COP3 Research Proposal

Research Proposal To what extent has Illustration constructed our understanding or view of historical events and perceptions of truth?

This year I have become particularly interested in the influence fictional narratives have on individuals and society as a whole and the implications this has for illustrators. With this in mind I have decided to further explore the theories surrounding empathy and just world beliefs which are integral to visual storytelling. My practice this year has moved towards illustrating children’s books and so has my interest in education and emotional development through engagement with fictional characters. Through my research this year I have come to realise that the influence of narrative fiction is not only powerful but it is also complex and gives rise to some difficult issues. At first sight for instance raised levels of empathy from engaging with fictional characters would appear to be an entirely positive influence on the reader. Similarly the tendency for fictional narratives to reinforce the belief that the world is a just place encourages readers to apply the same understanding to the real world and to assume that people get what they deserve.

I feeI have only scratched the surface of this subject and would like to explore it in more depth looking at illustrations that have had an impact on social and political reform. This would include speaking to people who belong to sections of society affected directly by the negative effects of just world beliefs and considering how illustrators can attempt to tailor their work to have a positive impact on individuals and society. I would like to investigate how we simplify and filter the complex world around us given advances in communication technology thatcreate a constant bombardment of information.

Katie Carey (2015)

Jesse Kuhn (2011)

Jesse Kuhn (2011)

Anna Parini (2015)

Katy Lemay (2012)

“One of empathy’s most thoughtful defenders is the psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen.

In his 2011 book The Science of Evil, he draws upon psychology and neuroscience to argue that the notion of evil should be replaced with ‘empathy erosion’ and that a high degree of empathy is what makes for good people and good societies.”

Paul Bloom (2014)

Empathy is the power of understanding others, imaginatively entering into their feelings.

It is a fundamental human attribute, without which mutually co-operative societies cannot function.

John Murray Press (2017)

“Captain America offers an example to all of us by emphasizing principles over politics. Principles are timeless, the enduring ideals embedded in the foundational documents of our country, most important being the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.”

Mark D White (2011)

“In this acclaimed investigation, Owen Jones explores how the working class has gone from “salt of the earth” to “scum of the earth.” Exposing the ignorance and prejudice at the heart of the chav caricature, he portrays a far more complex reality. The chav stereotype, he argues, is used by governments as a convenient fig leaf to avoid genuine engagement with social and economic problems and to justify widening inequality.”

Verso Books (Undated)

“Spawned during the FDR years, Superman was a super New Dealer who stood up for the little guy and believed we could all work toward a better world. He reflected the ideals of the New Deal and the hopes and aspirations of immigrants.”

Rick Bowers (2012)

This illustration was used as part of an article about poverty and the just world hypothesis. The article talks about homeless peoplebeing seen as lazy and an assumption that their actions and choices must have led to their current circumstances. The illustration addresses the subject by depicting a man with a sign asking for help having his ‘mug shot’ taken suggesting he is a criminal.

The illustration does not draw conclusions it simply creates an intriguing scene and allows the reader to interpret the situation.

Hallie Bateman (2014)

Horst Faas has won numerous awards as a war photographer. His photos capture human emotion in desperate situations. It is this emotion that makes his work so powerful, he creates a connection between the people viewing the photos and the people in them. We are often shown statistics of mass fatalities in war however these images have more of an impact because we are invited to see the victims as individuals we can relate to.

This illustration was comissioned for an article about the need for empathy and compassion in doctors. The illustration shows a disconnect between doctor and patient reacting to studies that show doctors levels of empathy drop over the course of training.

The illustration uses a stethoscope, a common point of contact between doctor and patient to illustrate the disconnect between the two. The characters are postitioned at opposite sides of the page showing how distant their relationship is. The use of a heart beat suggests the break in communication between the two is emotional.

Paul Blow (2013)

This illustration was commissioned by The New York Times to accompany an article about the effects of technology on empathy. The article looks at research that suggests connections made through social media can help with the developmet of empathy, a method of communication that had previously been blamed for diminishing social skills and reduced levels of ‘real world empathy’. This illustration depicts two characters sharing an emotional connection through their phones, the out stretched arms suggesting the connection is ‘real’ and does not only extist in the online world of social media. The illustration shows how emotional development online influences our ability engage emotionally Eleanor Davis (2015)

“His calmness didn’t make me feel abandoned, it made me feel secure. . . .

I needed to look at him and see the opposite of my fear, not its echo.”

Leslie Jamison (2014)

Rebekka Dunlap (2016) “If we hope to meet the moral test of our times, then I think we're going to have to talk more about the ‘empathy deficit’.

The ability to put ourselves in somebody else's shoes, to see the world through somebody else's eyes . . .”

Barrack Obama (2006)

This illustration was comissioned for an article about people with autism and the assumption that they lack empathy. The illustration shows a connection between the two characters through eye contact suggesting that even if they are not showing empathy in easily recognisable ways it does not mean the connection is any less powerful.

Proposals for practical work - Create a book/comic illustrating problems created by just world beliefs.

- Create a superhero that challenges just world narratives.

- Interview a homeless person and produce a set of illustrations/book about their life.

- produce a set of posters/adverts that use fictional characters to promote moral values.

- Create a range of illustrations that communicate the complexities of modern life.

DC Comics (1949)

Websites Psychology Today www.psychologytoday.com TED www.ted.com Yale University Department of Psychology www.psychology.yale.edu Pinterest www.uk.pinterest.com The Warburg Institute www.warburg.sas.ac.uk

Joyce Hesselberth (2012)