Identity

As Judith Howard describes in Social Psychology of Identities, identity is, “…tenuous, fragile, and elastic, rather than as fixed and dichotomous” (382). Identity is extraordinarily fluid and can be influenced by race, gender, sexuality, beliefs and social environments. I argue that it is equally internally and externally persuaded because of the multitude of factors that are mashed together to make you, you. External factors can include gender, social status, and race whereas internal factors can be personality, sexuality, and general preferences.

Self-expression through art is a transformative way to understand and visually process how people identify with themselves. Through the Montclair Art Museum’s Identity exhibit, a few forms of perceived identity struck me not only as creative but having to achieve a deeper level of consciousness to fully understand the motive behind a piece. There is a level of artistic expertise that artists have to have to comprehensively understand themselves but also be able to accurately depict the identity of the person being perceived.

 

Alec Soth - Lenny, Minneapolis, 2002

We can see the development of identity in the photo of a Wisconsin man with his rottweiler. The sturdy, bench-pressing father holds his intimidating dog right under his jaw assuring viewers that he, in fact, is masculine if you were not already convinced by his shoulders, pecks, and tattoo. Because he is a white male in good shape, he is already in a social position of power and to reinforce his “tough guy” identity. For a man in a dominant social status, the keys in the door lock show me a sign of vulnerability. The pen and notepad on the table give me a sense of slow aging. My grandfather writes everything down that he could possibly need to remember because he would instead write it then risk forgetting it. This man wants to be young forever, but he knows that he cannot stop time or memory loss. It would be coincidental if the pen were advertising a medication for Alzheimer’s.

Alice Neel - Isabel Bishop, 1974

When I first saw this photo, I was immediately drawn to her hands. They reminded me so much of my own grandmother's hands. From the blue, bulging veins, to the way they are crookedly relaxed. The ring on her finger will be her forever symbol of the love of her life. A small watch on her wrist to try and keep track of time although she still doesn’t understand how all of these years have passed. A slight smirk demonstrates her ability to find happiness and good in every situation. There are minor wrinkles around her mouth highlighting all of the laughs she shared. I think the royal blue dress was a great choice because it is bold and beautiful. All of these factors are incorporated into her identity, and the artist does a fantastic job of integrating the qualities of well-lived women into a 2-D painting.

Nick Cave - Sound Suit, 2015

This full body suit is something that is unlike anything I have seen before. The colors and toys surrounding the upper portion of the body remind me of the nostalgia of childhood. Cave uses this costume to hide from the world. I feel that toys are circling him around his ora so this could be what he is trying to attract in his life. This piece wants to put on a show, it is meant to cover Cave’s face and body completely giving a complete illusion to viewers of his identity. Maybe this is what he wishes people would perceive him as, full of personality and energy, colorful in all aspects of life and a distraction from the gloomy aspects of life. The detail work on this is incredible. From the fringe to the beading, all of the time and energy that was put into this is truly amazing.

Ben Jones - Juxtapositions #11, 1989

This piece reminds me of the Power of Tens video that we watched at the beginning of the semester. It starts off with a really broad view of different kinds of status that exist, almost like a photo of a galaxy. The next canvas hones in further into the cluster, giving viewers an in-depth look of all the ways these status cross over. Through all of these labels and intersectionality, a person appears which is a self-portrait of Ben Jones. And as we keep zooming in, we see a simple complex of three colors because, at the end of the day, we are all human and are made of the same matter even if we come from circumstances.

Larry Silver – Man Being Balanced, Muscle Beach, 1954

This photo is great because image is a part of our identity and Muscle Beach is where the people with the nicest bodies go to mingle and show off. These men have worked hard for their bodies and want to highlight their skills and confidence. The image that these men want to show, just like in any pageant, is all physical based. They want to show off their masculinity and physical form because that is what they find important.