The Subversive selfie by Julia Brown

Julia Brown Visual Communications 2014/15 Does the Selfie enable the deconstruction of dominant representations of women and fixed notions of gender identity?

Contents List of Illustrations

Introduction

Chapter one The Selfie’s liberatory potential

Chapter two The Selfie Revolution

Chapter three My Practical Response

Part one

Part two

Part three

Part four

Chapter four Evaluation of my practical response ‘The Subversive Selfiea Weapon of Vanity’

Chapter five Conclusion

Bibliography

Appendix

Illustrations Figure 1. H. Memling, (2015). Vanity. [image] Available at: http://www.artinthepicture.com/paintings/hans_memling/vanity/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figure 2. Pesky Chloe, (2014). #Reclaimyourdonut. [image] Available at: http://iconosquare.com/p/796422755812982713_3484430 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figure 3. Philippa, (2014). #Reclaimyourdonut. [online] Available at: http://iconosquare.com/p/837590065802017650_1368760413 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figure 4. Glitterbugbean, (2014). #Reclaimyourdonut. [online] Available at: http://iconosquare.com/p/823820660818888828_503648889 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figure 5. Sarah Maple, (2008). 'I love Orgasms' - Acrylic and oil on board - 60 x 47 cm. [online] Available at: http://www.sarahmaple.com/paintartpage.htm [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figure 6. Sarah Maple, (2007). 'White Girl' - C-Type Print. [online] Available at: http://www.sarahmaple.com/portraitphoto.htm [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figures 7-10. Saks Afridi, (2014). #DAMNILOOKGOOD. [online] Available at: http://www.saksafridi.com/damn-i-look-good/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figures 12-17 Brown, J. (2014). [online] Available at: http://instagram.com/artbyjuliabrown [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figure 18. Brown, J. (2014). My selfie shirt. [Photgograph]. Figures 19-21. Brown, J. and Brannan, N. (2014). SELF(ie). [films stills] Available at: http://vimeo.com/111625114 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figures 22- 41. 3

Brown, J. (2014). Women. [Mixed media] Figure 42. Brown, J. (2014). Women. [online] Available at: http://instagram.com/p/x2q2asks48/?modal=true [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figure 43. Brown, J. (2014).Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. [online] Available at: http://instagram.com/artbyjuliabrown [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Figures 44-59. Brown, J. and Brown, M. (2014). The Subversive Selfie- a Weapon of Vanity. [film stills] Available at: http://vimeo.com/115350441 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015].

Introduction This discussion is framed by the understanding that, in order to deconstruct female identity, we first have to acknowledge, and almost work within the confines of this construct. This study will adopt a feminist theoretical approach to decoding the notion of female identity, drawing on the writings of Butler (1990), Mohanty (2003), Carby (1982), Mulvey (1973) and Berger (1973). In Butler’s criticism of feminism as a form of representational politics she explains that using ‘women’ as a subject sustains the very relations of dominance and exclusion that render it. In the course of this effort to question ‘woman’ as a subject of feminism, the unproblematic invocation of that category may prove to preclude the possibility of feminism as a representational politics. What does it make to extend representation to subjects who are constructed through the exclusion of those who fail to conform to unspoken normative requirements of the subject? (Butler, 1990, p8) However, allowing for this implication spoken of by Butler, this piece of writing will investigate how the ‘selfie’ has the possibility of dismantling constructed generalized portrayals of femininity, which are assumed to constitute female identity. This study recognizes this inherent contradiction and aims to explore and understand this paradox. The selfie is a term coined to explain a process of photographic self-portraiture that is often shared on user based Internet platforms. The Oxford English definition of the selfie, which was added in 2013, is: A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media. (OED, 2013) Due to further advances in technology, leading to camera devices becoming increasingly accessible to the masses, this practice of self-representation has become prevalent in society. The selfie allows the participant to overcome 5

generalised portrayals of their identity, which have been conceived by those in higher authority to allow more democratic representational practices. This study is an apology for the selfie. The subversive, and increasingly accessible, act of the selfie has deconstructed and decentralized forms of colonized representation of those who previously were not capable of executing self-representation practices. I plan to specifically investigate the implications of the complicity of prescribed western ideas of gender and womanhood as a context for analysing the selfie’s use on social media. I aim to decolonize and re-evaluate these western ideals as a means of revealing the limitations of using women as a subject of critical analysis. Mohanty (2003, pg. 31) explains how this limitation ‘assumes an ahistorical, universal unity between women based on a generalized notion of their subordination.’ and goes on to say, What characterizes women as a group is their gender (sociologically, not necessarily biologically, defined) over and above everything else, indicating a monolithic notion of sexual difference. (Mohanty 2003, pg.31) This results in women being understood as monolithic group and completely reduces the definition of the female to gender identity and ignores class or ethnicity. ‘Women’ as a topic for analysis sustains notions of subordination and inherently creates further inequality within the monolithic group. Mohanty (2003, pg. 39) talks about how ‘Western feminists alone become the true ‘subjects’. ‘Third world women’ never rise above the debilitating generality of their ‘object’ status.’ The homogenous understanding of women is reductive and ignores the intersectional hierarchies such as race and class, which are complicit in understanding the cultural formulations of gender. The reduction of gender identity to something that is anatomical is problematic as it ignores culturally/socially relative hierarchies such as race, a fundamental element of identity. The selfie can allow those who identify as women to be understood as a complex and varied group, rather than a monolithic entity. A selfie can

illustrate many of the vast ways that women exist, which do not conform to the mainstream western-centric notions and ideals of female identity. The selfie, allowing women to deconstruct misrepresentations of female identity, is a way of allowing those ‘third world women’, who as Mohanty terms it ‘never rise above the debilitating generality of their object status’, to rise above this by becoming the subject of their own representation (this is obviously only achievable if the technology required in order to take a selfie is made available to them). This practice of self-representation encourages those from a variety of demographics to disturb a variety of intersecting hierarchies including race, body size, gender and class that constitute understandings of the female identity. In the light of this, Chapter 1 will provide a background study of how selfrepresentational practices are able to deconstruct notions of the gendered gaze. This chapter will also provide further understandings of the selfies’ libratory potential, as it will provide a more in-depth background study of how the selfie has the possibility to grant visibility to the intersectional hierarchies of oppression and privilege that inform gender identity.

