Study task 2: Covergirl

Covergirl announces first Coverboy

"in a statement, the makeup brand said that all of their CoverGirl models are “role models and boundary-breakers, fearlessly expressing themselves, standing up for what they believe, and redefining what it means to be beautiful”.

“James Charles is no exception. One year ago, he boldly chose to launch his Instagram to the world, using transformative, dynamic makeup looks to showcase the many facets of his personality, serving as an inspiration to anyone who might have been afraid to do the same,” the statement said, according to the Huffington Post."

"it wasn’t an expression of his gender identity. “I’m still confident as a boy and I will always be a boy. I can be confident with bare skin and with a full face,” he told the magazine."

Study task 2: The Media & Body Image - Maggie Wykes & Barry Gunter

"Blaming the media for reproducing and extolling unrealistic female bodies has almost become a popular tourism. Even medical opinion notes that the media can influence young women to starve themselves and therefor act as a possible casual factor of disordered eating. Yet surprisingly, little work has addressed either the nature of media representations of the body, or the ways in which audiences interpret and use such images in our contemporary cultural context."

"a muscular, toned, fit and hard-bodied ideal is being promulgated in respect of men in the same way as a thinness ideal is being projected for women" 

"it has been suggested that men seek to embrace physical strength, hardness and power to reinforce the traditional masculine ideal" 

"with women, lower boy self-esteem and higher body dissatisfaction have been found to motivate a drive for thinness. A comparable drive for muscularity has been hypothesized to occur among men who are unhappy with their body image." 

"Given changes in gendered roles and the growing socio-cultural emphasis on looks and grooming, it may well be that men feature more and more frequently with poor body image, low self-esteem and consequent self-harming or mental health problems"

"Large-scale surveys have produced consistent evidence that the desire to loose weight is prevalent among many national populations"

"The Daily Mail has created thousands more anorexics than Vogue, because Vogue simply shows thin women while The Daily Mail keeps up a non-stop commentary on the weight gain of famous women and links it to their sexual orientation and career success. (julie Burchill, Guardian 8 July 2000)"    

"it (The Guardian) also printed the response from a leading model agency, which argued that 'women who bought magazines featuring thin models were as much to blame as their editors and advertisers'. In other words, consumers not producers were normalizing waif-like women."

Study task 2: Dazed & Confused - VOL IV SPRING 2016

Come As You Are

the article in this years spring issue of Dazed focuses on the "stunning high-femme looks" of the "new wave of NY designers"  

Eric Schlosberg cites his base in NY as the reason he does and wears whatever he wants; "I can walk down the street in crushed velvet bell bottoms and boots that weigh more than i do, with a giant fur coat on, fake blood and a feather boa, and no one will look twice". Non conformist to expectations around appearance, shows diversity emerging -- dependant on location ? he's a designer and a creator, he isn't conforming to beauty standards for social desirability - he's expressing himself and in doing so is socially desirable to an underground audience.

Selah Marley

"I always wanted to look like something i could never be. It wasn't until i started high school that i gained the confidence to not care about the beauty standards projected by the media"

Alexandra Marzella

"to look at oneself is to discover oneself" 

Dazed article speaking of her Instagram posts; "Another sees her naked and resplendent like a Renaissance nude, all milky skin and rosebud lips - an archaic male fantasy quickly shattered by her arrangement on a toilet seat" "creating confessional work that flips the mainstream narrative of twee white feminism, unrealistic beauty standards and the over-sexualisation of the female body"

-- talk about the embedded narcism within this generation; is that a reason for non conforming; or does it make it worse.. to want to reach the highest standards (By who's definition?) -- "the most narcissistic, individualistic and self-absorbed generation in recorded history."

Study task 2: change of focus

From the research i've done thus far, i've decided to focus on the almost new wave of beauty standards, and the way technology and various consumer platforms are changing the perception of beauty which i believe proves that social desirability within today's society does not depend on physical attractiveness, as 'attractiveness' is so subjective and varied today. 

FOCUS: How the diversifying representation of beauty (attractiveness) of both genders within consumer societies is reducing the impact of attractiveness on social desirability.  

Study task 2: The Objectivity of Beauty

Beauty is molded by society — by the advertising, fashion, and cosmetic industries. We live in a society of billboards and ads, Photoshop, and Botox.

Although is apparent within the mass medias coverage of beauty, take Victoria's Secret 'perfect body' campaign, or the frequent use of white, muscular, masculine males on the covers of GQ, the society we live in is evolving and the diversity of appearance covered within consumer platforms is evolving with it. Although it's more than likely that there will always be the overarching typical ideal image for men and women to aspire to due to the mass audiences reached, platforms such as instagram are pushing the norm of what is perceived as being attractive and in doing so dismissing Boyd's argument (in relation to the attractiveness he is addressing)that attractiveness leads to a higher level of social desirability. 

Study task 2: Social Desirability

physically attractive individuals are perceived by most to be socially more desirable than those that are perceived as being unattractive, something that is likely to have been reinforced by consumer societies

What is Social Desirability? social desirability relates to the social status, approval and popularity or any quality which makes the person a more socially desirable companion. 

