Media Cultures 1week 6 09

““Who Am I?”Who Am I?”Identity/IdentificationIdentity/Identification

Media Cultures 1 Media Cultures 1 (NEWM1001)(NEWM1001)

Week 6Week 6

Tracey Meziane BensonTracey Meziane Benson

Key IdeasKey Ideas

IdentityIdentity IdentificationIdentification Sex/GenderSex/Gender An imagined self – serious ‘play-acting’An imagined self – serious ‘play-acting’ Resistance to Fixed IdentitiesResistance to Fixed Identities CelebrityCelebrity StardomStardom

Slide credit: Catherine Summerhayes

IdentityIdentity

A very structured way of categorising A very structured way of categorising people based on ideas of people based on ideas of differencedifference

‘…‘…identities can function as points of identities can function as points of identification and attachment only identification and attachment only becausebecause of their capacity to exclude, of their capacity to exclude, to leave out, to render “outside”…’ to leave out, to render “outside”…’ (Stuart Hall 1996:5)(Stuart Hall 1996:5)


IdentificationIdentification

‘‘the production of self as an object in the production of self as an object in the world’ (Hall, 1996: 13)the world’ (Hall, 1996: 13)

‘‘a process never completed – always a process never completed – always “in process”’ (Hall, 1996: 2)“in process”’ (Hall, 1996: 2)

A process based on ‘choice’/agencyA process based on ‘choice’/agency A shifting sense of belonging in A shifting sense of belonging in

different ways to several ‘structures’ different ways to several ‘structures’ of identity at different timesof identity at different times


SexSex …..….. GenderGenderIs there a difference?Is there a difference?

‘… ‘… the current theoretical distinction between the current theoretical distinction between sex and gender differentiates between sex and gender differentiates between biological, anatomical givens on the one hand, biological, anatomical givens on the one hand, and social or cultural norms of behaviour and and social or cultural norms of behaviour and attitude on the other.’(Buchbinder, 1998: 39)attitude on the other.’(Buchbinder, 1998: 39)

Individuals negotiate between sexual attribution Individuals negotiate between sexual attribution and the social boundaries and fantasies and the social boundaries and fantasies involved with gender attribution.involved with gender attribution.

Sexuality – the ways in which humans use their Sexuality – the ways in which humans use their bodies and their ‘genders’ to have sexual bodies and their ‘genders’ to have sexual relations with each otherrelations with each other


An Imagined SelfAn Imagined Self

The idea that our senses of self rely on what we The idea that our senses of self rely on what we know of the ‘outside’ world – we ‘try on’ various know of the ‘outside’ world – we ‘try on’ various identities – a serious form of ‘play-acting’ – ‘the identities – a serious form of ‘play-acting’ – ‘the experience of pop music is the experience of experience of pop music is the experience of identity’ & identification identity’ & identification

See Simon Frith (1996), ‘Music and Identity’ in See Simon Frith (1996), ‘Music and Identity’ in Questions of Cultural Questions of Cultural IdentityIdentity, Eds. Hall, Stuart and du Gay, Paul, London, Thousand Oaks: , Eds. Hall, Stuart and du Gay, Paul, London, Thousand Oaks: Sage,121-2.Sage,121-2.

We use our likes and dislikes, our identifications We use our likes and dislikes, our identifications with others to construct stories about ourselves with others to construct stories about ourselves which we tell ourselves and other people by the which we tell ourselves and other people by the ways in which we present and represent our ways in which we present and represent our selves.selves.


ResistanceResistance

ConfrontationsConfrontations Role ReversalsRole Reversals ‘‘Queer moments’ (Buchbinder)Queer moments’ (Buchbinder)

in reading genderin reading gender Subversion -staying within the Subversion -staying within the

dominant discourse BUT undermining dominant discourse BUT undermining its stereotypes by ‘playing’ with its stereotypes by ‘playing’ with them, changing them slightlythem, changing them slightly


Identifications with … Identifications with …

People we meet and places we have been toPeople we meet and places we have been to People and places that are People and places that are representedrepresented via via

many kinds of many kinds of signifying practicessignifying practices: music, : music, cinema, television, visual art, internet cinema, television, visual art, internet communication, photos, books, printed news, communication, photos, books, printed news, websites and on and on…websites and on and on…

