The Scope of Artistic Expressions - Assignment Example

 The Scope of Artistic Expressions CONCEPT LOOKING AT CONFIRMITY, SEEKING NONCONFORMISTS, MAKING THOSE IDEAS INTERESTING TO VIEWERS We inhabit in the modern world, busy, fast paced, conforming to social expectations, wearing clothes the way society likes us to wear. Why can’t we just be different, break the rules, and make a statement? ABSTRACT LOOKING AT CONFORMITY IS A RESEARCH PROJECT THAT BRINGS OUT A DISPUTATION WEATHER WE SHOULD ADHERE TO NORMS OFTHE MAJORITY. CONFORMITY AND COMPLIANCE CHARATERISES OUR DAILY LIVES. ACQUIESCENCE TO SOCIAL NORMS IS SO INTEGRATED INTO OUR SYSTEMS THAT WE JUST FOLLOW THEM UNCONCIOUSLY, WITHOUT PAUSING TO THINK WHY CAN’T WE BE A BIT DIFFERENT? THUS, IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW PEOPLE WHO DEFY NORMS, THE NONCONFORMISTS, CHALLENGE POPULAR NOTIONS AND THRIVE IN A WORLD OF FREEDOM, BREAKING THE SHACKLES OF SOCIAL MANDATES. THIS RESEARCH PAPER DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTITY THAT REFLECTS IN SUBCULTURES OF 20TH CENTURY.IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW PEOPLE WEAR UNIFORMS DIFFERENTLY WITH PERSONAL CHARACTERISTS ENGRAINED INTO IT. THIS SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE OF ANTI CONFORMITY, THE DESIRE TO EXPRESS ONE’S SELF AND MAKE A STATEMENT. Design Concept Project Report: Conformity Shrinks the Scope of Artistic Expressions INTRODUCTION: Image 1 Image 2 Humans, being touted as civilized social animals, have to conform to various norms that the society imposes upon them and find themselves “just going along” (Epley & Gilovich 1999:588). These norms originate from culture, traditions, judicial systems and a host of other regulations that dictate the existence of human beings in a so called civilized society. Thus, they become forced to conform to the notions of what is civilized, to secure their safe haven within the society and to be recognized as respectable citizens. However, beneath this façade a primeval animal lurks with its natural instincts suppressed and doused for fear of being outcast or alienated from the society. Conformity can be perceived as an attitude that compels humans to comply with the societal norms in vogue and modulating their behaviour to “match the responses of others” (Cialdini & Goldstein 2004:606). Thus, due to risks of being ostracized from their social cocoon, people normally comply with the dictates that society imposes on them. Human tendency or pressure to conform occurs even from the early stages of their community life, which is school. Therefore, they feel a “vital need to conform to peer pressure” to attain a sense of ‘belonging’ to a specific group (Younger et al 2005:18). While this trait can be good in the context of life of an individual within the society, from the point of view of artistic expressions, conformity can be a major limiting factor to one’s creative talent. It is needless to say that creative artists such as painters, writers and designers must have the free reigns to their expressiveness so that they can meander into the realms of artistic worlds that are alien to ordinary souls. Thus, when artists become conformists, they practically relegate themselves to the status of mundane, lacklustre entities, who cannot exploit the opportunities to develop their creativity to full bloom. However, there are some others who do not bow, and who strive to be different. It is those few people, who candidly express themselves and are known as the nonconformists that make the difference between the mundane and the outstanding. (Image 3) RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: In the process of growing up in Hong Kong, one of the busiest and overcrowded cities in the world, I have seen people being busy, crowding the roads, railway stations and subways, always on the run, without having the time or inclination to pause and look at nature or those wonderful creations that God has endowed this beautiful world with. I also noticed that people followed a certain path in the way they dressed, talked and behaved and understood they are simply following the norms that society dictated. Their clothes defined a certain pattern, whether they are busy executives crossing the streets or driving cars; or children playing in school campuses or commuting in a school bus. The working class had one aspiration of doing their job and getting paid for it. Children aspired to study and earn high grades so they can go to America or England and earn good money to buy trendy cars, flashy clothing and live in big mansions. I understood that their pursuit derived from the conformist social notion of happiness being “understood as material well-being” (Susniene & Jurkauskas 2009:58). Similarly, since I came to London in 2009 for pursuing my studies, I observed most people following the same pattern. Thus, a realisation dawned on me that people are all the same, conforming to a same set of norms that society imposes on them. This made me ask questions about why we follow what others determine, when we have our own options and choices in life. My realization taught me something. If, as a fashion design student, I conform to social notions it would undermine my abilities and my imagination to learn as well as express myself as a designer. Therefore, I developed an interest in people who desired to be different, especially in pop culture and design. Thus, I have decided to study these aspects in the fashion industry, through a research, by way of identifying and exploring the career of some of the nonconformists and obtain an understanding about how they made a difference to the world of arts and creativity. Thus, this study is highly significant to me as it will not only afford me the opportunity to understand the varying influences in design but also