lines and circles

Day 10

My last and most comfortable day.

Today, although with a delay, I eventually managed to decorate my face to look like an Aboriginal. The Aboriginals are the indigenous people of Australia. Art is an integral part of their lives and body painting, decorations and personal adornment have deep spiritual importance. The designs and motifs painted on their faces have specific meaning and reflect an individuals social position and relationship to family, ancestors, totemic animals and land extent. The designs and motifs are all either lines and circles. A person can never change his/her appearance out of will, unless a set of patterns are first obeyed.

Pigments extracted from the earth are used to paint the face and body which indicate an intimate relationship between human and environment. The elaborate painting is practices mainly during ceremonies, particularly initiations and funerals. In the black and white photograph, four elaborately decorated aboriginal men are standing in front of a sand painting at a ceremony (Aboriginal Art Online, 2000).

In her book, The Body in Society, Alexandra Howson speaks of body modification and its role in historic and modern society. Body modifications such as neck-stretching, scarring, piercing, corset moulding, foot-binding and circumcision, to fashion, make-up, tattooing and plastic surgery are all means through which we establish our changing social stances in society or in more modern times, our differentiation from dominant social groups. Piercing in the West for example, in contrast to the more traditional non-Western cultures where it symbolizes social ranking, provides a way in which we can express ourselves regardless of what society says. This practice is often referred to as Modern Primitivism where Westerners seek for a bond with non-Western cultures to signal a feeling of discontent with the modern social way of things. Modern Primitivism particularly challenges the 'simulacrum society', where images reign over texts and representations over reality so that personal identity and validity is lost. Piercing, tattooing and scarification is therefore seen by Modern Primitivism as a 'radical gesture' towards dominant norms in society (Howson, A, 2004).

Howson also talks about ready-made markings, such as gender and race which automatically puts one in a social position (Howson, A, 2004). In other words, not everyone needs to do something to his or her body to be the 'other' in society. However, the body is a wonderful tool or canvas on which marks or symbols of differentiation can be made, to bind and dissociate one from a particular group or 'other'.

Painting by Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, 2008


References

Aboriginal Art Online. 2000. Retrieved 13 October from
http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/art/body.php

Aboriginal Art Online. 2000. [image]. Retrieved 13 October from
http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/art/body.php
Howson, A. 2004. Chapter 4: The Body in Consumer Culture. In: The Body in Society. Cambridge: Blackwell Press. Pp 109-113

Tjapaltjarri, W. 2008. [image]. Retrieved 13 October 2010 from
http://www.aboriginalartstore.com.au/news/2008/01/tourism-australia-purchases-wa.php

It's just a gesture

Day 9

Today I am a mime. Mimes are theatrical performers who suggest action or emotion with gestures, movements and expressions and don't use words or verbal.

The first documented pantomime actor is Telestes who performed in 467 B.C. During the 17th and 18th centuries, mythological, pageant-like ballet-pantomimes performed in courts and theatres in Europe. It was only in the 19th century, in the USA that mimes were incorporated into the circus. 

Traditionally, pantomime performances involve an actor wearing tight black and white clothing with white facial makeup. Contemporary mimes often perform without the 'whiteface' and while traditional mime are completely silent, contemporary mimes, while not speaking, sometimes make vocal sounds when they perform. Mime acts are mostly comical but they can also be very serious and profound. Mime is also a popular street art form. At the V&A Waterfront for example, there are mimes who are painted completely bronze or silver. They either stand dead still as a sculpture or emulate by-passers' moves (Lust, A, 2003). 

In terms of the male gaze, where 'men act and women appear', the art of mimicry has a bit of a bi-polar slot in society. I am specifically referring to the male pantomime, even though the female mime also started to appear later in the history of the performance.  In their book, Media and Society, Michael O'Shaughnessy and Jane Stadler speak of the dominant and alternative ideals of masculinity where a man is strong, tough, attractive and heterosexual (O'Shaughnessy, M, Stadler, J, 2007). A mime, however, falls short of these characteristics. Although mimes were originally only male performers and literally 'act' in a very skilled manner, they are often 'hopeless' in character and struggle with the task at hand. This explains why the art of the pantomime isn't largely popular or a part of commercial entertainment.  

