Issue Two.

At the weekend, I saw Simon Stephen's play 'Punk Rock' at the Exchange Theatre, Manchester. I thought the play was performed brilliantly and the quality writing dealt with some real and relevant issues. However, my only disappointment was the final issue that came forth to round up the play was one that has been seen before. Whereas, there was one issue in the play that was touched on but that was never followed through. This was the issue of 'text' bullying.
Cyber bullying can take place in many different electronic arenas, such as via e-mail, text messages, voice mail messages, social networking sites, video and blog sites. Cyber bullying does not just affect 'kids' either, adults are also targeted, and it is common for the victim to know the perpetrator, be it through school, college, work or their neighborhood. For my research into magazine design and experimental zines, I want to incorporate taboo subjects, such as that of cyber bullying, to raise awareness and push the boundaries of the design of fashion and lifestyle magazines.
'Taboo; a social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding associations with a particular person, place, or thing.'
For example, in 2008 it was publicized that the "British public gives more money to a Devon-based donkey sanctuary than the most prominent charities trying to combat violence and abuse against women." Robert Booth, The Guardian, Wed. 23rd April 2008.
"Violence against women appears regularly as the subject of media reports and in the story lines of soap operas but rarely does it come up in normal conversation, which suggests there is a stigma around it. The truth is it is very common." Justine Jarvinen.
Domestic violence is considered a taboo, something that is non of our business, we don't want to pry into people's personal affairs, but domestic violence is real, just as real as cyber bullying! Taboos like domestic abuse and cyber bullying are the elephants in the room.
'The Elephant in the Room; an important and obvious topic, which everyone present is aware of, but which isn't discussed, as such discussion is considered to be uncomfortable.'
I think it is about time we got uncomfortable.

'What is reality?' Photos for research on Gillian Wearing.

Issue One.

For our first set project, I have been asked to research the artist Gillian Wearing. First recognized internationally for her exhibition 'Signs' in 1993, Wearing challenges social stereotypes by exploring the issue of identity. Influenced by the fly-on-the-wall documentaries of the 1970's and more recently the reality TV shows we have come accustomed to, Wearing examines the influence of the media on popular culture and questions, "What is reality?"

Using real people in her art, she has created work that engages with the everyday lives of "ordinary people", and bought art to a new audience. Her work asks some prominent questions about our society and still raises real issues today.

"Pin-Up's" is one of Wearing's newest works. In 2008, photographs of what appear to be pin-up models were exhibited in LA. However, these were 'real' people who had responded to an ad to be made-over, with full make up and after-effects, to change their appearance to become glamourous pin-up models. Their reasons behind this desire to be "re-made" and snap-shots of themselves before the make-over lay behind the photographs. These pieces look at the idea of identity and self-image. Today's culture has a lot to answer for when it comes to how men and woman are portrayed, in all sorts of media; magazines, music videos, films... This begs the question again, "what is real?" and does it matter? Does it matter that the idea of what is real/normal is no longer what is real or normal?!

Recently, Germany's most popular women's magazine announced that it is to ban all professional models from its pages, replacing size zero figures with 'real' women. Is this the first sign of change, is reality making a come back?!
I hope so.