Semester III: Project Proposal Form Draft 4

24/02/2015


Blog entry 18:

MA / MDes Visual Communication

PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM

Name: Helen – Marie Kelly

Stage: Diploma

Date & Draft Version: 17/12/2014 Draft 2

1. Working Title:  Images of the Human Hand: A Gesture to Body Confidence and Modesty

2. Rationale for the project proposed: Provide a concise, logical rationale for the project, 200 words.

My project title, Images of the Human Hand: A Gesture to body Confidence and Modesty is indicative of the tactile nature of my chosen medium, stitch and paint mixed with the social commentary that imagery of the human hand provides to create a faceless but very human element, which is desired to address issues of body confidence and modesty. During the concept module, I researched and explored images of the human hand and their potential to create complex social commentary on the human condition. As humans we are arguably the most aware of the self. Self-awareness to the extent we as humans experience it is so powerful, that disorders and issues involving our physical appearance are not uncommon. Although a wide range of practitioners have addressed this type of subject before in abundance, the issue is still a current day problem that to my mind has not been fully addressed in the best way. In the past, subjects such as this may have not been handled in such a way as to ensure that the intended audience understood the full variety of people who deal with such issues and it is possible that by creating specific characters or suggesting that only certain types of people are entitled to feel this way is detrimental to getting sufferers help. I intend to use the hand to create a human element in my imagery without provoking a specific judgment on who might suffer from self-awareness disorders. The power of the hand here will be the leading factor to comment on a specific but complex contemporary issue.

3. Audience: Describe the audience that the project is aimed at. Ask yourself, who will benefit from the process or outcome of the project proposed, whose needs will you meet, who are you communicating with, who are you seeking to persuade or inform?

My target audience is predominantly adult, the work is intended to be aimed at people who are less likely to be moved by pre existing imagery on subjects such as eating disorders, self consciousness and BDD, which is often aimed at the teenage community. These adults may have that someone close to them is suffering or may be suffering himself or herself, but may not realise that these types of issue could even possibly apply to their situation.

4. Theoretical Framework: Summarise the theoretical framework of your practice enquiry.

This project exists to communicate how the human hand in imagery has the power to create complex commentary on the human condition and provoke an empathetic response to issues of body confidence and modesty without being subjected to pre conceived ideas about who can feel this way.

My practice involves creating painted/ embroidered garments, which suggest how messages created by the positioning of the hands can be strengthened by placing the imagery in tandem with the body, without visually representing the body in such a way that it becomes an overpowering element. Flat imagery focuses on how the hand is capable of commentary alone.

5. Methodology: Set out the visual methodology you will employ in researching the question you have set yourself. Construct a time-based structure for your visual research and practice.

My methodology is designed to address design problems in an ordered fashion to gradually move the idea generation and image making process forward.

In my main sketchbook(s) I intend to research how the human hand can be created visually to make successful commentary on body confidence and self-awareness, whilst creating visual samples in my chosen medium of stitch and paint through experimentation, which are desired to answer specific design problems. For example I have produced a set of samples, which are desired to ascertain the best way to understand how images of the hand can remain the dominant factor when in tandem with the body. Sample sets are intended to gradually progress in quality with a view to making high quality final outcomes.

My blog is designed to research current contemporary practitioners, issues and fashions to aid my practice theme along with other such elements of interest relating to my chosen mediums. The blog will also include considerations for how I intend to take my practice further with a view to leaving university and considerations for the future of my career.

6. Deliverables: Please list the outcomes that you envisage resulting from the project.

A set of three garments and three flat outcomes designed to be exhibited.

7. Identify any exceptional practical requirements that the project will

necessitate: Please list anything beyond the usual provisions of the programme.

For degree show: 3 Mannequins

8. Bibliography: Reference all resources including images following the Harvard system.

Adler. K. and Pointon, M. (eds.) (1993) The Body Imaged: The human form and visual culture since the Renaissance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

BBC News (2012). Fighting may have shaped the evolution of the human hand. [Online] BBC News. Available at: http://www.york.ac.uk/integrity/harvard_other_accordian.html [Accessed 4th November 2014]

Berman. P.G. (1993) Body and body polotic in Edvard Munch’s Bathing Men. In Adler, K and Pointon, M. (eds.) The Body Imaged: The human form and visual culture since the Renaissance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 Buzzi. I. Aphrodite of Knidos/ Cnidus, 1562 – 1634, Sculpture (rendition of Praxiteles), Italy

Catgrin, Female sexuality, not pubes, is why prudes took down this painting. [Online] BBS. Available at:

http://bbs.boingboing.net/t/female-sexuality-not-pubes-is-why-prudes-took-down-this-painting/36668/11  [Accessed 22^nd February 2015]

Gill, M. (1989) Image of the Body. New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Inc.