Chapter One- The Selfie’s liberatory potential Throughout history and in modern society women are often misrepresented. Art theorist, John Berger (1973), wrote about the way women are represented in traditional paintings, treats them as spectacles; they are the object of the spectator’s sight. He observes that portraits of women are deemed as mere spectacles. He uses the painting by Memling entitled ‘Vanity’ to explain this idea.

(Fig.1)

You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting “Vanity,” thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for you own pleasure. (Berger. 1973. Pg.51) Berger is explaining how the mirror in this piece reveals the submissive position that woman had in contemporary painting at that time. The woman’s shame is on display; her mirrored gaze does not allow her to establish herself as the object of her own sight and she is unable to establish herself as the protagonist. Her presence is submissive; it meets the desires of the onlooker as solely something to be seen and judged. Self-portraiture allows the subject to oppose and dismiss the dominant perception of the onlooker. The selfie is allowing females the ability to present themselves as the subjects of their own representational practices. Women can have complete control of how they are presented; they have the ability to produce a representation of self that is more authentic than that rendered by anyone else. The misrepresentation of women of other cultures, races and ethnicities is notorious throughout history and the present day; they are often exoticised and orientalised by those in high authority. For instance, Hazel V. Carby in her essay White Woman Listen (1982) writes about this misrepresentation of black women throughout history. As constructions of femininity are subject to hierarchies of ethnicity, race, class and other social cultural discourses, Carby specifically discusses how gender is subject to racism. History has constructed our sexuality and our femininity as deviating from those qualities with which white women, as the prize objects of the Western world, have been endowed. (Carby, 1982, pg. 110) She describes feminist theory as Eurocentric, and explains how it has ignored the experiences of the black woman. Carby’s arguments emphasize the importance of understating sexism as subject of other prejudices.

In addition, in Stuart Hall’s and Mark Sealy’s essay Different (2001) observes contemporary photography’s representation of black identity. This essay highlights the colonisation of black identity by the Eurocentric photographic canon. However, the selfie has the capability of disturbing this Eurocentric representation, by allowing those of a variety of race/classes and other contexts to represent themselves. The Selfie has granted visibility to the intersectional hierarchies of oppression and privilege that inform gender too. Failing to acknowledge the relevance of the social privileges of those women throughout history who (due to wealth, white privilege and other social discourses) have been able to represent themselves more readily, has caused the misrepresentation and alienation of women who are non-white, non-Western, non-heteronormative, and of an infinite number of social relations to become inhibited in their self representational practice. The selfie allows women who have been either misrepresented or unrepresented, to free themselves from this monolithic notion of womanhood that ignores the variety of individual female identities that have been informed by hierarchies of prejudice. The selfie allows for the acknowledgement of marginalized women; it is an inclusive form of women’s liberation. The online blogger Sister Outsider of blog the ‘Feminist Griote’ wrote in her article The Radical Politics of Selfies (2013) The reason it is revolutionary and empowering to see selfies of beautiful Black women is because proper representation of people who look like me is nowhere near the point of over saturation….Social media allows for people of colour, queer folks, fats, femmes, trans* folks, and differently-abled folks to find proper representation of ourselves sans gatekeepers….The fact that people who are maligned, marginalized, and strategically erased find the courage to make the deliberate choice of seeing themselves as beautiful, is both astonishing and miraculous. This unique form of presentation that the selfie allows, allows the marginalized female to present herself in a way that is extremely well considered. They are able to flood the image with visual messages. It is a truly personal form of expression. Amongst many things, participants can closely consider aspects such as lighting, body position, facial expression, while they can also scrutinize

the environments of this photograph, make-up/clothing worn, and even consider the introduction of political slogans/language that can permeate the image (political slogans can be sighted on the participants clothing or in their environment as they can be viewed directly as to how this appears on camera). These considerations can reveal and encode the image with a variety of visual messages. The use of mirror reflected surfaces, or a front facing camera, allow even more control to be given to the participant. This allows the participant to produce an image which, informed by their own reciprocal perception of self, allows the subject to be in even more control of how they are presented. The sharing of the selfie on social media enables a greater number of women to communicate through images regardless of hierarchy, language and cultural barriers. The use of ‘hashtags’, a hashtag is a series of words and phrases that are used to tag messages for online search engines prefixed with the hash character. Prefixing hashtags to selfies allow the images to be seen by a wider audience as they optimize search engine productivity. Through prefixing a hashtag to selfies, the subject can further communicate their intentions for creating the image. For example, the hashtag ‘#Reclaimyourdonut’, which I will discuss in Chapter 3 is a message that is prefixed to selfies. Through online search engines, this hashtag will enable others to find these images more easily and allow those who have also used this hashtag to communicate through these images. The subject is able to execute a representation of self that is extremely controlled. However, the online sharing of selfies may result in the images being shared/received in a way that is beyond the subject’s control. Sociologist Nicki Cole, in her article The Selfie Debates, Part 1 (2014), discusses arguments from sociologist Nishant Shah, who argues that in the age of increased hacking, images stored on mobile devices can never be secure and that by taking a selfie, the subject will always potentially lose control over their image. However, if control over the sharing of the selfie has been lost, does this lead to the inherent

