Cunts… and other conversations

Greg Taylor and friends, Cunts… and other conversations, 2008-2011, Mona Museum of old and new art, https://mona.net.au/museum/general-collection/cunts-and-other-conversations-2008-11-greg-taylor-and-friends, accessed on April 8^th 2018.

‘Cunt’ is a heavy word and even typing the word on my laptop in this post seems wrong or shameful. Its one of those few words that can really shock and offend an audience, but why is it? Over the break, I was lucky enough the visit Hobart’s Mona, Museum of new and old, and experience the wonderful and wacky artworks and installations of the ongoing ‘Monanism’ exhibition.

The infamous installation ‘Cunts… and other conversations’ by Greg Taylor with help of friends 2008-2011is an installation comprising of 77 life size porcelain portrait sculptures of women’s vagina lit up against a black wall. The aim of the artwork Taylor tells is to help women accept their bodies and to try and reduce the shock and hostility that comes with the word ‘Cunt’, as it is, just a word. The equivalent word for males is widely used every day in society and doesn’t have the same derogatory notion. Taylor used a range of women aged 18-78 from all sorts of religions, cultural backgrounds, and occupations. He was shocked by some of the reactions as some of the women “had never seen their cunt, let alone know how beautiful it was”[1]. This shows how some women are disconnected from their bodies completely and maybe even ashamed and embarrassed.

The word ‘cunt’ is not heard in day-to-day life, and when it is it used it is a great insult or used to make a heightened statement. Taylor is hoping that by the repetition of the word and seeing it visually, hearing it and talking about it we won’t be so shocked by it. ‘The right to the night’ is a study conduction by Our Watch and Plan Australia, exploring the causes and concerned of women not being safe in public spaces, after dark, and what might be contributing to this[2]. 30% of women agreed with the statement that; girls shouldn’t be out after dark alone in public spaces. This statistic is shocking and proves that there is a perception in our society that men have some entitlement over women. This and other factors are why women fall behind in society.

As Taylor thinks that the more we see the word ‘cunt’ and the female body is celebrated rather than hidden the sooner it will be less of a taboo subject or word to say. The ‘Right to the night article’ lists the contributing factors and solutions we should be looking at in order to change inequality in society. The media and community have a great role in promoting girls rights, especially in public spaces. This includes minimizing the constant reporting of women being assaulted in public spaces and reporting it in a more sensitive way looking all side of the story, keeping it in perspective. The other big point in the article is saying how in order to make a real change in society in terms of how we view women in public is to challenge the attitudes, common beliefs, behaviors and practices which drive and condone gender-based violence. This is focused on victim blaming and the harmful reporting of women’s safety in our society[3]. It’s not till we change these beliefs through education and the promotion of the female body in a positive way that we will see a shift in society. A decrease in female violence should follow suit.

Although “Cunts and other conversations” is putting on show women’s vaginas, its execution is critical in it becoming a celebration instead of having a sexual nature about it. We live in a world where women are hyper-sexualized in our public through the media, advertising and popular culture[4]. This gives women and their sexuality an unwanted attention that is difficult to dodge or ignore, it is an unwanted representation for most women. In billboard culture for example images of women’s bodies that are hyper-sexualized are effortlessly hidden in our surroundings and can’t be avoided. This proves that more often than not women are put in front of the camera to be scrutinized and not celebrated and if your body does not fit this standard that there is something wrong with you[5]. Taylor’s work is so important because it exposes the female body and is putting it out there not at all in a degrading way. It just is what it is.

Overall I found Taylors work to be a positive peace in helping women become more equal in society and start conversations about ‘cunts’ and other female issues.

 

 

Clara Gallo.

[1] Cunts…and other conversations, Gonzo, 2011, Mona museum of new and old art

[2] Plan Australia Report: ‘A Right to the Night: Australian girls on their safety in Public places’ Plan International. 2016. 1-10. , 7

[3] Plan Australia Report: ‘A Right to the Night: Australian girls on their safety in Public places’ Plan International. 2016. 1-10. , 4

[4] Kalms, Nicole, ‘Hypersexualised Media in Urban Space’ in The Hypersexualised City: The Provocation of Soft-core Urbanism, Taylor and Francis: London 2017, 49-69.