enable me to share my insights and experience with others. Through this study, I can also obtain a clear understanding of how conformity to norms can undermine the creativity of artists, especially those in the fashion design industry. I also personally feel that conformity makes artists to remain confined within an elitist conceptualisation of art, which eschews the notion of finding creativity in “every day cultural and symbolic practices” as can be seen in pop art (Banaji, Burn & Buckingham 2010:69). Thus, the influence of pop culture in the creative arts, especially the reflection of ethnicity in women’s fashion, is an interesting area for exploration especially in the context of the current trend of “racism in pop culture” (Lim 2009). This will further enable me to explore different aspects of the fashion designing by applying my concept that by being different I will be able to appreciate the impact that colours, light and shading can have on design. By experimenting with styles that differ from the mundane I will be able to invent new approaches that can be emulated by others also. (Source: Lim 2009) On the other hand, the study will also throw light into the trends in fashions by delineating how nonconformist approach can facilitate artists the leeway to explore beyond the ordinary and find expressions of their creative talent in unique and different ways that surpasses the mundane. In order to attain these objectives, it will focus on exploring relevant literature published on the topic as well as analyse various theories relating to design concepts to establish the correlation between the creative process and liberal thinking of the unrestrained imagination. A study of this nature, which analyses the career of some of the dominant designers in the fashion industry will enable an understanding of what distinguishes them from others and what have been their success formulae. Besides, it will also provide an insight into the emergence of certain new trends that blend the Gothic ancient with the sleek modern chic culture. Similarly, I will also be examining various subculture trends such as the Japanese Goth Lolita and illustrate how being nonconformist can facilitate innovations. In addition, I will also explore the element of conformity in the concept of wearing uniforms in school and why one cannot wear it differently. Thus, I will challenge the established notions by comparing and contrasting them against the new trends in the fashion industry in my attempt to demonstrate the impacts of various elements in design. (Image 4) METHODS OF THE STUDY: My research begins with the concept that in the modern world, with all the anguishes of its fast paced life, human creativity often gets sidelined in the pursuit of more luring objectives. However, for professionals working in the creative industries such as fashion designing, their entire career depends on maintaining the cutting edge of their creative potential and finding the ways and means to develop appropriate “techniques and tools” to assist the creative process (Sotoriva, Matos, Juliana, & Broega 2012:1). Thus, they need to think beyond the realms of the ordinary, eschewing any notions of conformity, and break all social norms to find and state their expressions. To show this, I will focus my research on analysing some examples, where people who refuted all notions of norm and went beyond them, have produced designs that have become the trends in the modern society. To obtain a clear idea of the nonconformists, I will analyse them in a variety of ways. I find Glam Rock, the trendy and catchy style attracted “millions of admirers” because of how it reflects the “music and rocker subculture” and emphasises its non-conformist attitude (Summer Glam Rock Fashion Essentials 2010). Images 5, 6 and 7 Source: Summer Glam Rock Fashion Essentials 2010 The latest designs of this subculture envisage a “Rock chick fashion” and stands out from the conforming designs by way of integrating the basic outfits with the rock culture by paying extreme care to the smallest details, in order to evolve an “authentic chic look” as can be seen from the above images. The concept of the Glam Rock Fashion subculture derives from the popular 1970s style of rock and pop music, “Glam Rock,” which created a new wave in the UK by its apparent understanding of the “subversive implications of style” (Hebdige 1979:2). Their style reflects a status and meaning attached to the concepts of “revolt” and the use of style as a means of “refusal” to conform (2). (Image 8) (Image 9) The nonconformist attitude eloquently reflects not only in the way they portrayed their music but also on how they style their hair, how they dress and how they act. These rock bands embraced the cult of “expressive forms and rituals” that depicted “skinheads and the punks” whom audiences responded to in different ways at different times, accepting or denouncing, sometimes considered as threats to public order other times as “harmless buffoons” (2). But, irrespective of the reactions this style evoked in the public’s sentiment, personally I feel that it has taken the music and fashion worlds by storm and served its purpose of stating their recalcitrant attitude in staunch terms. Thus, by refusing to conform, they became innovative and found the unique means to express themselves as well as crave their iconic status in the society. They have been able to make their statement in the fashion industry because they have had the visceral instinct to differ and the grit to express it. Thus, every time when I look at Glam Rock apparels, or listen to Glam Rock music, or watch a Glam Rock Band perform on stage or TV, it gives me an intimate sense and feel of their nonconformist attitude, their stubborn derision for social norms. Some of the performances of the bands