misappropriation and sexualisation of the images? In many cases selfies that are not executed with the desire to be overtly sexual may be sexualized and misappropriated in several ways. However, assuming that this is always the case is problematic, as it assumes a monolithic understanding of the viewers ‘gaze’. I am arguing that the selfie has the potential to challenge the authority of the gaze and reveal it as illusory. This study will now go on to discuss the theory of gaze as a way of explaining this argument. I will discuss how deconstructions of this theory of the gaze can dismantle gender-prescribed notions of identity. It will reveal how through deconstruction of binary understandings of gender, expressions of femininity can challenge the authority of the viewer’s gaze, reinterpreting the gendered position. The theory of the gaze, written in 1973 by feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey, analyses the role of women in mainstream Hollywood films. Mulvey’s theories are not exclusive to cinema; her analysis of visual language gives a precedent for analysing gendered roles in visual culture. This theory discusses the presence of men in relation to the presence of women, and greatly influenced the works of Berger (1972). This theory’s understanding of gender is limited as a binary comparison, restricting discussions surrounding the relativity of gender constructs. Acknowledging this limitation therefore allows for a more informed deconstruction of the gaze. According to Mulvey, women are located in the reduction of one or two positions: having the active male gaze; or, the passive female object of the gaze. Berger explains how the female considers the surveyor and the surveyed within her: the surveyor within herself is male; the surveyed female. Berger explains how a woman’s presence is defined by her attitude to herself, which in turn defines what can and cannot be done to her. Berger’s observation of the presence of the man is very different. He sees the male presence as defined by the male’s own fabricated version of self; the man creates a presence that suggests what he is capable of doing to and for the female. The pretence is

always towards power through his gaze that can be exercised upon others. Judith Butler’s (2003) studies of gender have revealed how these seemingly fixed gender positions are malleable. Butler (2003) argues that gender is performed and not fixed; it is not anatomically defined, therefore femininity can be expressed regardless of anatomical disposition. In her book ‘Gender Trouble’ Butler uses strategies of the ‘masquerade’, written separately by both Jacques Lacan and Joan Riviere, to illustrate the concept of performed femininity. Butler examines Riviere’s essay published in 1929 entitled, Womanliness as a Masquerade, which theorizes why femininity is performed. Riviere’s analysis claims that femininity is performed by women who wish for masculinity, they put on this mask of femininity in order to avert the anxiety and retribution feared from men. Butler (2013) introduces Lacan’s understanding of the masquerade as something that understands the feminine masquerade to be something that enables the female to participate in male desire, meaning that they are subordinate and pose no threat to the male position. Lacan’s analysis recognizes that the masculine subject, who has the phallus, (this theory requires the permanent assumption that the male position always possesses the phallus, whilst women are assumed to posses a lack of the phallus) requires the other to confirm and preserve their phallic superiority through their lack of phallus. It is this lack of the phallus that embodies and affirms the phallus; this means that women are in need of using a masquerade of femininity in order to conceal lack. This theory means that the female is appropriated through phallocentric domination, something that is obviously disproved of by Butler’s understanding that gender has no anatomical definition. Although this theory by Lacan and Riviere is anatomically defined, it reveals understandings of the constructed nature of femininity. Butler explains how Stephen Health’s analysis of this masquerade illustrates how the masquerade has obscured the fixed gendered position of the female. Butler explains how Health’s analysis reveals that this ‘mask of womanliness’ is

understood as the same as ‘authentic womanliness’. Authentic womanliness is essentially mimicry. The constructed nature of femininity revealed here demonstrates the idea of gender performativity spoken of by Butler. Understanding the performance of femininity as something that is not inherently constituted by the presence of the phallus challenges the anatomically defined male position and gaze. This means that expressions of femininity are not inherently motivated by the need to gratify the male position/gaze. Through the selfie, the subject can disturb the gaze of the viewer in a variety of ways; a subject’s hyperbolic expression of femininity can be a way that this gaze is challenged. This over-sensationalized femininity can remind the viewer that femininity is constructed as a performance; this disturbs the supposedly internalized male gaze of the viewer, reminding the viewer again that femininity is not solely expressed as a means of fulfilling the sexual desire of the male gaze. Understanding gender as an expression and not something of binary comparisons reveals the autonomy of the male gaze as illusory. Sociologist Nicki Cole, in her article The Selfie Debates, Part 1 (2014) explains how the notion that women are sexualizing themselves as objects to pleasure men as they internalize the expectations of western patriarchal and heterosexual society is well established. Although in many cases this may be true, this study aims to show how it is not true of all cases. It is this acknowledgement of the systematic heterosexual and patriarchal implications of the gaze that have informed the self-representational practice of many women. The selfies of these women counter the heterosexual and patriarchal productions of femininity that have been internalized by many women, as they resist presenting themselves in a way that validates the supposedly fixed male position/gaze that sustains notions of gender subordination. Cole’s article also references a 2013 study by Harvard Business School that recorded the online behaviour of men. This study showed that on the social media site Facebook, men predominantly view the profiles of women, while the

profiles of women are what are predominantly viewed. These findings are evidence to support the argument that was also proposed in the article by Sociologist Ben Agger, who described the female selfie as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the male gaze gone viralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. These findings are gender specific and suggest the inherent scopophilic intentions of the male audience, which has been revealed by Butler as illusory. The next chapter will introduce the practice of four practitioners who, through acknowledgement of the presumed gendered expectations of the onlooker, have used the selfie to subvert misconceptions of the female identity.

Chapter two- The Selfie Revolution The selfie has been used to convey alternative political values and critique convention globally. The selfie, as a form of self-portraiture, is often discredited as not retaining the same artistic value than traditional fine art self-portraiture. This discreditation is evident in any limited analysis of the practice. However, this study is arguing that selfies are worthy of equal status; the practitioners that I have chosen to analyse reveal how the selfie and contemporary portraiture have mutually informed one another, and shown how selfies are bridging the gap between fine art and popular culture. The three practices that have chosen to look at all use different approaches to redefine aspects of the female identity. These practitioners have taken advantage of this visual means of communication in revolutionary ways. Their practices represent only a small fraction of those who take selfies, as the selfie phenomenon is continuing to grow exponentially. During online research I was

inundated with new approaches to taking selfies. The Yorkshire based practitioner known as ‘Pesky Chloe’ creates selfies that critique body policing and food consumption. I met Pesky Chloe at a workshop at Ladyfest in Leeds where she spoke about the story of her hashtag #reclaimyourdonut which visually critiques society’s ideals of food consumption and body image. As I am showing how these selfies have deconstructed notions of femininity assumed to constitute the female identity, it is fundamental to acknowledging the intersectional prejudice of sexism faced by women and anti-fat discrimination. A woman’s body size and relationship with food directly informs how her femininity is perceived. Below is an example of one her selfies with this hashtag.

