Identity Reading
Gidden's Modernity and Self Identity
> Individuals can control themselves, their bodies and their lives
The author argues that the self is not a passive entity, determined by external influences. Rather, in forging their self-identities, no matter how local their contexts of action, individuals contribute to and directly promote social influences that are global in their consequences and implications.
The author demonstrates how personal meaninglessness—the feeling that life has nothing worthwhile to offer—becomes a fundamental psychic problem in circumstances of high modernity
> Uncertainty and increased pace of change are central parts of late-modernity
> Media is more important and influential in today's world, but because it makes you aware of diversity and the different ways of living
> Identity is no longer a given, it is no longer based on pre-existing identities from gender, class, family or location etc. Everything is being questioned and you are forced to look at yourself and question 'who am I'
> Identity becomes a task = everything becomes something we must reflect on as a result
> Because of this we are concerned with creating a 'Narrative of Self', a life story that convinces ourselves we have a stable identity through time
> Constructing an identity takes a lot of time and effort
> Construction and Expression of an identity is done mainly through consumption, relationships, and developing bodily (health) regimes
> This focus on the self can lead to Narcissism (few people asking moral and existential questions about existence)
= Force the audience to step out of their self and into thinking about existence?
Beverley Skeggs and Problematising Identity: Everyday Struggles in Language, Culture and Education
> Problems with identity:
1. Not equally available to everyone and so is an unequal resource only some can use
2.
> What if the audience was made to question their identity through images rather than words?
> But these images could be completely abstracted or very humorous eg. shapes vs picture of panini
> What would the target be of this outcome?
1. Encourage the viewer to think about identity
> Would I want them to work something out about themselves? Or simply just question the concept?
> Am I convincing them of something ridiculous to reflect that Gidden's idea you can control who you are and your experiences is ridiculous?
> What if the visual journey and choices lead you to a set answer every time no matter how you follow the directions/journey placed out to you
> Like a magic trick, where the player always thinks they are in control but really there are specific things the magician does to ensure they always complete the trick and stay in control
MAGIC
Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of illusion, stage magic, and close up magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means
"magic" etymologically derives from the Greek word mageia
> Famous deceptions eg. Trojan Horse
Effects
1 Pull something out of thin air (eg. rabbit from hat)
2 Make something disappear
3 Transform/ Altar something (eg. green handkerchief to red)
4 Destroy and then restore (eg. cut head off and put it back)
5 Move something
6 Escape from restraining Device
Other illusions:
1 Object defy gratify
2 Object pass through another object
3 Predict choice of spectator
> Could I re create these through imagery?
> How would this relate to identity? How could I present the connection between the two to the viewer?
> Should the viewer be encouraged to pick an option, of which there are two opposing magic trick representations, and through doing this they may internally question why they are picking that option
> They are not made aware that each visual representation is a representation of a magic trick, they are made to believe that each visual option and the whole process has been calculated and created to help them understand themselves better
> This highlights the overall illusion around identity and its construction
> Magicians also use identity all the time to make tricks feel more personal, like cold readings which obtain information about a person by analysing their body language, clothes, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, education, speech etc.
The mentalist branch of the stage-magician community approves of "reading" as long as it is presented strictly as an artistic entertainment and one is not pretending to be psychic.
Before starting the actual reading, the reader will typically try to elicit cooperation from the subject, saying something such as, "I often see images that are a bit unclear and which may sometimes mean more to you than to me; if you help, we can together uncover new things about you." One of the most crucial elements of a convincing cold reading is a subject eager to make connections or reinterpret vague statements in any way that will help the reader appear to make specific predictions or intuitions. While the reader will do most of the talking, it is the subject who provides the meaning.
Techniques
1 Shotgunning - fire cluster of small projectiles in hope one or more will strike target
2 Forer Effect - eagerness of people to fill in details
3 Rainbow Ruse - statement that covers both ends of a subject so that the reader can cover all possibilities and appear correct, despite the statement being vague and contradictory
- "Most of the time you are positive and cheerful, but there has been a time in the past when you were very upset."
- "You are a very kind and considerate person, but when somebody does something to break your trust, you feel deep-seated anger."
- "I would say that you are mostly shy and quiet, but when the mood strikes you, you can easily become the centre of attention."
RYAN CARL
- Artist that looks at visual identity, image making/ visual storytelling
- Studied religion and philosophy at university, contributing to his meaningful work
A selection of typographic and text-based illustrations using composition, repetition, and wordplay for visual storytelling:
> I love the meanings portrayed through the use of type and shapes in these studies
> Done very well to the point that if you look at it you immediately understand what it is presenting and saying with the title
> Can I use this technique to explore the different methods magicians use, but also in a way to help the viewer question their identity?
STUDIES ON SIMPLICITY
'Heavy' - Solidarity 11: A series of super-brief conversations between B-rock and G-rock (and sometimes Y-rock):
1 Typographic/ Visual storytelling of different magic trick methods
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