References

Lust, A, The Origins and Development of the Art of Mime, The World of Mime and Theatre. 2003. Retrieved 12 October 2010 from

http://www.mime.info/history-lust.html

O'Shaughnessy, M & Stadler, J. 2007. Ideologies and Discourses of Masculinity. In: Media and Society. Oxford University Press. Pp 347- 372

Kinderwhore

Day 6

First of all... Apologies that I'm only posting this blog now. I went to Langebaan this weekend, a small town on the West Coast, and when I went out to the internet café on Saturday at 16h00, it was closed, not only the one I knew, but all 3 in and around the town. I also forgot my camera at home which is why I don't have an photograph of myself.

To be honest, it's the name that interested me. Kinderwhore is a 'look' female American punk-rock stars went for in the early-mid 90s. It consisted of torn, ripped, very tight or low-cut babydoll dresses or nighties, heavy makeup, untidy hair and leather boots or Mary Jane (school) shoes (wikipedia, 2010).

The kinderwhore makeup principle is: more is more. Punk-rock stars such as Courtney Love (right-hand-side image) from Hole and Christina Amphlett (left-hand-side image) of Divinyls have been said to be the ones who made this style fashionable (Enjoy Your Style, 2009-2010).

Wake boarding with heavy make-up felt quite unnatural, and after I fell trying out a directional kite-surfing board behind the boat and came up from the water, the eyeliner and mascara had run down my face.. a definite punk-rock sweat kinderwhore look! I cannot share too much of a general public's opinion as I spent most of the day with my dad, brother and a couple of good friends, who didn't say much as they have gotten used to my project. The people in the Langebaan mall didn't really look twice as I could have been a Patricia Lewis 'poppie' for all they knew. All I can say is that I felt very 'out' riding on the boat across the lagoon in my bikini and beach dress with a pore-clogged and redder than red lips.

References:

Enjoy Your Style, 2009-2010, Kinderwhore Makeup, Retrieved 10 October 2010 from http://www.enjoy-your-style.com/kinderwhore-makeup.html

Wikipedia, 2010, Kinderwhore, Retrieved 10 October 2010 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinderwhore

Dressing for the 'front stage' or 'backstage'.

Day 8

Back to Japan. Today I appeared as a Japanese Kabuki actress wearing Kumadori makeup.

Kabuki is a traditional Japanese drama which encompasses meticulously choreographed dances, songs and miming performances. It originated in the 17th century and was the first entertainment that dealt with heavy emotion. Strong masculine characters, mythological gods, and beasts acted and still act in historical plays, domestic drama and elaborate dance pieces. To achieve this emotional weight visually, the Kabuki tradition followed the Kumadori - 'lines to follow' makeup style, where elaborate makeup is applied to emphasizes an actor's facial lines and wrinkles. The colours used in kumadori are of great significance, and it is these that highlight the emotion and temperament of the character.

beni (deep red) — anger, indignation, forcefulness, obstinacy
beni (red) — activeness, eagerness, passion, vigour
usuaka (pink or pale red) — cheerfulness, youthfulness, gaiety
asagi (light blue) — calmness, coolness, composure
ai (indigo) — melancholy, gloominess
midori (very light green) — tranquillity
murasaki (purple) — sublimity, nobility, loftiness
taisha (brown or burnt sienna) — selfishness, egotism, dejection
usuzumii (grey on chin) — dreariness, cheerlessness
sumi (black) — fear, terror, fright, gloom

-(Cry havoc & unleash the kaigo of war, 2008)

The mere application of kumadori is considered to be a psychological preparation for a performance, and because Kabuki theatre was created for the rich, there exists a delightful custom with the use of Kumadori; after a performance an actor places a silk cloth over his face to make a print of his character's makeup. This is considered a souvenir of the essence of the performance and highly prized as a collectors item (Spencer, M, 1999).

My experience of today came as a surprise. My day in the public eye started with the bergies at the traffic department (where I park regularly), gave me a hand of applause as I got out of my car. As I proceeded to walk to college, a young black man in a low, flirtatious voice said, 'Hello, I like your style'. Many of my vega friends commented that it was their favourite face of the project so far. When I got back to my car this afternoon, the car guards were very excited to see me and asked whether I would give them the look as well.