(Fig.2) In the caption of this selfie Pesky Chloe explains her intentions, she explains how the hashtag ‘#glorifyingobesity’ that predates her own, inspired her to create selfies with ‘#reclaimyourdonut’. The hashtag ‘#glorifyingobesity’ invited those with obesity to visually critique stigmatism based on their body

size. These selfies encouraged representation of a marginalized obese community. ‘#Reclaimyourdonut’ is also encouraging this visibility; those who are of a variety of body sizes are able to present themselves in a way that is generally discouraged within society. In her description underneath this selfie, she says the following: I urge you all now, whatever size you are, to take a photograph of yourself eating a donut - or whatever else you would normally eat in secret, your metaphorical donut. We've de-normalized people eating. Food is food and it's not bad to want to eat it. You aren't naughty or good for eating food. It's not sinful or saintly. If you don't want to do it publicly just take a photo, look at it, and think 'why don't I want people to see this?' - really think about it, and try and make peace with yourself If you do post it tag it with #reclaimyourdonut so I can see it. (Pesky Chloe, 2014) This appeal for others to take photos doing the same is not exclusively aimed towards women. However, as I am specifically analysing how women’s selfies have deconstructed notions and ideas of female identity, I will be specifically be looking at how #reclaimyourdonut selfie has done this. As this analysis acknowledges the intersectional prejudice of sexism faced by women and antifat discrimination it can be seen how a women’s body size and relationship with food directly informs how her femininity is perceived. A woman (according to the theory of Lacan) is expected to alter herself to gratify male desire as a way of affirming female identity. In fig. 2 Pesky Chloe, an obese woman, is eating as a form of display, she is uninterested in this gratification of the male gaze. Pesky Chloe’s prideful eating of a donut publicly rejects validation from this male gaze spoken of by Mulvey, that implies she should be ashamed for not altering herself to gratify male desire. This resistance to conform to the male production of femininity disturbs the gaze of the onlooker. It reveals femininity as something that is not fixed and redefines concepts and understandings of her female identity. The Selfies of other women who participated can be seen below.

Fig. 3

Fig.4 This appeal calls for those of all sizes and with different foods, to submit selfies with the hashtag #reclaimyourdonut. The appeal is inclusive, allowing for a variety of responses from participants. Analysis of a wider range of women 19

means notions of femininity can explored even further, as preconceptions about an even larger variety of body types and food types can be addressed. The #reclaimyourdonut selfie project has allowed the marginalized to represent themselves in a larger conversation about body size and relationships with food in which, although directly relevant to all women, they may have been not included. In a short interview (Appendix A) I asked Pesky Chloe why selfies are significant to her. She spoke of how talking selfies helped her over come body dysmorphic tendencies. She said the following, Selfies are a very useful tool generally for me though. I have body dysmorphic tendenciesâ&#x20AC;Śand I found taking photographs of my face to be a good way to stop hating looking at my faceâ&#x20AC;Ś This is why it's so ironic when people call me arrogant for taking selfies and thinking I'm cute. It took me YEARS to be able to say 'look at me, I'm so cute here' instead of 'looking at myself in the mirror literally makes me want to kill myself'. So my body dysmorphia itself is interestingâ&#x20AC;Ś In my case, it leads me to sometimes see my body in a strange way - lengthened fingers, squidgy cheeks, eyes disappearing into my face and so on. That donut photo with the horrible comments below it would have killed me in the past. Someone in particular pointed out the mole on my eye and how I should fry it and eat it. I once tried to cut off that mole on my eyelid because I hated it so much, and I'm lucky I didn't blind myself. This shows how selfies are allowing women to reclaim control over their image. This control enabled Pesky Chloe to be able to dismiss the harsh criticisms of onlookers that imply she should feel alienated and ashamed for not altering herself to gratify male desire. The selfie is allowing participants to express their identity in a way that they are more comfortable with, which, for marginalized women is a liberatory gesture. The next practitioner that I chose is Sarah Maple, a fine artist who explores self-portraiture in her work. Analysing her work will draw parallels to the issues that are being explored through the selfie and the in fine art practice. Maple was raised as a Muslim in the UK with parents of mixed religious and cultural backgrounds; her self-portraits explore the cultural and religious

differences that constitute her female identity (Weerasinghe, 2015). Maple’s portraits are a perfect way to address the mutually dependent formulation of femininity, race, culture and ethnicity. Maple deconstructs western interpretations of Islamic women; her self-portrait entitled ‘I heart orgasms’ can be seen in fig, 5. Western misconceptions of Islam that result in the niqab being perceived as a piece of clothing that legitimizes the repression/control female identity are revealed as untrue. Maple has done this by showing that her intentions of wearing the niqab are contrary to these western misconceptions. Her intention for wearing the niqab is self-specific, revealing that the intentions of Muslim women who choose to wear the niqab will vary individually. Maple is wearing a badge that says ‘I heart orgasms’ in the portrait; this badge’s expression of sexual desire greatly contradicts western misconceptions of Islamic women. It subverts the notion that those who wear the niqab do so out of sexual repression and not out of choice. This image is disturbing reductive interpretations of Islamic female identity, showing that it is malleable.