The bigger, stronger and glossier the The bigger, stronger and glossier the representation the more powerfully we representation the more powerfully we identify with or against what is represented identify with or against what is represented eg CELEBSeg CELEBS


Film StarsFilm Stars

‘‘Actors become stars Actors become stars when their off-screen when their off-screen life-styles and life-styles and personalities equal or personalities equal or surpass acting ability surpass acting ability in importance… they in importance… they mean mean something to something to their audiences…’their audiences…’

Gledhill, Christine (1991). Gledhill, Christine (1991). Stardom. Industry of DesireStardom. Industry of Desire

London & New York: Routledge, London & New York: Routledge, pp xiv-xv.pp xiv-xv.


The Star SystemThe Star System

(drawing on Richard Decordova, 1991)(drawing on Richard Decordova, 1991) An emphasis on acting An emphasis on acting

ability and acting itself.ability and acting itself. ‘‘Picture Personalities’ when Picture Personalities’ when

names of actors are names of actors are identified in different films.identified in different films.

The Star: a combination of The Star: a combination of public and private lives.public and private lives.

The regulation of The regulation of information. information.

eg. eg.

Who was Marilyn Munroe?Who was Marilyn Munroe?


A Marketing DeviceA Marketing Device


The ‘authentic’ DeppThe ‘authentic’ Depp

Self presentation:Self presentation:Self deprecating and full of Self deprecating and full of

fantasy fantasy ((Oprah Noodlemantra and his Oprah Noodlemantra and his hats and fancy clotheshats and fancy clothes))

A bit of a A bit of a ‘‘wild child/man’wild child/man’

((a history of 1 trashed hotel room, a history of 1 trashed hotel room, relationships with Winona Ryder relationships with Winona Ryder and Kate Moss, the Viper Room)and Kate Moss, the Viper Room)

But also able to be But also able to be ordinarily ordinarily domesticdomestic: lives with 1 woman : lives with 1 woman and has 2 childrenand has 2 children

A A rock musician toorock musician too Exotic, different: a Cherokee Exotic, different: a Cherokee

heritage and heritage and lives in Francelives in France AccessibleAccessible but selectively but selectively


DEPP THE STAR …… DEPP THE STAR ……

Stereotypes & Cultural MeaningsStereotypes & Cultural MeaningsMainstream, Subversive, Fantastic:Mainstream, Subversive, Fantastic: A good actor who embodies A good actor who embodies

limitless and wild possibilities limitless and wild possibilities professionally and yet also lives a professionally and yet also lives a recognisably every-day life.recognisably every-day life.

Safe and dangerous all at onceSafe and dangerous all at once


Artists who have explored Artists who have explored ‘identity’ and ‘celebrity’‘identity’ and ‘celebrity’

Di Ball is a digital artist Di Ball is a digital artist from Qld who has a from Qld who has a number of online and number of online and performance performance ‘identities’. ‘identities’.

This is Fleur Ball – a This is Fleur Ball – a Country and Western Country and Western Superstar.Superstar.

Some of her other Some of her other identities are ‘Krystal identities are ‘Krystal Ball’ an online psychic Ball’ an online psychic and ‘Meet Ball’ an and ‘Meet Ball’ an online dating agent online dating agent

Slide credit: Tracey Meziane

Di Ball cont…Di Ball cont…"We are all the sum of our selves, but I have started "We are all the sum of our selves, but I have started

to name some of my selves. As of now, there is to name some of my selves. As of now, there is Di Ball (myself), Fleur Ball (a cuntry and western Di Ball (myself), Fleur Ball (a cuntry and western singer), Krystal Ball (a sooth sayer), Meet Ball (an singer), Krystal Ball (a sooth sayer), Meet Ball (an introduction madame) and Polly Vokhal (a introduction madame) and Polly Vokhal (a feminist theorist) who exist both in the real world feminist theorist) who exist both in the real world as well as in cyberspace. These personae act as as well as in cyberspace. These personae act as filters for my past. They set up the instruments filters for my past. They set up the instruments for my exploration and interrogation of identity. for my exploration and interrogation of identity.

Identity is the subject of my artwork.”Identity is the subject of my artwork.”


