LUCY YEATS

12 STUDIO ARTS

GENDER

Throughout Unit 3/4 I explored the theme “Gender”. I communicated this idea through individualised analogue film portraits. When viewing my photographs (first artwork, titled 'Conditioner' I wanted to explore the idea of individual options and views in the form of anecdotes handwritten and then photoshopped on top of the image, creating a sense of vulnerability in their spoken words. I wanted to explore the progressive side of society in regards to gender, in the form of an age descending timeline of mothers. When discussing the concept of gendered conditioning I wanted to touch on both the condition and the conditioner in the form of how much impact parents/guardians have on their children's development of gender. Photographer Barbara Kruger was my main source of inspiration for this shoot as she incorporated analogue, black and white film with modernised photoshopping to convey gender-related messages with colour. I wish to indicate to the audience that with time, education and open communication progression can be made in terms of gendered conditioning.

My Second artwork 'The Conditioned' explores a similar theme in the way of the implications of conditioning on youth, in particular how parents impact their children's views on their gender. I wanted to explore the idea of the emotions around children being conditioned to follow the gendered stereotypes of the gender they were born into. I used colour, tone and emphasis to display my desired message of being conditioned toward a specific gender and the life that leads.