Fig.5

Fig.6 Another self-portrait by Maple entitled White girl also critiques reductive interpretations of Islamic female identity. Maple has again presented herself

wearing traditionally religious clothing as a way of doing this. The hijab in this portrait is white; a symbol of purity. This purity is questioned by Maples’ lit cigarette and bold makeup, which can be interpreted as impure and stereotypically western. They are contrary to a Western conception of Islamic values that are presumed to be upheld by a woman dressed in this way

(Swartz, 2015). Whilst the hijab Maple is wearing is white, the culture that she is taking influence from is stereotypically western and thus is white; she is now of the other culture; she is now a ‘white girl’. This is a humorous critique of the binary understanding of Western and Islamic cultural identities; Maple is revealing these identities as malleable. Through this she has yet again destabilized false generalizations of the Islamic female identity. The next practice I will look at was a project created in 2014 by artists Qinza Najm and Saks Afridi, entitled #DamnILookGood. This piece critiques similar issues to those of Sarah Maple as it aims to disturb Western misconceptions of traditional Islamic clothing. In this project, the artist Qinza Najm took selfies of herself with others dressed up in a full hijab over two days in New York City. These selfies were shared online using the hashtag #DamnILookGood. Many members of the public participated in taking selfies with Najm, they were also given the option of wearing hijabs that displayed the hashtag , which were provided by the artists. (Gorton, 2014) The project aimed to show that women who wear a niqab/hijab are not necessarily obligated to, and those who chose to wear it are wearing it as a form of liberation, not repression. This project is granting women, who choose to wear the hijab, the opportunity to redefine misconceptions and generalizations about their identity as Islamic women. A statement by the Saks Afridi (2015) explains the intentions of the project, The hijab worn by choice is not repression, but liberation. It can be the most empowering piece of fabric a woman can choose to wear. When a woman covers herself this way, she can’t be judged on attractiveness, her jewellery or makeup. She isn’t ‘sized up’ and can’t be advertised to. This very barrier is her superpower. With it, she is in complete control of her sexuality, and ultimately, that’s what makes her so beautiful. By

snapping selfies, she makes a point that she is much more than her sexuality. This performance art piece is about tolerance over anything else. At the same time, it questions several issues: Islamophobia, oversexualisation of women in media, the duality of modernity and tradition and longing for self-expression. (Afridi, 2015) Qinza Najmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Saks Afridiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice is inviting a variety of participants to be involved, both during the performance and online. Examples of the images of participants shared online in fig 7-10 reveal how the inclusivity of this practice can disturb a greater variety of discourses that constitute how femininity is perceived, than a practice that does not allow for participation. For example, fig.8 shows five women of different races wearing the hijab; this disturbs multiple racial conceptions of the identity of females who wear the veil.

Fig.7

Fig.8

Fig.9

Fig.10 Carbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s analysis of how race has informed how sexuality and femininity of women has been perceived is of particular significance when trying to understand how the identity of the black woman is constructed differently to that of a white woman. A practice that explores this observation by Carby is the project â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;#iftheygunnedmedownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The images produced by black female participants of this project have disturbed racial constructions of female identity. The project (which is open to all genders) started as a response to racially discriminatory portrayals of black citizens killed by police forces in the media. It requires participants to juxtapose an image of self that disturbs racial stereotypes of the black identity next to an example of the racially discriminate kind image that could be used to represent them if they were killed by police forces. (Horan, 2014) This allows participants to show the injustice and inaccuracy of how black identity is conceived in western media. In this specific example, (fig.11) the two contrasting selfies posted by a female participant can be seen. She has redifined her indentity as a black woman that was previously limited by the racist and sexist misconceptions of the onlooker. The image of her smiling confidently greatly contrasts the other image she has provided that presents herself in away that is often used to devalue the female black identity. 26

Fig. 11 Overall, all these practices are disturbing the western monolithic notion of the male gaze, allowing the female identity to be understood and re-examined in new ways. The inclusion of Mapleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice reveals that the issues being addressed through self-portraiture are being explored in both fine art practice and popular culture via the selfie. Hashtags enable participation from a variety of different contexts, whilst Mapleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice remains less accessible and more exclusive. These practices have shown how self-representation has enabled those from a variety of demographics to disturb an infinitive amount of intersecting hierarchies including race, body size and cultural identity that constitute understandings of the female identity.

Chapter 3 My Practical Response This chapter outlines my practical exploration of the different ways in which the selfie has enabled the deconstruction of dominant representations of women and fixed notions of gender identity. The works I have created can be broken down into four distinctive parts; in each part I have approached my analysis of the selfie in a different way. My final creative response in part four, a film entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Subversive Selfie -a Weapon of Vanityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; synthesized the practical research elements of my practice written about in parts 1-4 with my theoretical research evidenced in chapters one and two. I intend to present my work using the same online platforms where selfies are usually viewed. This will allow my work to reach an audience that includes those interested in or immersed in popular culture as well as those who have previously only critically engaged with portraiture in a fine art context.

My Practical Response part one My first series of works were a series of gifs and still images that sought to encourage my audience to question the authenticity of the selfie. The sharing of these works online sought to highlight or bring awareness to how a selfie can be used to be able to manipulate the perception of the viewer. I intended to show how this ability to manipulate and alter the viewer’s perception could be done in ways completely beyond the viewer’s control. The way in which women are able to control of their image of self in ways beyond the control of the viewer is something I wanted to explore. Very simple techniques like subtly changing the position of the camera can dramatically alter the viewer’s perception. The following images demonstrate the different ways in which I explored this possibility.

fig.12

Fig.13. (A comparison of the images produced using the different facing cameras on a mobile phone.) The black square on my face is a dramatic feature that can be hidden by a simple camera manoeuvre, the juxtaposition of the two still images in fig.12 and fig.13 illustrate this. The following images (fig.14-18) are all screen shots of gif files uploaded on social media that showed myself using my camera to conceal and reveal the black square on my face.

Fig.13, 14 and 16 were initial experiments taken using the built in camera on my phone and laptop whilst fig. 12, 15, and 17 use images produced in a studio. I asked Nic Brannan to photograph my actions in the studio environment so that I could have more control over lighting therefore improve the quality of the images produced.

