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.
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