[5] Kalms, Nicole, ‘Hypersexualised Media in Urban Space’ in The Hypersexualised City: The Provocation of Soft-core Urbanism, Taylor and Francis: London 2017, 49-69. , 57

 

 

 

 

Is a poster still a strong persuader tool?

Enter a captionNatalie Watson, Save Campbell Arcade campaign, February 23^rd 2018, Drongo Press, http://www.stickyinstitute.com/, accessed on 4^th April 2018

As constant consumers of advertising and media through the use of modern technology, I am interested to know if a poster still has a great effect on us. I will look at some of the visual techniques used in a current poster and see if these techniques have changed much over time. This poster was made in Melbourne by the local artist Natalie Watson from Drongo Press in late February 2018 and is displayed on Sticky Institute. The poster uses bright eye-catching colours, bold and informal text and humor to make a statement. It is commenting on the heritage-listed Campbell Arcade being set to be knocked down with the new metro tunnels. Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD under Flinders street, the quirky location is home to many independent stores such as a Zine shop, many up-cycled goods, fashion, jewelry, hairdressers and coffee and food stores.

The poster created by Michelle to support the Campbell Arcade campaign uses a various array of visual techniques to make it a successful poster and to get across a political view. As we are exposed to so much imagery is our daily lives, with modern technology, that it can all begin to clutter and be less stimulating to its audience. This, in turn, might make us actually disengage from the visuals instead of engaging with them. This is why a visual needs to communicate broadly with “compelling drama and power”[1]. A poster has the hard task of arresting the attention of its pass buyers, and competes with other posters alike. This political poster by Michelle gets straight to the point and is trying to engage its audience to not just accept that this event may occur but to take action to avoid it happening.

Interesting illustrations, colours, and text are working well within a hierarchy to achieve this[2]. The illustration style is relaxed and unrefined and the poster uses handwritten text as a way to get across the bulk of the information. The imperfect use of the handwriting and raw illustrations reflect the cause that the poster is advocating for. The Campbell arcade is home to quirky produce, which is fun, and creative, so it makes sense that the poster is more fun and whimsical. Humor is another visual techniques used. The worker shown peeping over the top of the fence with the quote “It’s just a tunnel….” Shows the ignorance of the workers and what most of the public who don’t have an idea about the Campbell’s Arcade being closed, are thinking. It’s comical how even the workers of the metro tunnel project are unaware of the damage they will cause to one of Melbourne historical sights. This should evoke a sense of action in the audience looking at the poster as we feel because we are removed from the situation we can make some impact or change. This motivation is also encouraged by the fighting and uplifting stances of the two figures and the dog shown.

Stephen Lees, Condoman, 1987, Redback, Accessed on April 4^th 2018

The techniques used by Michele in this poster are common to many other political or educational posters used all around the world but more importantly in Australian design. If we look at the graphic design company Redback Graphix who started creating these posters from the 1970’s they use many of the techniques that the Campbell arcade campaign poster does[3]. Sharp and flat colours are a professional technique that Redback graphics have used and is an effective way to create power in a poster. If you look at the example below of a mid 80’s poster to promote the use of contraception we can see that the use of a strong black outline, text which is informal and formal and a loose illustration style are used to get the message across to the audience much the same as the modern poster[4]. The strong black outline is bold and allows the colours to speak for themselves against each other.

As an artwork that is trying to make a change, and it seems to tick all the boxes, it would be interesting to see if you take notice of street press in you wonders? Would it make you make a change?

 

Clara Gallo.

[1] Rick Poyner, ‘Inkahoots and Socially Concerned Design’ Design Observer, 2013, http://designobserver.com/feature/inkahoots-and-socially-concerned-design-part-1/37948, 2

[2] Louise Dauth, “Posters: A Partial Picture,” Art Network, no. 5, summer/autumn 1982, pp. 26–7.

[3] Stephen, Ann, ‘Now we are ten: lets read redback’, Redback Retrospective, 1989: 9-13, 7

[4] Stephen, Ann, ‘Now we are ten: lets read redback’, Redback Retrospective, 1989: 9-13, 11