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Fig.16 In the following gif piece (fig.17) I decided to explore how hashtags like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;#nofilterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are created to give the impression that the self-portrait is authentic. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m questioning the false claim of authenticity that this hashtag suggests. In a similar manner to my other experiments, I am demonstrating the controlled nature of the selfie. This gif, showing myself rubbing my face of imperfections with the hashtag juxtaposed on top, obscures this idea of authenticity, encouraging the viewer to be more critical of how they perceive the selfie and the hashtags used to inform it.

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Practical Response part two The following series of works sought to explore how the selfie is allowing the subject simulate a form of identity that is seemingly more tangible and controlled. I began creating exploring this idea through clothing. A selfie, like a garment, is a form of expression, it, like a fashion statement can create a new sense of identity. I decorated a garment to illustrate this idea visually. Below is an image of me wearing the completed garment.

Fig.18 Photography by Nic Brannan I then collaborated with fellow student Nic Brannan in order to create a film that explores this idea and showcases the garment. In the film I was taking a series of selfies, to show how the selfie has enabled me to reclaim a more controlled version of self. Stills of me doing this can be seen below in fig. 20 and 21.

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Fig.20 I aimed to show through this piece how the selfie is a form of expression. The film explored how the selfie acts as a mask, it enables us to act and perform in a more desirable and less inhibited way. The application of paint to my face in the film is meant to resemble a form of mask; the mask is applied to consolidate for when I am not unable to use the selfie as a mask, as I am not executing an image of self. Ultimately, this film aimed to show how the selfie is allowing me to more comfortably perform aspects of identity; it is a mask that enables me to re-invent myself. My intentions were not executed clearly in the piece, but through making it I developed my theoretical and practical understanding of how the selfie can be used as a way to reveal and re-invent aspects of my identity. Below is still from the film that shows my painted face.

Fig. 21 Practical Response part three

This piece is explored the complexity and diversity of women, which is something that can be revealed through the selfie as it enables women to dismantle generalised portrayals of their identity. My theoretical research into the monolithic notion of female identity explained by theorists such as Mohanty, informed this practical response. Through this piece I explored how the reduction of gender identity to something that is anatomical ignores culturally/socially relative hierarchies such as race, class, sexual orientation and ethnicity which are fundamental elements of identity. This series of images I created (fig.22-41) (that are to be displayed collectively) reveal how this reduction of gender identity is problematic, I also created a gif from these images.

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Fig. 41 I created this piece to upload to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tumblrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, an online platform were users often share selfies and discuss issues of gender and shared the gif (fig.41) on other online platforms were selfies are uploaded.

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Practical Response part four In this response I sought to subvert the idea that selfies are an example of how women are socialized to produce themselves as desirable sexual objects in society, gratifying the male gaze. Certainly, the selfies produced by Pesky Chloe have shown how this is not necessarily true, as she has intentionally dismissed the approval of the male gaze. I created self-portraits that aimed to explore this, the creation of these portraits ultimately lead to the creation of my final piece entitled ‘The Subversive Selfie- a Weapon of Vanity’, a short film that synthesized my practical and theoretical explorations of how the selfie has enabled the deconstruction of dominant representations of women and fixed notions of gender identity.

In my portrait seen below (fig.42) I intended to demonstrate an expression of admiration towards myself, showing that my expression of femininity and attitude towards me is not inherently motivated by the need to gratify the male position/gaze. The thought bubble saying ‘I’m so fit’ over my head is meant to emphasis this shameless admiration that I have for myself.

Fig. 43 I am performing in a way that is overtly feminine, my dramatic makeup and

flowers in my hair sought to make my appearance seem illegitimate, reinforcing the idea that femininity is performative and thus disturbing the theorised Male gaze. I intentionally edited the images in a way that looked selfcomposed, to make it clear that I had complete control over my representation. I feel this creative response was not clearly executed and my intentions were not understood. This was a problem that remained prolific throughout my practical work and final response. I will explore the reasons for this misunderstanding in my evaluation of my final piece in chapter four. This portrait lead to the creation of my final piece, entitled, ‘The Subversive Selfie- a Weapon of Vanity’ Practical Response part four- My Final Response My final creative response, ‘The Subversive Selfie -a Weapon of Vanity’ sought to synthesize all the previous the practical research elements discussed with my theoretical research. Through this piece I was specifically exploring how the selfie has the possibility to deconstruct fixed notions of as women’s gender identity and over come dominant misrepresentations of women. This film proposes the idea that over-sensationalized performances of femininity could (if the onlooker acknowledges Butler’s (1990) ideas that gender is performed and it is not anatomically defined) be way of reminding the onlooker that my identity as a female is constructed and not innate, thus challenging the authority of the masculine gaze. This means that the performance of femininity spoken of by Lacan and Riviere is no longer understood solely understood as a way in which the female position is able to participate in the gratification of male desire. In fact, my proposed performance of femininity can potentially do the opposite, it can subvert the male gaze revealing that the gaze is not fixed and is, as according to Butler, (1990) illusory.

I created a poem to explain this concept (seen below), I used this poem to narrate my film and explain my creative intentions.

Vanity is my weapon Because we're taught gender is two separate entities. Because I'm taught that the 'male gaze' objectifies me, I will perform femininity as a masquerade. Disturbing this patriarchal production of femininity, I will show that gender is not a binary And this fixed gendered gaze is illusionary My femininity will be hyperbole. Although it has been taught as something trivial, I know that the personal is political. So I will take my selfie, A controlled representation of me I, object of my own sight, will embrace my vanity. I the narcissist, the vain Will disrupt generalised portrayals of my identity Conceived by those of high authority. Others cannot define me. My weapon of self-representation, My weapon of vanity Will be perfectly performed through my selfie

The film showed me preparing for and executing selfies in my bedroom. The films shows me applying exaggerated makeup and adorning my face with plastic jewels to show how feminine expression is performative. I made props and organised my bedroom in way that, I hope would (like myself) appear illegitimately feminine and staged. I was showing through my exaggerated preparing for and execution of a selfie that this act, which is an everyday act for many, could be extremely significant. As I explain through the narration how the selfie can disrupt generalised portrayals of identity, I am visually demonstrating how I, the subject, am able to use the selfie to present myself in a way that intentionally expresses my identity. I will now briefly explain how the narration has informed the imagery in the film. The cinematographer for this film was a fellow student, Mary Brown.