In Merleau-Ponty's work on embodiment, he says that our body is 'the visible form of our intentions', which is indivisible from a sense of self (2000: 27). This refers to our daily routine of getting dressed according to the space and time of the situation we are heading for- be it outside or just staying inside our private homes. Goffman speaks of our 'visible form of intentions' as the 'front stage' which refers to your appearance in public space, and 'backstage', your appearance at home (2000: 31). These notions not only link well with the Kabuki's Kumadori usage but also to this project as a whole.

During the project, I consciously dress, or make-up myself in ways that I usually wouldn't be seen dead in, a 'front stage' appearance which has made me divisible from my sense of self, which explains why I have been feeling physically and emotionally uncomfortable, self-conscious and sometimes amused or annoyed with the stares that have come my way.



References


Bert, L, 2010, weheartit [image]. Retrieved 10 October 2010 from
http://whi.assets.prod.lg1x3z.simplecdn.net/entry/1866121

Cry havoc & unleash the kaigo of war, Mo No No Ke: face, pants, shoes... sword, 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2010 from
http://kaigou.dreamwidth.org/209425.html

Entwistle, J. 2000. Chapter 1: Adressing the Body. In: The Fashioned Body. Cambridge: Polly Press. Pp 6-39

Spencer, M, Make-up, 1999. Retrieved 11 October 2010 from
http://www.creative-arts.net/kabuki/Breakdown/Make-up.htm












Lunch break outside of vega today.

Goths can be happy too

Day 7

I've always grouped subcultures such as Emo, Goth and Heavy Metal together, not knowing much other than the fact that they all wear black.

Now that I've learnt a bit more about Goths, I know for sure that they all like wearing black, however they differ a great bit.

The Goth subculture originated from the punk scene of the 1970s and came alive after bands like Bauhaus and The Cure made their appearance in the music industry. The Batcave club, London, opened in 1982, was one of the first clubs for Goths and Punks (Ashley Design, 2010).



The greatest misconception of a Goth is that he/she is unhappy, Emo or depressed. It is a subculture which loves black and has a great love for dramatic clothes and fashion. Goths normally dye their hair black, dark red or purple and wear prominent dark makeup. In the beginning Goths would wear a white foundation, but nowadays focus more on dark eyes and a overall well-considered outfit where the choice of shoes and accessories are very important (Ashley Design, 2010).

Female Gothic role models range from Elisabeth tailor to Morticia Addams (from the Addams Family). The main makeup 'requirements' are to have a lighter rather than a darker/brighter foundation, use a fair amount of eyeliner and wear dark red, black or pale lipstick (Enjoy your Style, 2009-2010).

My plan to experience the dark makeup to its fullest today failed, as I only realized that I'd forgotten to makeup myself as I got onto my kite-board on the water. Even though most wetsuits are black, it would look rather ridiculous for a kite-boarder to be a Goth. I cannot imagine what I would have looked like after the 1 hour session I had in the ±25 knots of wind we had, as I fell and got dragged through the water and through the sky a number of times and had to rub my eyes to recover them from the gallons of seawater. A pity though that I didn't do it then.

Ashley Design, Goth, 2010, Retrieved on 10 October 2010 from
http://www.ashleydesign.nl/goth

Ashley Design, Goth [image], 2010, Retrieved on 10 October 2010 from
http://www.ashleydesign.nl/goth

Enjoy Your Style, Gothic Makeup Ideas, 2009-2010, Retrieved 10 October 2010 from
http://www.enjoy-your-style.com/gothic-makeup-ideas.html

Enjoy Your Style, Gothic Makeup Ideas, Clarcke, A [image] 2009-2010, Retrieved 10 October 2010 from
http://www.enjoy-your-style.com/gothic-makeup-ideas.html

soulcookie, Anjelica Huston as Morticia Addams[image] 2009, Retrieved 10 October 2010 from
http://soulcookie.tumblr.com/post/131370199/anjelica-huston-as-morticia-addams-via-bohemea

We Heart It, Drain the blood [image] 2010, Retrieved on 10 October 2010 from http://weheartit.com/entry/4309081

Bokkie hou my vas!