affiliated to this style often show the integration of alien cultures into the mainstream culture by using African American members who appear like white women who have “decided to get a bit of a tan” (Well, that was Fast... 2010). (Image 10 Source: Well, that was Fast… 2010) Thus, by discussing the unique ways in which these artists and designers portrayed their craft, I will show how nonconformity nurtures creativity and entail innovation. Similarly, I will research about prominent rock artists that embraced this cult such as David Bowie, the “Style Icon” of the 1970s and one of the most vivacious performers of all times, who projected the “image of a rock god” but always wore “astonishing and provocative” outfits. I will then discuss how he made his statements of the refutation of social norms (Tammy 2013). In addition, I will also investigate his use of outrageous makeup and face paints that accentuate nonconformity and juxtapose my findings with his popularity with the audience, who finds him to be “so cool” and “oozing style from every pore” (Tammy 2013). Thus, I will establish that nonconformity fosters creativity that enhances the artist’s appeal. (Figures 11, 12 and 13 Source: Tammy 2013) In addition, the study will also focus on the discussion of subculture trends such Japanese Goth Lolita, which has “emerged since the late 1990s” and represents a subculture trend that combines the Gothic and Lolita elements (Monden n.d:21). By illustrating the patterns and trends in this design I will argue that by deviating from the mundane and elitist norms, the designers of this trend have been able to establish themselves as trend setters of the modern day, which will prove my concept that being conformists will limit the creativity of designers but through eschewing the norm artists will nourish “radical creativity” in them (Japan Fashion Now 2010). (Japanese Fashion Now 2010) (Gamer 2013) (Gamer 2013) By explicating on the design concepts of above trends, I will be able to illustrate my concept that nonconformist attitude will enable be artists to be more creative an produce excellent designs that, while being different in their statements, will also appeal to the masses. Besides, when the actual research project will be undertaken, I will be including an analysis of other prominent designers such as Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karen, Coco Chanel etc as well as dwell on ethnic wears other such traditions in designing. Similarly, I will also analyse movies such as Velvet Goldmine, which portrays a “David Bowie analog” and critics suggest that the movie depicts the vision of early 70s youth, who were “never trying to change the world...only themselves” (Asher-Perrin 2013). This movie, and the way the protagonist expresses himself, offers a new perspective to my research because of its nonconformist view by using a character like Brian Slade who denounces traditional norms by his appearance in gaudy outfits. (Image Source: (Asher-Perrin 2013) INTERPRETATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS: On an analysis of the aforesaid designers, whom I found to have defied the traditional norms, I understand a lot of differences in their designs that challenge the normal perceptions of clothing design and stretches our imagination far beyond. The differences can be perceived in terms of their shape, scale, proportion; techniques and processes; as well as colour, texture and materials, as discussed below: Shape, Scale and Proportion: 1. The picture of the ethnic woman at Page 7 (Lim 2009) defies the notion of traditional clothing for women. Its sleeves are loose and funnelling out, thus going in utter contrast to the normal cufflinks. 2. David Bowe’s clothing in Image 12 defies all norms of a male’s garment but at the same time stands out due to its imagery that aligns the lines to an ethereal charm of total perfection. 3. The pink dress in Gamer (2013) represents a conical shape, which is unusual for a female garment and it has no arms. This evokes interest by its sheer appeal of concealment to arms while providing them complete flexibility. Techniques and Processes: 1. The second image in Gamer (2013) presents the silhouette of a woman, but her features are not clear when she wears the dress. It offers anonymity and flexibility to the wearer. However, as a fashion statement it has great appeal. 2. Images 5, 6 and 7 use the technique of contrast of different colours to achieve the sleek chic look that especially suits young girls. 3. Similarly, while the images 5 and 7 portray models with long hair that matches their wholesome tall look, the model in image 5 sports a short jacket that compliments her short hair. Colour, Texture and Materials: 1. The colour of the materials in most of the cases defies traditional notions, especially those worn by men. While tradition dictates and expects men to wear sober colours, most of these icons are shown wearing garments and apparels done in flashy and gaudy colours. They even use flashy shades for their hair, thus proclaiming their dissent towards the accepted norms of the society and stating their nonconformist attitude loud and clear for others to hear. 2. The texture of the clothing also differs from the traditional textures one looks for in male as well as female garments. Clothing worn by Bowe and some of the female models attest to this fact. Market and Customer/Competitors and Pricing: The proposed collection, after the research will be target for the elite class customers that can afford expensive clothing and accessories. It will be marketed under the name of a unique brand. Thus, the primary focus of the marketing process will be on the branding efforts. The main competitor for a brand like this will be Glam Rock and similar other brands. However, to overcome this competition, appropriate