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Its important to me, that my images sit well together within the series aesthetically, almost like a unified magazine spread. It was also important that the series didn't feel too portrait heavy, being that I wanted every image to possess meaning- I feel too many portraits might have led to some being redundant. From looking at the contact sheet swell as printing out the images at a kiosk on 6x4 I played around with the images - It has become key in my sequencing and collection process to work with physical prints working with images from various shoots and seeing how they sit placed with one another. From this process I was able to select the images I wish to use - combined from both portraits and the close up across shots. From this process I also figured out I wanted a dyptych of two of the the 'spilt beans' images as I felt they conveyed the subjects agency well - juxtaposing the content I am critiquing.

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The editing process for the cover started with colour garding the image by increasing both the magenta and cyan and then adding a pink hue. I then altered the background to blue using the paint brush tool and added the text which I created in illustrator. After this I selected my subject using the AI selection tool and brought her forward so the text and background were behind adding some depth. Overall I am very happy with this outcome and it was fun to produce an image in conjunction with text for the book.

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After a tutorial with one of my tutors who suggested I approach this next shoot slightly differently I will not be planning individual frames ahead of time but instead going into the shoot with a more free flowing stance - inviting my subjects to interact with the props I place in front of them in whatever way they wish, in an aim to capture something that feels both visceral yet not a performance- i wish for my subject to have agency.

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All of my images were edited on photoshop, the whole process was integral to how my final images were executed, it was important that my images were highly saturated, colour graded in a cohesive way and that my subjects complexions were smooth and air brushed looking, in line with the style of advertisements I am mocking. This process started with initial colour grading ensuring the reds and oranges were as vivid as they could be, I enjoy how these colours clashed so I therefore wanted to enhance this. I then used the pen tool to select the background and fill it white so each background was as crisp as it could be and the exact same shade of white. After this I used both the blemish, clone and blur tool to smooth the complexion of my subjects I used masks to add highlights to the food, makeup and jewelery for an almost 'fake' look (highly polished) I am happy with my final edits and believe it has given the series further cohesion and further cemented my concept mimicking ad stills.

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ASMR EATING SPICY WHOLE CHICKEN CURRY,SPICY EGG CURRY,RED CHILLI,RICE *FOOD VIDEOS*

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After Mukbangs, came ASMR food content, whilst not precisely sexual like Mukbangs, ASMR content is extremely visceral content - standing for 'autonomous sensory meridian response' a term used to describe a tingling, static-like, or goosebumps sensation in response to specific triggering audio or visual stimuli. I wish to combine an element of audio using ASMR to elevate the sensory elements my work aims to evoke in its viewers whilst also mimicking the sounds associated with this type of content. I will be recording this using the 3DIO microphone used specifically for ASMR for its realistic surround sound quality.

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There was a time when was a dirty word that referred to something that people in polite society don't talk about. Today, the word porn is thrown around for a wide range of far less risqué topics.

Perhaps you've browsed some food porn on social media, for example, or have scanned through a stream of house porn images for decoration inspiration. Porn has become an add-on for everyday things and interests-one that many people readily tack onto comments and image descriptions.

The word porn also still carries its original meaning before this usage evolution: sexually explicit content. This influences all meanings of porn throughout its evolution, which has led to its fair share of problems.

What is porn?

is sexually explicit content (especially in the form videos and images) that's "produced to elicit sexual arousal." It was first recorded in 1960-65 as the shortened version of pornography, which has the same meaning. The full word has a much longer history. It was first recorded in 1840-50, and it stems from the Greek word pornográphos, which referred to writings ( gráphos) about harlots ( pórnē), or "prostitutes." The goal then, as with pornography now, is to, well, "stimulate sexual excitement."

This definition has always been about sex. However, what specific qualities make an image, text, or video porn depends on who you're asking. From a legal standpoint, the most famous definition of hard-core porn was made by Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart in 1964: "I know it when I see it." ( Soft-core porn is "sexually explicit videos, photographs, writings, or the like, produced to elicit sexual arousal.")

Looking for a playful way to express your ... excitement? Check out these code words for S-E-X.

Whether Potter would have known food porn when he saw it is up for debate-as is the case with all of the other words that are defined by porn's second, less explicit definition.