Fig. 44 ‘Vanity is my weapon’ The video opens with footage of me in my bedroom, which has been decorated to appear ‘illegitimately feminised’.

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‘Because we’re taught gender is two separate entities’ I’m writing the word ‘girl’ on the mirror to show how that label is constructedit is projected on to me. The word gender separates into two to demonstrate the simplistic boy/girl gender binary.

Fig. 47 ‘Because I’m taught that the ‘male gaze’ objectifies me’ In this scene the camera still focuses on how I’ve written ‘girl’ in lipstick on my bedroom mirror. As the male gaze is theorised to inherently objectify women, my reflection is absent from the mirror as this male gaze objectifies me. I am not the subject of my own sight, my reflection of self is not relevant.

Fig. 48 ‘I will perform my femininity as a masquerade’

I am now looking in the mirror and using my perception of self to dress my face and be feminine. The jewels I’m putting on my face are meant to show that my femininity is exaggerated, it is staged.

Fig.49 ‘Disturbing this patriarchal production of femininity’ To make this even more obvious I put on makeup that is intentionally unnatural to show that femininity is not necessarily something the male can control. I’m showing that femininity is not something that is solely exaggerated to appease the authoritative position of the male.

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Fig. 52 ‘I will show that gender is not a binary’ Here, I am re-affirming this idea that the performance of femininity shows that gender cannot be understood as a binary.

Fig.53 ‘And this fixed gendered gaze is illusionary’ Once the audience is aware that the female position and male position and 52

aren’t fixed and therefore not dependant on one another for formulation, the male loses control and the gaze holds no autonomy. I am (like when I was applying my dramatically unnatural makeup) trying to show that I am adorning my face with a disinterest in gratifying the onlooker.

Fig.54 ‘My femininity will be hyperbole. Although it has been taught as something trivial’ Again, I try to make it clear that my femininity is intentionally over sensationalized- it’s performed. Femininity, the very thing theorized to make women, women have been trivialised as something to appease men. I am continuously trying to show how this binary understanding is reductive and untrue, as I am not trying to gratify the gaze of the onlooker. In this scene I show that the plastic jewels are causing me discomfort, I am vulnerable, reaffirming that my femininity is a conscious effort, it is not innate.

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Fig.56 ‘I know that the personal is political’ I am showing how giving importance to feminine acts validates them as something of significance, not something to be dismissed/repressed. ‘The personal is political’ is a famous feminist essay by Carol Hanisch written in 1969. The phrase ‘the personal is political’ understands personal problems, as political problems as the personal problems women experience are the result of systematic oppression. The systematic western patriarchal production of homogenized femininity has resulted in the oppressive trivialization of gender expression.

Fig.57 ‘So I will take my selfie A controlled representation of me I, object of my own sight, will embrace my vanity’

In these scenes I am showing myself repetitively taking selfies. I am trying to make clear that a selfie can allow subject to reclaim control over their identity. It is allowing me to create a representation of myself that is well considered and not colonised by another. Although choosing to photograph myself is deemed vain, I will embrace this act regardless, as it is liberatory act.

Fig.58 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I, the narcissist, the vain Will disrupt generalised portrayals of my identity Conceived by those of high authority Others cannot define me.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Again, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m reclaiming these stigmatic labels, as they are intentionally submissive and reflect repressive patriarchal attitudes that trivialize femininity. The selfie is allowing those, as mentioned before, to reclaim their identity.

Fig. 59 ‘My weapon of self representation, My weapon of vanity’ In this scene I physically print out my selfie and decorate it to show it’s importance and how this image of myself is something to be celebrated and cherished. I have created a tangible representation of self.

fig.60 ‘Will be perfectly performed through my selfie’ As I stick this image on my mirror I am showing that, I, the observer am exchanging glances with the image of myself. This physical creation has been conceived by me and is me, I have potentially created a greater awareness of self. As I draw a heart with lipstick I am again re-enforcing my appreciation for this image of self that I have composed.

Chapter four Evaluation of my practical response ‘The Subversive Selfie -a Weapon of Vanity’ Having now produced and shared the film ‘The Subversive Selfie -a Weapon of Vanity’ on social media platforms, I will now begin assess the successes and failures of this response. Many of my responses to the film were overwhelmingly similar, many agreed that they found my concepts and ideas to had no come across clearly. They felt that it was intended for a more ‘fine art’/’academic’ audience. Many told me that my language could be simplified so that my points could be understood more concisely. This was definitely a major weakness of the piece. I found that through out my practice and even prior to making my final response, much of my work received similar feedback. As short film that is for social media is expected to be accessible and use familiar terms to communicate ideas, my unclear and complex ideas did not fit these expectations. Perhaps the antithetical nature of the piece was why it was misunderstood or seen as ambiguous. As my piece was shared on social media and understood in the framework of popular culture, rather than in a different context, it was likely that the complexity of my film made it irrelevant and unfamiliar to the context that it has been shared. However, as I was aware of the fact that my film was to be produced on social media, I should have made my response with this in mind. Perhaps, I should have, as recommended, used simpler language and tried to simplify my concepts so that they were more accessible. Failing to do this was detrimental. If I had more time I would try and make my concepts and language clearer and more transparent for my audience. Throughout this practice I’ve came to realize, as evidenced in the works of the practitioners I analysed in chapter two, that work that is not in the realm of fine art/ authentic culture will be less contemplated and respected regardless