When considering social desirability against Boyd's argument, he suggests that being more attractive (by consumer societies standards) will therefor make you more socially desirable. If this is the case, Boyd is suggesting that being attractive improves your status, popularity and the approval you get from others; just by meeting the standards of attractiveness, set up by consumer industries. 

However, in a study released in the May/June Journal of Social Psychology, Stefanie Johnson, assistant professor of management at the University of Colorado Denver has found that Beautiful women face discrimination in certain jobs- Going against Boyd's argument. 

SOURCE

"Attractive women were discriminated against when applying for jobs considered "masculine" and for which appearance was not seen as important to the job. Such positions included job titles like manager of research and development, director of finance, mechanical engineer and construction supervisor.

"In these professions being attractive was highly detrimental to women," said Johnson. "In every other kind of job, attractive women were preferred. This wasn't the case with men which shows that there is still a double standard when it comes to gender."

The study, co-authored by Robert Dipboye, professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida, Kenneth Podratz, an organizational development manager at UPS and Ellie Gibbons, research assistant at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, found that attractive men suffered no similar discrimination and were always at an advantage.

According to Johnson, beautiful people still enjoy a significant edge. They tend to get higher salaries, better performance evaluations, higher levels of admission to college, better voter ratings when running for public office and more favorable judgments in trials.

A recent Newsweek survey of 202 hiring managers and 964 members of the public concluded that looks matter in every aspect of the workplace and they mattered more for women. When asked to rate nine character attributes on a scale of one to 10 with 10 being the most important, looks ranked third, above education and sense of humor, the magazine reported.

But in one narrow aspect of life, beauty can be a hindrance, something researchers have called the "beauty is beastly" effect.

"In two studies, we found that attractiveness is beneficial for men and women applying for most jobs, in terms of ratings of employment suitability," according to the study. "However, attractiveness was more beneficial for women applying for feminine sex-typed jobs than masculine sex-typed jobs."

In one experiment, participants were given a list of jobs and photos of applicants and told to sort them according to their suitability for the job. They had a stack of 55 male and 55 female photos.

In job categories like director of security, hardware salesperson, prison guard and tow truck driver, attractive women were overlooked. In each of these jobs appearance was perceived to be unimportant. Attractive women tended to be sorted into positions like receptionist or secretary.

"One could argue that, under certain conditions, physical appearance may be a legitimate basis for hiring," Johnson said. "In jobs involving face-to-face client contact, such as sales, more physically attractive applicants could conceivably perform better than those who are less attractive. However it is important that if physical attractiveness is weighed equally for men and women to avoid discrimination against women."

The study chided those who let stereotypes influence hiring decisions. Given the importance of hiring and the consequences of making a wrong choice, the authors said, managers need to rely more on information from the individual rather than on stereotypes about physical appearance.

---

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Colorado Denver. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Stefanie K. Johnson, Kenneth E. Podratz, Robert L. Dipboye, Ellie Gibbons. Physical Attractiveness Biases in Ratings of Employment Suitability: Tracking Down the 'Beauty is Beastly' Effect. The Journal of Social Psychology, 2010; 150 (3): 301 DOI: 10.1080/00224540903365414"

Study task 2: i-D - size matters -

i-D Rosie Nelson

size 8, BMI of 17; model Rosie was told to go "down to the bone"

talking of what was said to a girl who went in to a casting agency - "you either need to loose a stone or put on two stone" "there can't be an in-between where women can just be women"


i-D Barbie Ferreira

'Plus sized' model Barbie: "i realized that it is possible to do whatever the fuck i want at my weight" 

"Instagram is like a business card" "raw & uncensored" 

(look at instagrams impact)

Study task 2: Jansson-Boyd, C. (2010) Consumer psychology. New York: McGraw Hill Education.

'Many studies have found that both women and men do not believe that their current body form is attractive... Research has repeatedly found that physically attractive individuals are perceived by most to be socially more desirable than those that are perceived as being unattractive, something that is likely to have been reinforced by consumer societies...'

Key terms: Gender, body image, gender and advertising, gender and the media, gender representation, gender and branding, gender and consumer society

What does it mean, to be physically attractive? attractiveness is subjective, right? Boyd's statement is vague with what it means to be attractive; 'physically attractive individuals' & 'those who are perceived as being unattractive'...by who's definition?. The mention of 'consumer societies' seems to indicate that the attractiveness Boyd is referring to is based around type of people to mass media subject viewers to. 

CURRENT BODY FORM - WHAT IS SOCIALLY DESIRABLE - WHAT IS DEEMED UNATTRACTIVE - CONSUMER SOCIETIES 

Many studies have found that both women and men do not believe that their current body form is attractive.....

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015/07/21/over-third-brits-unhappy-their-bodies-celebrity-cu/

"The study captured the body image happiness of people in 25 countries around the world. In Britain, over a third (37%) said they were either not very happy or not happy at all with their body image and weight. 59% said they were happy.