When not talking about sexual content, porn can be used to mean content that's meant to "cater to an excessive, irresistible desire for or interest in something," such as a hyper-focused social media feed of images of cheese-dripping pizza, for example.

Food porn to house porn: the shifting use of porn

Even when porn isn't being used to describe sexually explicit content, it still refers to content that people look at or interact with to satisfy a desire. It also still generally refers to content that is beyond what's readily accessible in day to day life-gold-covered ice cream, for example, or meticulously laid-out cheese boards.

Have you ever tried a Lumpia Carne Asada Burrito?

🇵🇭🌯🇲🇽

When Filipino and Mexican flavors combine, it's delicious! 👌🏼🤤

With @hungryhugh #foodporn #food pic.twitter.com/vSrPNHIsyk

- Foodporn (@food_porn) January 18, 2021

THIS is the one pic.twitter.com/chy2eT9p2O

- House Porn (@homeanddecor_) January 20, 2021

Pretty much anything can be-and has been-described using this second definition of porn. Often the content that's being labeled as a type of porn is fanatically obsessed with the subject. House porn is 100 percent about the big and small details of homes, from the structural shape to the wall trimmings, and people who view house porn are satisfying a desire for a voyeuristic view into a home they don't own.

Porn can also be applied to more abstract ideas. There's moral outrage porn, which is when people seek out and view content that makes them angry-a contact on social media who espouses very different views than your own, for instance. Hustle porn refers to content that shows people who overwork themselves for a central goal. If you've ever seen someone post about working through the night and sleeping when they're dead, then you've seen hustle porn. Viewing it gives the idea that extreme hustle is what it takes to achieve what you want in work or business.

There's also poverty porn and famine porn, which are terms typically used when talking about content featuring people who are living on the street, wearing tattered clothing, or are visibly starving. Both exploit people who are suffering in order to garner attention or donations from people who viewed the content and want to help. The subjects of the photos, videos, or texts are often paid less attention than the idea of poverty or famine for shock value.

Though it's prevalent in today's world of niche internet sites and social media, the metaphorical meaning of porn isn't new. In fact, it's been used since at least the early 1990s to talk about content that's designed to grab attention and obsessively cater to a person's desires or goals.

When the word porn becomes problematic

There are problems that can arise when the word porn is used outside of its original definition.

For one, porn still carries its original definition and sexual connotation with it everywhere it goes. Food porn takes something that a lot of people like-pizza, for example-and relates it to sexual objectification. So much of porn notoriously dehumanizes women through depicting sexual violence, and using the same word in relation to something frivolous such as over-the-top food glosses over the realities of women who work in porn.

Using porn is especially problematic when the word takes something negative like famine and relates it in terms usually used to describe sexual gratification (in the case of pornography) or objects like a fancy spiral staircase (in the case of real estate porn).

At the heart of how we use the word porn in the generic sense is gratification without investing in what it takes to obtain or upkeep what's being described. It allows people to interact with an object or idea without any of the struggle that it takes to do things as far-ranging as creating an over-the-top Bloody Mary or understanding why people are experiencing poverty. In short, using the word porn for things other than porn can make the word lose its meaning. Context is lost when things are simply labeled "porn" and depict gratifying or emotionally moving images without any background information.

While calling something porn can be a signal that you've found a particular exciting example of your passion, whether a souped-up car or beautiful old tree, keep in mind that the metaphorical use of the word porn can still have a negative impact on the way people view very consequential things-sex, relationships, food, and possessions, not mention the big issues the world faces like poverty and famine.

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Food Porn: Should It Really Be Called That?

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So many things excite us these days-from decadent food to luxurious homes-that we call them "porn." Is it suitable to label everything this way though?

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Brilliant Agency | Social Media | Branding | Marketing | For Food & Drink Brands

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The Power Of Foodporn - Brilliant Agency | Social Media | Branding | Marketing | For Food & Drink Brands

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Marketing, branding and social media agency for food, drink and consumer brands | Social Media | Marketing | Brand

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No this isn't real porn involving food... although that's another conversation. Food Porn is a word used in internet spaces describe how food is 'glamourized visual presentation of cooking or eating in advertisements, infomercials, blogs, cooking shows, and other visual media. Its origins come from a restaurant review e-commerce.' explaining the connection between people and food as erotic but also implying there is an element of guilt involved in consuming this content. The internet trend has turned into a multi - million pound revenue maker.