Day 5

Afrikaans pop music - a subculture of its own. What is it with the Afrikaans pop music crowd's style that make many people shudder or just laugh, or alternatively melt in admiration? The men wear flipped-up collar t-shirts or silky shirts, dark jeans, Bronx shoes with a silver plate on the heel, ooh and don't forget the 10kg overweight. And what do they drink? Brandy and coke, maybe castle beer.. libido shots. The girls are dressed in skimpy clothing, 'worn' jeans decorated with diamante studs, push-up bras and stripper heels. But wait.. that's not quite it. The nails have to be artificial, very long and painted red, fake eye-lashes and hair-extensions are very sexy and the make-up... that is very important! A generous amount of base is required, shiny eyeshadow, prominent eye-liner and layers of mascara- the final touch of course, would be lip gloss and glitter around the eyes for that dazzling effect. I suppose these people want to look as close as possible to the Hollywood red carpet stars but somehow have just created their own world in that. Make no mistake, Afrikaans music is the world fastest growing industry, and that is definitely something to be proud of. I am an bilingual Cape Townian girl who went to an Afrikaans school so yes, naturally i am exposed to their music which does not stimulate me at all but I have to admit that I really enjoy myself while participating in a 'langarm' dancing session every now and then. The music is catching and the dancing is fun evry now and then. Even my English friend who could not believe the Afrikaans bar I took her to a couple of weeks ended up having a massive jol. Local is lekker- even if its a bit 'kommen' as they say.

skin white as snow

Day 4

Make-up worn by Elizabethan women during the 16th century differed greatly from the make-up of today. Unlike the modern western desire to be bronzed by the sun, Elizabethan woman, in accordance with Queen Elisabeth's appearance, desired snow-white skin, rosy cheeks and red lips. Pale skin was a sign of nobility, wealth and delicacy for woman of that time.

In one of William Shakespeare's sonnets, he makes fun of the woman's ideal beauty:

“My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun
Coral is far more fair than her lips fair
If snow be white, why then, her breast is dun,
If hair be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks...”

William Shakespeare (del Prado, A, I, B, n.d.)

This sonnet is one example of how Shakespeare saw a tendency in Elizabethan women to 'hide' their real identity. In theatre especially, this hideaway was shown to the audience by dressing men as women (young men were to act the roles of females as women were not allowed to act). Everybody knew that behind the make-up, a totally different person was hidden. One could find 'ideal' beauty in the gentle, pure and virginal female characters, whereas the grief-stricken women were sometimes depicted as the contrary. Mad women wore their hair loose and mad people of both sexes had disordered clothing and make-up.

Another example of a slight mocking of the fashion is John Tailor's following poem:

"Some I have heard of, that have beene so fine,
to wash and bathe themselves in milke or wine,
else with whites of egges, their faces garnish,
which makes the looke like visors, or new varnish.
Good bread, and oatmeale hath bin spilt like trash,
My Lady Polecat's dainty hands to wash."

John Taylor

Within time, Elizabethan woman decreased their usage of make-up as theatre seemed to ridicule it. The girls in brothels also exaggerated this 'ideal' beauty which is another reason why Elizabethan make-up became very soft and subtle (Leed, D, 2008).

Of my personal experience today, although I could not get male skin quite as pale as it should have been, the reaction of my peers were not as sudden or shocked as the previous make-up styles I have worn. This is probably due to the fact that we are exposed to many different types and races of people in our very cosmopolitan society. To strangers, I suppose, I possible seemed British or just heavily make-uped.



References

del Prado, A, I, B, pdf: mural.uv.es/abordel/GP1.pdf, n.d. Hairstyle and make-up in Shakespearean times and comedies. Retrieved 7 October 2010 from
http://www.google.co.za/search?q=elizabethan+make+up&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Leed, D, 2008, Elizabethan make-up 101, Retrieved 7 October 2010 from
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/makeup.html

Leed, D, 2008, Elizabethan make-up 101 [Image] Retrieved 7 October 2010 from http://www.elizabethancostume.net/makeup.html