Viewpoint, Greyson Perry

Greyson Perry 

All Man

While looking for ideas for my viewpoint magazine I was made aware of the Artist known as Greyson Perry.  He's also famously known because of this alter ego, Claire.  Doing some online searches I read an article about a channel four programme called All Man.

The documentary sees the artist look at different notions of masculinity, and assess whether we might be able to address them.   From what I've read without watching the program I was surprised to be made aware of the topically subject matter with regards to the stereotypical roll of a man.

So far with the idea of women in the work-place I have only considered the Feminist approach, and I guess I too have also played into the idea that men are men, and that ALL men are scripted to be a certain way.  The way that gives the sense that girls /women are less equal and skilled at doing manual labour.  (something I have showed wrong and untrue myself and yet could maybe if argued could question if overpowered)  What the article I read made me aware of was that men (mainly younger) are fluid, forgiving and more tolerant these days.  Statistics state that 76% of all suicides in the UK are men under 45.  Many feeling trapped by the habits of the ideal stereotype to be a man, a father, son and a worker which leaves many feeling lost and inadequate. 

Seems a little unfair, when women are shouting out about equal rights and yet as we look towards our other halves, we to expect a certain, fixed, strong and sure partner.  Many marriages I'm sure have ended because of this roll being unfulfilled by the male partner, the advertising industry have us conform to this set ideal by telling us that dressing a certain way makes us look more appealing, or having a designers watch can give us a greater sense or male/female rapport.  We buy into this similarity of the characteristics that then makes or suggests we fit into our role.

perry's tapestry on social britain

I like the idea of being looked after in terms of an emotional connection, closeness, with the added high of a deeper sexually (expect/performance) with regards to my partner.  Many articles state women look for a father figure as a partner, but truth be told my own father (while fitting into many of the male masculine roles) was in fact somebody I feel, didn't have the right qualities or ideals.  He was in many ways I thought weak at the end of his life, because while on his death bed he still never gave me much emotion as to his love for me.  For years I searched and hoped for acknowledgement from him, but never was given a slice of appreciation, connection or emotion.  

I can hold my hands up and say that in past experience I have or would of though less of a partner for not holding they shit together!  The damage I may of caused from this is terrible and I do feel sadly shocked and conceded at my own narrow tunnel vision views.  What makes us think less of a person for showing emotion? What says that men and women can't work together equally? With the same merit, pay and respect?

IS

Masculinity is behaviour of people with a penis! Or associated with people with a penis.

The Vanity of Small Differences, a series of six exuberant tapestries by Grayson Perry 

Women in the workplace is where I intended my article to head. With this in mind the slogan -You don't have to have a penis to get a grip of hard wood, came to mind.

Car Mechanics could maybe use the slogan, Who's under your bonnet,  or does it matter? ...which could have a male with some sexual women's wear bending over a bonnet! or lady dressed in overalls sexually....

plumbers - male wet t-shirt under a sink sexual pose with a big wrench while the female has a stance of some sort

Maybe I could dress as both character's..... 

Im not really sure of as yet.

I want to have the centre spread with images of maybe 3/ 5 to show the different industries. 

Viewpoint - ideas so far

Viewpoint ideas so far

• women - modern women vs older women
• modern women being regarded as high maintenance, selfish, spoiled, greedy, independent
• traditional women being thought of as respectful, loving, mothering, tough, real
• the industrial revolution - mid 19th century - war - telephone - typewriter - factories
• birth control - margaret sanger - population - abortion - death rates - sanitary conditions

So from looking at the topics and thinking what would interest 18 -34 year olds I began to explore some fashion magazines like Elle, Vogue, I.D.  

I copied and cut up some images and soon found that my intention was to highlight women in a male workplace/industry.  Being  qualified in the construction industry myself I felt that I had a better understanding for this topic. But also to educate myself of the past feminist following, regarding this subject. Womens rights and the fight for equal rights has played and still does play a massive part in the world we live in today. 

Women I intend to look at!

Betty Friedan 

Feminist, activist and author of six books the most famous being The Feminine Mystique.  

In 1966, Friedan co-founder and was elected the first president of the national organisation for women (now) which was aimed to bring women into the mainstream of American society

Now lobbied for the civil right act of equal pay in 1963

Gloria Steinem

Gloria Marie Steinem (born March 25, 1934) is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist, who became nationally recognised as a leader and a spokeswoman for the feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s

Having read about her early career as a columnist for New York magazine, then a co-founder of Ms. magazine Gloria said while she didn't start out as a feminist the route for women in the work place wasn't an easy one and this naturally began to stir interest. So much so she still  currently travels internationally as an organiser and lecturer, and is a media spokeswoman on issues of equality.