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How do I plan on critiquing as opposed to mirroring this?

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How do I plan on critiquing as opposed to mirroring this?

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Because I plan on using the conventions found in food advertising its a slippery slop to navigate as I want to critique this content not merely re produce it. I want to make it clear this a parody aim to highlight the ridiculous elements to this ad trope - This will mainly come from the content of my images being that I will invite my subjects to consume and indulge in a way that teeters away from these neat versions of consumption, however I also want to make it clear that my subjects have far more agency than these models do - trying to capture an elated and genuine joy that doesn't feel like its being performed in the way this content does.

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As well as advertising, the trope of women consuming food has branched out to various platforms, most prominantley on Youtube which has seen creators make major revenue. The trend began back in the early 2010's and whilst not as popular today still exists as a genre on the platform consumed by many viewers. Its hard to ignore the inatley sexual element to these videos, from the direct eye contact with the audience to loud mouth noises and sexually illusive movements these videos do appear to follow pornographic conventions. I have noted this trend down as it displays in which spaces women are allowed and invited to indulge in consumption in perhaps a slightly more visceral and 'gross' way - this 'allowed' space being in front of a camera, very much appealing to the male gaze and fetish content. This shows how whether in advertisements, online content or porn - women eating and consuming is inatley performative and extremely passive.

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‘Pretty gross’

A series that unveils the space that sits between seduction and disgust.

‘Pretty Gross’ critiques the way women’s bodies have been visualised in popular media, commodified in a highly sexualised way yet simultaneously refused indulgence that sits outside of a hegemonic, patriarchal gaze. In this series my subjects are invited to indulge in various forms of consumption not often visualised in images that belong to this visual canon. These image conventions were adopted from typical advertisements that feature women consuming food in an aim to parody the visual trope, pushing outside its ‘allowed’ boundaries and forming a visceral viewing experience, one intended to both entice and repel its viewers.

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Mukbangers are Making Money Eating on Camera

By Sabrina Martinez

Millions of people every day get on YouTube to watch all sorts of videos, including videos of people eating. The craze is called mukbang, (pronounced MOOK-bong), where people record themselves eating an impressive amount of food while talking to their viewers. Mukbangers and foodie bloggers are making upwards of thousands of dollars a month, and while the job doesn't come with insurance or benefits, it does come with millions of subscribers and internet fame.

Originating in South Korea, the mukbang, or "eating broadcast," became popular in 2010. Now retired Park Seo-Yeon, also known as 'The Diva,' is the most well-known mukbanger in South Korea making around $9,000 a month. She earned her wages by consuming extra large meals live in front of a camera, answering questions from some of her 145,000-something subscribers while earning 'gifts' in the form of virtual coins which is converted to real money.

The trend reached the United States in 2015 and YouTubers like Trisha Paytas and Nicholas Perry keep their estimated combined 6,152,868 subscribers entertained by ordering a lot of food and talking about personal drama or anything on their mind. Paytas and Perry reel in about $4.9K - $78.2K and $2.6K - $42.3K respectively, according to Social Blade, through advertisements that play during their video.

I watch mukbangs when I'm alone eating in my room so I feel like I have company with me," says mukbang fan, Thalia Carrillo. "One time Trisha Paytas did a KFC mukbang and I paused the video to order a bucket of chicken."

In 2018, 'Mukbang' content on YouTube generated about 341 million views, according to a study by Tubular. Viewers are watching people consume whole pizzas, mixing bowls full of pasta, or ramen to combat their loneliness, at least that's the idea that turned mukbangs into a huge hit.

Mukbangs aren't the only way eating food is paying the bills. Austin foodie, Jane Ko makes her living by eating food and writing about it. She runs and produces content for her blog, A Taste of KoKo.

She started her blog in 2010 during her last year at The University of Texas. She reviews restaurants, food trucks and even tells her readers the best spots for happy hour.

"I was finishing up my degree in nutrition when I realized I didn't want to become a dietitian so I started the blog as a creative outlet. This was before the term "influencer" was born. I blogged along the way as I worked in the social media industry and quit my job in 2015 to blog full-time," said Ko.

