong as those with women. They are used to promote underwear and gender based items, as women are, but in the advertisements men are never seen as objects. This is because it is uncomfortable to look at as we have been brought up to believe men are strong, authoritative figures and to break this belief would be unnatural to all of us. The gender roles will never be reversed but women can hope of being one day equal. I got the opportunity to talk to Kate Lowes about the pressures and expectations women have. “As a woman I always feel like an object. One day I decided I’d had enough, women deserve more than what they get.” Kate is an active feminist from London. “I think men get it easy with higher wages and less pressure on their body image. Someone needs to make a stand for women or nothing will ever been done. I think change needs to happen.” Women are ultimately responsible to promote themselves any way they want, whether it be a lawyer, doctor or a sales assistant, positive or negative. It is their own choice in this day and age, but living everyday being stereotyped into categories of lesser power as women, we rely on strong females in the media like Emma Watson and Beyonce to stand up for woman’s rights. With many people based in fashion and politics starting to realise that women should be as equal as males and not seen as objects. It wont, be an immediate change but one day we can hope to start seeing a change in the view of the fashion media. Unfortunately its, hard to change a whole worlds views and for the time being It is and will be for the foreseeable future a mans world.
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events
Your guide to the must see art events for January 2015
The artists and illustrators annual exhibtion at Mall Galleries 6 - 17 January 2015 Mall Galleries, London View contemporary works by winners and shortlisted artists.
The Heads of Humbert Wolfe at Westminster Reference Library 6 - 9 January 2015 Westminster Reference Library, London 5 sculptures of the poet Humbery Wolfe and his Great Great Nephew Anthony Padgett.
Designer Crafts at Mall Galleries 8 - 17 January 2015 Mall Galleries, London An Exhibition and shops within the show include work by celebrated and experienced Members and Licentiates of the Society, alongside that of recent, selected new graduate Licentiates.
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Agua Nacida at Mead Carney 15 - 22 January 2015 Mead Carney, London The World reowned photographer Hugh Arnold presents Agua Nacida.
Paul Richards: The Oxford Drawings 15 - 21 January 2015 Connaught Brown. London Connaught Brown’s 12th solo exhibition by acclaimed British artist Paul Richards, It shows ink drawings of essential nature being.
London Art Fair 2015 21 - 25 January 2015 Business Design Centre, London The largest art fair in the UK, covering everything from photography and sculpture to painting and ceramics..
Pier Paolo Calzolari Exhibition 23 January - 7 March 2015 Ronchini Gallery, London In his first London solo exhibition, the Italian artist presents drawings, studies and projects from his career.
Around the UK Night at the Toy Store 4D motion ride 8 November - 6 January 2015 Centre for Life, Newcastle A brand new show on Life’s 4D Motion Ride. Experience a night in the Toy Store.
Beauty and the Beast pantomine 22 Decmember - 4 January 2015 Playhouse, Whitley Bay Surround yourself in the magic of the beauty and the beast. Take advantage of the professional live production.
AZ.andreazapp 25 October - 22 March 2015 City Centre Art Gallery, Manchester Captured around the world, fashioned in Manchester: Internationally reowned media and textile artist Andrea Zapp unveils her first luxury womenswear collection.
The Sensory War 1914 - 2014 11 October - 22 Febuary 2015 City Centre Art Gallery, Manchester The major group exhibition commemorating the Centenary of the First World War. An unflinching artist’s-eye view of war from 1914 to today. Never miss an event with Eventbrite, the application that has all the major events saved on your phone or tablet.
Hollow Magazine
January 2015
Diversity Issue