of whether it is exploring the same or perhaps more complex issues than practices in the framework of fine art/authentic culture. I’ve learnt that making complex ideas meet the accessible and familiar expectations of popular culture, so that will be understood/contemplated is extremely challenging. It is something that the selfie must contend with if it is to be used as a way of conveying alternative political values and convention. Making this film has allowed me to explore my relationship with the selfie. It meant that I could honestly explore how my generalized identity, as a women is being challenged by my own self-representational practice. Issues explored in chapter one and two that talk about how discourses such as race, ethnicity and body size alter conceptions of femininity, have allowed me to more greatly understand the ways in which practitioners are using the selfie to deconstruct understandings of femininity. Although my identity as a white, middle class, cis-gender female means that I am granted more visibility in society than many of the minorities that I have discussed, I began to understand and become more aware through my research of how my female identity is still misconstrued in many ways. As my film was about the over-sensationalized expression of femininity as means of contesting the male gaze, I wanted to be able to explore the implications of how my own personal expression of femininity are conceived. As my gender identity aligns with my birth sex, my identity can be understood as anatomically defined. I wanted to show that my femininity is just as constructed as those who possess the phallus, thus proving that ‘women’ is an assumed role, not a pre-destined identity. However, I feel like I did not communicate this idea effectively. I’ve learnt through my practice, that due to my anatomical position, I will most likely not be able to communicate this idea in a clear way. This is because my anatomy, which has been understood as a definition of gender throughout my childhood has been understood as strictly female, therefore in assuming this female role, I

have subconsciously internalized western traits of femininity that have constituted my identity, meaning that my femininity will potentially always seem more ‘authentic’ and less performative than the femininity of someone who has been socialized into a different gender role due their anatomy. Perhaps if I were to have made the film about the expression of hypermasculinity, rather than femininity my point would have been made clearer. The aesthetic of my film was well considered and a strength of the piece. I wanted to use shades of pink and lilac that are associated as feminine colours to deliberately create a piece that is overtly feminine. Overall, I’ve learnt that trying to appeal for an understanding of femininity/gender expression that is not limited by binary constraints in a western patriarchal society, by using the medium of popular culture is extremely difficult. Although I admit that my intentions and concept of my film could have been made clearer, I’ve found that trying to communicate ambiguous and antithetical ideas through the language of popular culture to be problematic. Popular culture, which is very categorical, can potentially inhibit these ambiguous ideas from ever being accessible. Perhaps, through consideration of this, I can now acknowledge the unique significance of fine art practice which is investigating the same issues that are being addressed through the selfie, although it caters to a limited demographic and therefore is not as participatory, paradoxical theoretical and philosophical constructions of identity can be more easily contemplated within the context of fine art self portraiture, compared to the definitive and categorical restraints of popular culture. Possibly, the selfie, as it resides in popular culture can only deconstruct generalised conceptions of identity that exist within the categorical constraints of its context.

Conclusion My practical and theoretical investigation sought to explore the limitations of using ‘women’ as a subject for analysis, whilst paradoxically exploring how the selfie has dismantled inaccurate generalized portrayals of the female identity. Through this paradox, this investigation has allowed me to explore areas of my practice that were previously unfamiliar and grew to understand how the homogenization of women has ignored intersectional hierarchies such as race, class, body size, ethnicity etc. which constitute their identity, thus revealing ‘women’ as unstable category of analysis. Through looking at the practice of others and examining my own practice I have understood how the unique contexts of the individual have greatly informed their self-representational practice. The selfie has potential to grant visibility to marginalised women who are either misrepresented or unseen in the mainstream media and has the possibility to bring raise awareness of the intersectional hierarchies of oppression and privilege that inform the female identity. Through subverting gendered expectations of the female identity women have the power to reveal the ‘male gaze’ as something that is malleable, not fixed and illusory. Through my own practice I have explored how my selfrepresentational practices posses the ability to deconstruct notions of the gendered gaze, my final film specifically explores how expressions of femininity have done this. My examination of the gaze has revealed how it has restricted gender expression and denied women of non-heterosexual capabilities. The practices of women who present themselves in a way which shows disinterest in the validation of the male gaze reveals the false autonomy of the gaze. As I have explored how the issues being investigated through fine art selfportraiture and the selfie are the same, I have acknowledged the possibilities

and limitations of each of these contexts. I have questioned, that whilst selfies are more inclusive and allow for greater participation, fine art self portraiture (although inaccessible to many) may provide a context for analysis that is less restrained, allowing for greater contemplation of the images. My analysis has shown how the self- portrait and the selfie have mutually informed one another, granting visibility to the blurred lines of fine art and popular culture. Overall, through my synthesized practical and theoretical exploration of the how the selfie has enabled the deconstruction of dominant representations of women and fixed notions of gender identity, I have demonstrated how the selfie phenomenon has transformed the experience of all gendered positions, as it disturbs and deconstructs gendered roles. The continuous growth and development of selfie trends show how further enquiry of this growth is necessary to thoroughly understand the extent of its liberatory potential. Both my practical and theoretical outcomes will continue to be moulded and shaped by the ever-growing number of ways that women chose to represent themselves.

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Mohanty, C. (2003). Feminism without borders. Durham: Duke University Press. Pesky Chloe, (2014). Instagram photo by @peskychloe (Pesky) - via Iconosquare. [online] Iconosquare. Available at: http://iconosquare.com/p/796422755812982713_3484430 [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Selfie. (2013). In: Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. [online] Available at: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/selfie. [Accessed 21 Jan. 2015]. Swartz, A. (2015). ARTPULSE MAGAZINE Â» Features Â» Humor + Feminism + Art=Sarah Maple. [online] Artpulsemagazine.com. Available at: http://artpulsemagazine.com/humor-feminism-artsarah-maple [Accessed 20 Jan. 2015]. Weerasinghe, A. (2015). Islam is the new black: a conversation with Sarah Maple. [online] Art Threat. Available at: http://artthreat.net/2008/11/sarah-mapleinterview-islam-new-black/ [Accessed 20 Jan. 2015].

Appendix Appendix A : Pesky Chloe, chloemcgenn@gmail.com, 2010.Subversive selfies. [E-mail] Message to J Brown (juliafionabrown410@gmail.com). Sent Saturday 17 January 2015, 05:43pm.