The job is tasty but doesn't come cheap. Ko says her bank statement looks like a food diary and she typically spends $3,000 a month on food. She says the best part of her job is getting to eat all of the food, and the other is helping people with recommendations for lunch or office parties or even suggestions on where to propose.

Ko doesn't watch or film mukbangs since she already does so much eating for her blog articles. She has dabbled in a similar form of mukbangs via Instagram stories.

While the foodie lifestyle looks glamorous, it isn't easy.

"The worst part would probably be gaining weight from eating all the food. I've also noticed recently that influencers have been easily bullied online - I've seen local food bloggers get scrutinized for doing sponsored campaigns with national restaurant chains but I hope people understand that there's a lot of out of pocket costs from running a blog. One of my brand pillars is to not take sponsorship money from national restaurant chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, etc," Ko says.

America's food fascination is also raising questions about obesity and eating disorders. In Korea, obesity rates are among the lowest but have been increasing steadily in recent years, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. About 4% of the adult population in Korea is obese, and about 30% are overweight. It is suspected that the rates will continue to increase.

Americans have also adopted food fetishes and even made internet challenges out of eating copious amounts of calories. Videos like "10,000 Calorie Eating Challenge" are about one thing, people literally scarfing down 10,000 calories of food in one sitting.

YouTuber Rob Lipsett eats 10,000 calories in an hour.

Mukbangs and foodie blogs produce mouth-watering content but also cause people to become addicted to food. The OECD reported that the United States is " the fattest country " and predicts three out of four people will be overweight within the next 10 years. Whether you produce foodie content or simply just watch for entertainment, remember to eat with caution.

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Millions of people every day get on YouTube to watch all sorts of videos, including videos of people eating. The craze is called mukbang, (pronounced MOOK-bong), where people record themselves eating...

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This shoot has definitely finalised many of the ideas I was exploring previously. I am happy with how I captured my subjects - capturing an indulgence and fantasy element I feel wasn't as clear in previous shoots. I also enjoy the close up shots of the hair in the mouth and the feet- I feel these were definitely needed in terms of guiding my concept - I feel I was falling into other territories without these images ie. looking more like I was trying to depict binge eating/ disordered eating. These two images will also add more dynamic to my series which is heavily portrait based. The only thing I would have possibly altered in hindsight would be the pink milk shots - although I d. really enjoy these images I wish I had kept the macro lens on the camera as I prefer them cropped (as see to the left) photographing these images with the macro would have increased the quality of the image.

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My installation will consist of 7 prints, 2 of which are A3 and 5 that are A4, all printed on fuji flex a hyper glossy finish. I chose this finish as I wanted a highly polished look to my images (connoting to advertising style images) almost looking as if you could wipe the surface clean- juxtaposing the content of the images. I chose to present the two A3 images as a dyptych as I feel they capture the two different gazes I sought out to capture. The top left capture the more typical images captured by advertisers whilst the second image truly encapsulates a joy- the model has far more agency in this image.

Ideally I also want to incorporate audio into my installation. It is important to me that my work is highly sensory, I feel audio would help elevate this. I want to record on the 3DIO microphone, which is specifically for capturing realistic panoramic sound, used in ASMR. The recording would be sounds of milk pouring, squelching beans etc...

This added element plays into ideas I explored surrounding misophonia and also alluding to the hyper sexualisation of women eating food online for ASMR (mukbang style videos)

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Carls Junior is an American Burger bar infamously known for featuring attractive women consuming their products in a highly visceral way, playing off porn conventions with heavy loaded innuendos. This ad is one of the most obvious examples, Kim is quite literally featured in a bedroom wearing nightwear staring at the camera making direct eye contact with audience as she seductivley licks her fingers. These adverisement's seem almost humorous often produced in a comical and light hearted manner, however they have greater implications when it comes to perceptions of women. Unlike food advertisments featuring men, who are given agency to tear burgers apart or cram a handful of Mcoys 'the crisps for men' into their gob. women are denied this agency featured only delicatley consuming their food, my images aim to play off these conventions unveiling what happens when women are photographed indulging in a far more visceral way.