There is a gender split. Woman are far more likely to be unhappy with their body image. Over four in ten (44%) are not happy, compared to 53% who are. Men seem to be a little bit more comfortable in their own skin – 66% are happy compared to 31% that are not."

i-D : is male beauty the next step for body image?

"IMG cast Zach Miko as their first plus-sized male model last month under the new 'Brawn' division, but the thinking behind the change is disappointingly narrow. "Brawn has a body positive message," the agency's president insisted. "Brawn is physical strength." The casting of Miko, who boasts a 40-inch waist (but is also - surprise! - dizzyingly tall and muscular), is perhaps a move in the right direction, but the rigid boundaries of masculinity aren't really being widened at all, or even challenged; worryingly, it seems like they're being reinforced. The message is clear: it's okay to be plus-sized, as long as you're also physically strong. Be any kind of man, but just make sure you're a masculine one."

studio brief 1: critical analysis

'Many studies have found that both women and men do not believe that  their current body form is attractive... Research has repeatedly found  that physically attractive individuals are perceived by most to be  socially more desirable than those that are perceived as being  unattractive, something that is likely to have been reinforced by consumer  societies...' Jansson-Boyd, C. (2010) Consumer psychology. New York: McGraw  Hill Education. Above is the quote which i have chosen to respond to. I'm extremely  interested in what it is about individuals appearance that makes some  be deemed more attractive than others, the power society has to warp  peoples perceptions on their beauty and the areas of change within  society where acceptance and celebration of, i suppose, unconventional  physical attractiveness is apparent.

A 20,000 year non-linear history of the image

Lascaux Caves, France

The pre-historical Lascaux Caves in France are the earliest signs of image making, no one knows what they are about but they are seen as images of magic, mysticism and allow the attempt to understand the world in a deeper way. 

Rothko Chapel, Houston, Texas, opened 1971

Viewers of Rothko's painting are said to be sucked in, lost within his paintings, sucked in to the abyss. Overwhelmed with feelings of tragedy, viewers are said to be brought to tears due to the emotional power of his work. This leads on to the consideration of whether there is in fact something, a power, within visual communication that hooks our soul and moves us on a higher level of visual consciousness or whether it's the authority of the institution that provokes these 'feelings within us'. Do institutions have the ability to make things important? do they force us to feel, or at least believe we are feeling certain emotions...do you become so overwhelmed whilst looking at a painting due to actual emotion, or expectation? 

Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lista, Louvre, Paris (instillation view)

The Mona Lisa, encased within bullet proof glass, is it meaningful due to essential characteristics, or is it due to the popularity, exposure, and security around the piece which has caused it's global admiration; if that's the case, it's again the institution that has all the power. 
"exit through the gift shop" The 2010 documentary by Banksy again brings to light the power of institutions. We are told a painting is powerful and that going to see it is a mystical, meaningful experience, however the digital age creates possibilities that we can change, relay and use art as we choose; out of the authority of the institution, we can now, view, create, appreciate and distribute art without receiving the 'mark of approval' from institutions. 

Bnksy's Mona Lisa, 2013

Above is an example of Street Artist Banksy's work, Banksy creates art to be viewed, for free, by the every man, out of the authority and control of the institutions. However, the art world has decided that Banksy is interesting, and that his work is worth seeing and so people knock down his f r e e art to sell under the authority of the institutions. This creates the argument as to whether modern art is elitist, and that it is patronizing to create art for the 'every man', Art should be viewed in galleries where the institution has control over what you see and what reaction you have, for people to have their own opinions, and emotional reactions to art, outside of the installations is absurd, right?    

Visual Literacy: the language of design

Visual communication; the process of sending and receiving is based upon the level of shared understanding of the signs, symbols, gestures and objects which are being used.

How successful the communication is depends on factors such as the audience and the context.

Visual literacy; the ability to construct meaning from visual images and type and produce images that effectively communicate a message to an audience. Also relates to the interpretation of images of the present, past and from a range of cultures.

INTERPRET– NEGOTIATE – MAKE MEANING

Utilising the shared understanding of signs, symbols, gestures and objects allows us to control, manipulate and play with the recognised communication.

The shared understanding of these signs, symbols, gestures and objects comes from the combinations of universal recognitions; all that is necessary for any language to exist is the agreement amongst a group of people that one thing will stand for another.

Being visually literate requires an awareness of the relationship between visual syntax and visual semantics: 

Visual Syntax: pictorial structure and visual organisation of elements

Visual Semantics: how an image fits in to a cultural context; social ideas, religious & political beliefs etc…

VISUAL SYNECDOCHE: taking part of something to create a whole e.g. the statue of liberty is sometimes used to represent New York as a whole; even though it is just one landmark within the city.

VISUAL METONYM: symbolic image, makes reference to something with a more literal meaning e.g. a yellow taxi cab is closely associated to New York however not entirely representative of the city.

VISUAL METAPHORE: used to transfer meaning from one image to another e.g. a picture of a green apple given the right context, can be used to communicate New York due to it being known as the ‘Big Apple’.

“Every object has the capacity to stand for somethingother than what is apparent, work on what it stands for.Work the Metaphor.”– Bruce Mau