pricing strategies will be evolved. Basically, pricing will be high so as to create an impression in the buyers that they are paying for high quality product. The aspect of quality will be a key element and it will be ensured that a high level of quality will be maintained at all stages from procuring raw material to packing. CONCLUSION: The process of research and literature review, undertaken for the purpose of creating this proposal has enabled me understand that conformity, while good in certain contexts, cannot be the practical approach for a designer or any person involved in the creative art, especially those working in the fashion industry. The study has further enabled me to gain an in depth understanding of the effect of cultural and traditional norms on artists. On the other hand, it has also facilitated an extensive understanding of how people who defied the norms and became nonconformists have been able to explore beyond the realms of art that ordinary people could never traverse into. The trends in various subcultures, iconic figures in the performance arts and designing field, all have been able to create long lasting impressions on the public sentiment not because they confirmed but because they defied and expressed themselves without fear of being excluded from the mainstream society. Thus, they have been able to find their true expressions and make their own statements in the world of art. CRITICAL PATH/TIME TABLE: I intend to conduct the proposed research as per the following schedule. However, wherever necessary I would make changes to meet the requirements of the study. Activity From To Remarks Submission of Research Proposal 15-11-2013 - - Conducting Primary Research 16-11-2013 15-12-2013 Library Search and Internet/Taking Notes Conducting Additional Research 16-12-2013 31-12-2013 Watching Relevant Movies/Taking Notes Writing Draft Research Paper 01-01-2014 15-01-2014 Cross Referencing with Sources Preliminary Editing/Adding Additional Information 16-01-2014 23-01-2014 Cross Referencing with Sources Compiling Bibliography 24-01-2014 31-01-2014 Cross Referencing with Sources Final Editing 01-02-2014 07-02-2014 Checking References Again Submission of Research Report 08-02-2014 - - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS/PPD I found the research process extremely interesting and rewarding while being challenging at the same time. I have commenced the research after determining the parameters of the study and deciding what areas of fashion are to be related to my concept. I found that the trends such as Glam Rock and other subculture expressions are better suited to the nature of my work and I can find evidence to support my concept. Once determining the plan, the research has been easy as I have moved from one evidence to the other in an organised and systematic manner. I also watched some movies that portrayed fashion or characters that represented trends in subcultures and decided that Velvet Goldmine was best suited for a study of this nature to validate my concept. During the course of the research I did find some aspects quite challenging such as identifying the right persons that would support my concepts through their life and actions. I encountered other difficulties also, especially the inability to access complete information about certain elements I discussed in my study report. For example, I had to rely fully on my judgement based on the pictures I obtained for knowing about David Bowie’s clothing. On the other hand, it would have served my study better, if I were able to get hold of some items of his clothing and analyse it from close quarters by seeing, touching and feeling it. However, overall I have been able to gain access to relevant information through the internet and various journal articles and other material I have gone through during the research process. I also have received tremendous support from my course instructor and peers and friends in completing the study. Reference List Asher-Perrin, E. (2013). Loving – The Hating – the Alien: Velvet Goldmine. Tor.com. (accessed 13 Nov 13). Banaji, Burn & Buckingham. (2010). The Rhetorics of Creativity: A Literature Review, 2nd edn. Creative Culture and Education. (accessed 13 Nov 13). Cialdini, R. B. & Goldstein, N. J. (2004). “Social Influence: Compliance and Conformity.” Annual Review Psychology. Vol.55: pp.591-621. (accessed 12 Nov 13). Epley, N. & Gilovich, T. “Just Going Along: Non-conscious Priming and Conformity to Social Pressure.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology Vol.35. pp.578-589. (accessed 12 Nov 13). Gamer, A. (2013). Japanese Fashion: A History. L’Etage Magazine. (accessed 13 Nov 13). Hebdige, D. (1979). Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London & New York: Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. (accessed 13 Nov 2013). Japanese Fashion Now. (2010). Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. < http://www.fitnyc.edu/8726.asp> (accessed 13 Nov 13). Lim, T. (2009). Colourface Epidemic Infects ANTM. Racialicious – The Intersection of Race and Pop Culture. (accessed 13 Nov 13). Monden, M. (n.d). “Transcultural Flow of Demure Aesthetics: Examining Cultural Globalisation through Gothic & Lolita Fashion.” New Voices Vol. (2): pp.21-40. (accessed 13 Nov 13). Sotoriva, M., Matos, C., Juliana, P., & Broega, A. C. (2012). “A New Language for Creativity in Fashion Design.” Fashion Tales. Summer Glam Rock Fashion Essentials. (2010). Become Gorgeous. (accessed 12 Nov 2013). Susniene, D & Jukauskas, A. (2009). “The Concepts of Quality of Life and Happiness: Correlation and Differences. Engineering Economics Vol.3: pp.58-66. Tammy. (2013). David Bowie: Fame and Fashion in London. Tammy Tour Guide. (accessed 12 Nov 2013). Well that was Fast. (2010). Forestofice Blogspot Home Page. Read More