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An example of these conventions at play - Carls Junior Ad - Kim Kardashian

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An example of these conventions at play - Carls Junior Ad - Kim Kardashian

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When first exploring the theory of abjection through my work, I was looking at it from a broad sense- I have now narrowed it to oral consumption and food and how women are displayed interacting with food, aiming to locate that uncomfortable border between the sensual and the grotesque unveiling who is enabled to perform these more disgusting acts and who is not. I aim to tempt the viewer to question this themselves - relying on typical advertising conventions that allude to highly sexualised imagery of women consuming various foods and liquids but then taking it just that slightly bit further leaving the viewer questioning where that line is between the attractive, seductive and alluring and the abject, gross and disgusting.

Typical advertising conventions

It's well known that sex sells, for decades women have been used to target male consumers relying on archaic understandings of the woman's role in the household as well as blatant objectification. Although we have come far from these struct gendered roles within the household, advertising still remains in the past, relying on these sexist ideologies to sell products. There are two clear advertising conventions at play when it comes to women featured in food ads you have as Katherine Parkin explains 'kitchen work and serving food are mostly portrayed as women’s work which is believed as a demonstration of love for their family. Advertising establishes and reinforces the belief that by buying and making the particular product, women could achieve a social status, a happy marriage and healthy children (Parkin, 2006)' And , moving away from this more wholesome imagery on the other side of the spectrum you have as HAILE VERSAVEL TECLEAB describes 'Certain food advertisements use women as a sex object to transmit sexual information displayed as nudity, sexual behavior, physical attraction, sexual referents and sexual embeds. Women are often seen as having an erotic experience with food in ads. Advertises offer food as a way to relate sexual images to their product creating a connection between the consumer and the product'

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The Interim show was a great experience for me specifically in terms of

sequencing my images and learning how to accuratley depict my concept

aided through my modes of presentation. This wasn't something I had had

to consider properly previously as all my images have been printed at the same

size without consideration of where they might sit in a space. Printing the images

in varying sizes presenting sparadically on hyper glossy paper all adds to my

over riding concept/ feeling I aimed to provoke with this installation. It was not

important for me to use high quality paper as I was partially relying on the lo-fi

aesthetics associated with back rooms and liminal spaces - the mapping of the

images in a spider gram/map order too adds to the unsettling, unknown gaze I was

capturing, mimicking a stalker shrine. Overall, I am grateful for the experience

of creating an exhibition, not only because of the knowledge and understandings

gained on the importance of modes of production but also being able to experience

everything else involved in organising an exhibition, from collaboratively creating the flyer

and advertising the event to curating the space, this is something I look forward to

doing in the future as my practice evolves.

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A quick google search of 'women eating gross' results in thousands of mukbang style videos made by women eating gross things or consuming food in a gross way - it appears every other form of media portrays women eating, consuming or simply 'being' in a very polished, sterile and clean way. this translates into reality, women are not given the same liberties as men when it comes to decorum or how thier body behaves. Thats why it is interesting to see that there is a thriving trend on youtube of women purposfully exhibiting ' gross' behaviour, suggesting there might be a male audience aiding this content, also being sexualised.

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Food Advertising Is Still Feeding Gender Stereotypes

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In 2014, according to many mainstream food advertisements, men only eat meat and women only consume yogurt, a stereotype that would make Gloria Steinem want to go on a hunger strike.

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I Really visually enjoy how Rottenberg explores 'the abject' in her work, playing on very polished, kitsch aesthetics - I find it works well in maintaining the viewers attention, left confused why they are enjoying her visuals so much. This is going to be a key element to my own work. I want to make the viewer question why they are enjoying something so disgusting - left wondering if they are repulsed or attracted to my subjects, Rottenberg does this excellently.

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These page spreads/ cover are from my initial book mock up, I plan to add to the book as my project develops, refining my concept theme and adding images as I continue to shoot, in an aim to record the project as a self published piece. The process if creating this book has been very beneficial in terms of sequencing , colour grading and recognising themes across my recent work whilst also detecting where there might be gaps in my conceptual development, which has been very useful.