Gloria's said her first "serious assignment", regarding contraception was for Esquire magazine. This article about the way in which women are forced to choose between a career and marriage preceded Betty Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique by one year.

In 1963, she was employed as a playboy bunny and later documented how women were treated at those clubs. After this her career went quiet as many did she her as a bunny and  for whatever the reason behind it this affect future work.

Abortion - in 1969 she covered an abortion speak-out for New York Magazine, which was held in a church basement in Greenwich, New York. Steinem had had an abortion herself in London at the age of 22.  She described this was the turning point in realising women could take control of they own life and the feminist in her clicked because of this. 

She has wrote and covered many topic regarding womens rights and over many subjects. ( After Black Power, Women's Liberation, The International Crime of Female Genital Mutilation,,   Presidential Campaigns and Elections)

And so upon reading about these two women I have found so much information and many topics of interest. For me, I feel its best to stick to what I know from my own experience regarding my brief. Women in the construction industry!

Gender diversity in the construction industry is shockingly poor. Women make up just 11% of the entire workforce, but even this figure includes many who work behind a desk, often in design, management or secretarial roles. On building sites themselves, it is estimated that 99% of workers are men.19 May 2015

I feel I'd like to mock the industry and the way many men feel towards women working along side them.  For me, working with men wasn't an issue. But if I did do something better than them or to a higher standard, you felt the blow to they ego. To combat this sometimes I would let them feel that I needed them/help.... also to help myself at times too. A big 3 piece ladder can be heavy lifting and while I'd be happy to struggle on, if I let the man do it for me and I was saying my please and thank you's. It made them feel important or the higher dominant one.  I would of never said or humiliated them. but if it got the job done with everyone happy and safe then no harm done. Right? Some could now argue that ..!!

 I do like the D&G photo shoot images and do think that something similar could work well. I don't really like the comic book style, but all of these ideas are just that at the moment and I intent to explore many different approaches regarding this.   

I felt kinda bad enjoying these posters. Images of the very fine male pin up here.....I'll maybe enlarge them.... one minute

Hell I found my calling.... I wanna photograph for D&G

I do feel a surrealism style here and I think I've seen this similar work before? 

It's maybe just the clouds in the background!

I do feel I'm onto something here and I'm getting excited at finding out more.. I think I will probably be questioning my very own morals with this topic.... what again :) !! 

poster campaigns like this one, work well and I do like the typography and simplicity of it.

 

While I think the graphic images here are indeed sexy and highlighting the sexual ideal of women, I feel a more traditional look is what I foresee.

 

etchings

Just getting to upload some of the etching images as I've had no camera

monteviot begins (soap)

Ideas for the soap and product design regarding Monteviot House.

Monteviot House is the early 18th century home of the Marquess of Lothian, the politician better known as Michael Ancram. It is located on the River Teviot near Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland.

I really wanted to keep my design ideas easy simple. Using the flowers and herbs that I had seen on my visit for the house, I thought an artisan soap and hand cream would be the best and easiest choice.  While we were visiting the house gardener's were busy working and I felt from the little chat we had that the knowledge and hard work they do year round should be recognised.

What is on the market?


 

source - http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/thedartmoorsoapcompany






source - https://www.theenglishsoapcompany.com

http://www.gardenvoyage.com

I think using the colours of the house and stones I seen on the walks around the grounds as a base starting point I'm going to keep a traditional patterned design. I do like the work of William Morris and will also keep his work in mind. For now however I do need to look at herbs and botanical work so as to keep within a brief.

The brambles, rose garden, skimmia 

Some plants/flowers I will look at.

Charles Lamont' is a vigorous, upright large deciduous shrub with dark purple shoots bearing terminal clusters of scented, pink flowers. Oval leaves open bronze-tinted, becoming dark green by summer

skimmia

Compact evergreen shrub with red-margined, deep green leaves. Dark red flower buds are produced in autumn and these last all through the winter until the flowers open in spring.

 Weigela 'Victoria' is an enchanting deciduous shrub with a compact and upright habit. Its rich purple-bronze foliage contrasts magnificently with deep pink, trumpet-shaped blooms. 

Hydrangea paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangaceae native to southern and eastern China, Korea, Japan and Russia. 

Lavandula is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found from Cape Verde and the Canary Islands

Agapanthus (African lily) are summer-flowering perennial plants, grown for their showy flowers, commonly in shades of blue and purple, but also white and pink. 

A rose is a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus Rosa, in the family Rosaceae, or the flower it bears.