Gombrich, E. H. (1993) Gombrich on the Renaissance, Volume 2: Symbolic images. 2^nd Ed. London: Phaidon Press Ltd.

Harter, J. (1985) Hands A Pictorial Archive from Nineteenth Century Sources. Ontario: Dover Publications.

Hatt, M. (1993) Muscles, Morals, Mind: the male body in Thomas Eatkins’ Salutat. In Adler, K and Pointon, M. (eds.) The Body Imaged: The human form and visual culture since the Renaissance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hawkins. B.W. (1863) Frontispiece to Evidence as to Mans Place in Nature. In Huxley. T.H. Evidence as to a Mans Place in Nature. (1863). In The Zoological Relations of Man with the Lower Animals. (1861) 1^st Ed. (p67 – 84.) London: The Natural History Museum.

Jones. A.G. (1993) The ambivalence of male masquerade: Duchamp as Rrose S’elavy. In Adler, K. and Pointon, M. (eds.) The Body Imaged: The human form and visual culture since the Renaissance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

London. B. (2014) ‘You can be beautiful even when you’ve had parts of your body removed’: Woman 35 who twice survived breast cancer, reveals her scars in inspirational naked shoot, Cosmopolitan Magazine. [Online] Availiable at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2547914/Two-time-breast-cancer-survivor-35-poses-naked-magazine-cover.html [Accessed, 22nd February 2015]

Manet. E. Olympia, 1863, Oil on Canvas, 130x190cm, Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France

Masters, M. (1997 – 2014) Does Petting a Cat Release Endorphins? [Online] The Nest. Last updated: 2014. Available at: http://pets.thenest.com/petting-cat-release-endorphins-10269.html [Accessed 9th November 2014]

Micallef. A. 21^st Century Love, 2005

Micallef. A. and Grant. V. Micallef-1, the Citizens of Fashion collection, 2013

Moore. G and von Minden. D.L. (eds.) (2010) The History of Fingerprints. [Online] Webservant. Last Updated: 15^th September2014. Available at: http://onin.com/fp/fphistory.html [Accessed 4th November 2014]

Nicol. K. (2012). Karen Nicol’s Gallery. [Online] Available at: http://www.karennicol.com/pages/gallery1.html [Accessed 4th November 2014]

Nicol.K. Untitled, 2012, Affordable art fair London

Prud’hon, P.P. (1800’s). Bust of Female Nude. [Painting] France.

Raynes. J. (2007) Figure Drawing & Anatomy for the Artist. 2^nd Ed. London: Bounty Books.

SIOM Educational videos. (2010). Range of Motion in the Hand and Wrist. [Video]. Available at: http://www.york.ac.uk/integrity/harvard_other_accordian.html  [Accessed 4^th November 2014]

Stillfried. G and van der Smagt. P. (2010) Movement Model of a Human Hand Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Venice: ICABB.

Taylor. T. (1999) Muscles of the Hand and Wrist. [Online] Inner Body. Last Updated: 2014. Available at: http://www.innerbody.com/image_skel13/ligm27.html [Accessed 4th November 2014]

Webster. M. (2014) Visual Dictionary Online: Hand. [Online] Visual Dictionary Online. Last Updated: 2014. Available at: http://visual.merriam-webster.com/human-being/anatomy/skeleton/hand.php [Accessed 4th November 2014]

Young. R.W. (2003) Evolution of the Human Hand: The Role of Throwing and Clubbing. Journal of Anatomy. January 2003, 165 – 174.

Zavaglia. C. (N.d.) Gallery. [Online] Available at: http://www.caycezavaglia.com/embroideries/xmyy2yq10qw4svjtp41c9qdz1kfali [Accessed 4th November 2014]