The following assignment is from "You Are An Artist: Assignments to Spark Creation" by Sarah Urist Green.
It is available for purchase here.
It is available for purchase here.
WEEK 6: May 4th - May 8th
BECOME SOMEONE ELSE
Artists to Investigate: Tameka Dedeaux-Norris, Cindy Sherman
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While she was hanging with her friends, they came up with the idea of transforming Tameka Dedeaux-Norris into a male persona. The fashioned a moustache using a few snips of Dedeaux-Norris's hair, bound her chest, and then all went out together to get groceries. Deadeax-Norris was surprised when nobody seemed to notice her, and found herself asking, "Do I walk differently? Do I talk differently or use my own voice?"
The small adjustments to her appearance caused an internal shift. It felt like she had tapped into an aspect of her persona that already existed. Instead of feeling "pretty" she felt "handsome". The experience expanded her understanding of the friends she was with, who are transgender and who were each at a different stage of gender transition. After posting pictures of her 'new self' online, she was inspired to continue to experiment with changing her appearance and character for her ongoing art-works. In the Meka Jean Project, Deadeax-Norris takes on her childhood nickname and behaves in ways she normally would not; acting impulsively, putting on performances, and collaborating freely with others. She is improving and empowering herself through these acts. She explains that taking on an alternate persona has helped her to access a part of herself that is more open. THINK: What are the histories and personas that have followed you? Have you played different "roles" in your life? Is there someone you used to be that you aren't anymore? Is there someone you have always wanted to be? And how might you adopt a new persona to explore these "versions" of yourself? 
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Cindy Sherman uses self-portrait photography and films to document her many "personas" - she invents myriad guises, metamorphosing from Hollywood starlet to clown to society matron. In many of her photos, it's difficult to even tell she's the model - she changes her appearance so significantly.
Often with the simplest of means — a camera, a wig, some jewellery, makeup, an outfit — and sometimes even an interesting background/setting — Cindy Sherman fashions ambiguous but memorable characters that suggest complex lives that exist outside of the frame. Just by looking at the photos she has created, we can imagine the personalities and lives of these invented characters. Sherman never titles her photographs. By refusing to impose descriptive language on these images, she relies on our abilities (as her viewers) to develop stories and ideas about the lives of these "people" - something she feels is an essential component of appreciating her artwork. THINK: What character could you invent? Who could you become, for a little while? And how could that change the way you interact with the world? |
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Your Challenge: Become Someone Else
Your Assignment:
Taking selfies is easy; becoming someone else is a little harder. Put some thought into the way you already present yourself to the world. How do you see yourself? How do others see you? This is an exercise in introspection - offering insight into your persona and how you present yourself to the world. You can try this among your friends, or make it a solo endeavour. Your transformation can be small and subtle - but consider doing something big and noticeable!
Taking selfies is easy; becoming someone else is a little harder. Put some thought into the way you already present yourself to the world. How do you see yourself? How do others see you? This is an exercise in introspection - offering insight into your persona and how you present yourself to the world. You can try this among your friends, or make it a solo endeavour. Your transformation can be small and subtle - but consider doing something big and noticeable!
- Take a selfie (your regular, normal self).
- Change things about your physical self - your appearance, your clothes, hair colour, accessories, makeup, tone of voice, the way you approach others, anything. What about changing your mannerisms? Changing the way you talk? The way you walk? If you can, go through someone else's closet and try on clothing that is very unlike what you would normally wear.
- Spend some time in your new look. In the safety of your own room (or bathroom), talk to yourself in the mirror and imagine what it would be like to interact with others like this.
- Figure out a way to document this experience, before you go anywhere or do anything new. Would you rather write about your experience in your process journal? Record yourself talking about the experience? (Audio?/video?) Have someone you know follow you and photograph / record you? How will you show ME what your experience was like, performing this "new self"? You will need to document (photograph) your new "look" to hand in, and you must arrange a way to document what your experience was like. Set this up BEFORE going anywhere.
- Take a few selfies documenting your transformed self. NOW... Go out into the world and interact with people (keeping a safe distance). After you have finished documenting your new experience, hand in your photos (selfies as the "new you") and your documented experience (what it was like to perform this new persona).
- Submit your work on Edsby: Look for the Become Someone Else Assignment.