Di Ball cont…Di Ball cont…

As part of this search for As part of this search for identity, I explore my own identity, I explore my own flesh. I have an ongoing flesh. I have an ongoing body of work (pun body of work (pun intended) entitled "Pink intended) entitled "Pink Bits", where I map various Bits", where I map various regions of my body and use regions of my body and use devices such as drawing devices such as drawing and sketching as well as and sketching as well as the digital to record these the digital to record these "bits". I scan, photograph, "bits". I scan, photograph, touch, document and touch, document and project. I am a large project. I am a large person. This is a large person. This is a large project. Is there an end? project. Is there an end?


There is a myriad of ways to There is a myriad of ways to engage conceptually with engage conceptually with

notions of identity….notions of identity….

To signify a relationship to a placeTo signify a relationship to a place To signify a connection to a cultureTo signify a connection to a culture To signify displacement from both of To signify displacement from both of

the above (the migrant experience – the above (the migrant experience – culture and home land become culture and home land become objects of desire and fetish)objects of desire and fetish)


Identity, culture and placeIdentity, culture and place

William Yang


William YangWilliam Yang

Is an artist who explores his cultural heritage and Is an artist who explores his cultural heritage and identity as a 4identity as a 4thth generation Chinese Australian. generation Chinese Australian. In his performances, he weaves together the In his performances, he weaves together the personal with the politicalpersonal with the political


http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/a-suburban-storyteller-comes-out-of-the-shadows/2006/05/08/1146940473207.html

““Nobody here”Nobody here”Jogchem NiemandsverdrietJogchem NiemandsverdrietThis web site has been

going for around 8 years and it is an ongoing investigation into identity and notions of loss, place and space.

On a technical level it has always been challenging – at first it used JavaScript and CSS in an innovative way, now it is a fantastic example of the broad scope of Flash.

This work was included in ‘360degrees’, a project I curated for MAAP in 2000.


http://www.nobodyhere.com/justme/

http://byte-time.net/projects/360.htm

Keith Piper “Keith Piper “Relocating the remainsRelocating the remains””

A Smudge, A Fragment & A A Smudge, A Fragment & A Whisper. Whisper. In the case of this project, the act of In the case of this project, the act of 'relocation' takes on multiple meanings. 'relocation' takes on multiple meanings. In a literal sense, the relocation In a literal sense, the relocation becomes from physical to virtual space. becomes from physical to virtual space. The remains of objects, activities and The remains of objects, activities and idea's which at one time exclusively idea's which at one time exclusively occupied the cold space of galleries and occupied the cold space of galleries and other places designated for the display other places designated for the display of art, have become disembodied, of art, have become disembodied, recoded into digital form. At points recoded into digital form. At points these remains are compacted onto CD-these remains are compacted onto CD-Rom , at others they are set adrift onto Rom , at others they are set adrift onto the virtual expanses of the Internet.the virtual expanses of the Internet.


http://www.iniva.org/piper/RR.html

Keith Piper “Relocating the Keith Piper “Relocating the remains” cont…remains” cont…

We have the choice of relocating the We have the choice of relocating the remains which lie beyond three remains which lie beyond three virtual gateways. The first gateway is virtual gateways. The first gateway is called "UnMapped". The Second is called "UnMapped". The Second is called "UnRecorded", the third is called "UnRecorded", the third is called "Unclassified". Beyond called "Unclassified". Beyond "UnMapped" lies an investigation of "UnMapped" lies an investigation of the various perceptions of the black the various perceptions of the black body as defined beneath the body as defined beneath the dominant gaze. "UnRecorded" dominant gaze. "UnRecorded" examines the gaps in historical examines the gaps in historical narratives which continue to distort narratives which continue to distort and obscure black presence. and obscure black presence. "UnClassified" centres around an "UnClassified" centres around an examination of the impact of new examination of the impact of new technologies on surveillance and technologies on surveillance and policing, especially in relation to policing, especially in relation to notions of community, nation and notions of community, nation and cultural difference.cultural difference.


Credits:Credits:

Thanks to Cathie Summerhayes for Thanks to Cathie Summerhayes for providing the original presentationproviding the original presentation


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Media Cultures 1week 6 09