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‘Pretty Gross’

What is my project/book about?  My Project Is based around Julia Kristeva's theory of abjection, which explores the concept of something neither object or subject, but more so an experience or a reaction to actions or things that have been perceived as ‘out of bounds’ revoking feelings of disgust. Examples of this include abjection towards bodily fluids/ bodily excretions ie. Menstrual blood, snot and vomit. Abjection is not only a physical phenomenon it also describes the state of being cast off due to sitting outside a ‘norm’ defined by a code of morality. In my project thus far I have been exploring abjection in conjunction to typical advertising conventions associated with food advertising, specifically the hyper sexualisation of female subjects used to sell food. I have partnered the two aiming to create highly sense evoking images that aim to locate the border between the seductive and the disgusting.

What is the title of the project/ book? Pretty Gross

List the most meaningful ideas around these images

Abjection

The spaces between seduction and disgust

Hyper sexualization of women as an advertising convention

How will you display your story/ narrative in book form? (lineal, clusters or narrative?) I want to combine my images with text, it won’t necessarily be structured in a strictly linear way, more so a study combining both up close shots and portraits sequenced in a way that plays with the ‘seductive’ polished images partnered with hyper realistic, macro images that highlight the raw, ‘unfiltered’ and disgusting details of the image.

What texts will you be including? This project was originally born from reading a poetic monologue from the film ‘foe’ that spoke on the ‘in built scum’ we all have, a highly sensory description that included the chewing of processed meat between rotten gums. I Found this text highly gripping and visceral – and is something I feel would accompany my images very well, therefore I will be attempting to write my own creative descriptions/ poems.

Please describe your envisioned book? (paper type etc..)My book will consist of around 16-20 pages printed onto glossy magazine type paper (in line with the commercial advertsing conventions I am playing off of) The colouring of most of my images has a pink/ reddish hue to them, so I want the cover to be complimentary to this.

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These images were from a shoot I did this week having been inspired by Pipilotti Rist's exhibition at the Tate. They feature a mixture of foods that I selected to create an image rich in textures- I enjoy how some of them look like a landscape - rather all consuming.

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In terms of visual aesthetics, I really do enjoy this gory yet camp/ kitsch imagery - this is something I want to potentialy explore further - horror/slasher genre imagery.

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For this shoot I wanted to play around with typical advertising conventions associated with food advertisements and the women who are often hyper - sexualised, pictured seductively biting into a piece of fried chicken or licking the yogurt on the top of a muller yogurt lid. I wanted to play off these highly aesthetisized, commercial looks but try and push it a little further so it teeters on the edge of seductive and gross, helping to question these boundaries. This plays into my exploration of 'the abject' at large- creating images that produce a highly sensory, visceral response causing repulsion. I am happy with this shoot in the sense I like the colours I selected, creating a very easy on the eye pallette similar to a typical advertising image of this sort. However, for my next shoot, continuing in this vain I do want to push this set 'boundary' between the beautiful seductive and the abject a little further to make the images more repulsive - leaving the viewer wondering if they are repulsed or attracted to the subject and playing around with where this shift happens.

Technical reflections -

In terms of what went well technically, I am happy with the lighting set up for this shoot, I used two flashes to light the background creating a very crisp white background which was key in terms of the glossy ad aesthetic I was aiming for, completely different look to the images from the 'honey shoot' with the black background, that was much more moody. To light my subject I used a third flash with a beauty dish attatched pointed in a downwards direction so the lighting was coming from above, again creating a crisp light with minimal shadow. For lenses I switched between the 70-50mm sigma lens and the macro lens. The macro lens was great for capturing the close up images of my subjects mouth, hands and face truly picking up on those smaller details that definitley teeter on the 'grosser' side. For the more polished 'seductive' images I opted for the sigma, obviously much wider than the macro it is a great lens for portraits- aiding the more commercial looking images.

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These images stuck out to me , reminding me of the sassy yet horifying female protoganists of the 'female rage' trope - not too dis-similar to a still from Jenifer's body a film notorious for partnering gore and sexiness. These juxtapositions definitely build upon the pretty/gross/abject that I am playing with.

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I wanted to photograph meat up close, in a experimental effort to see what kind of visuals this would create- also inspired by the 'foe' monologue which talks of the disgust associated with meat and the consumption of meat. I think there is something here in terms of -Abjection- although slightly biased as I am a vegetarian, I think the reaction of disgust when walking past your local butchers is somewhat universal - the smell so distunct and that natural urge to look away from the hanging meat in the window - it all feels a little to real, and bodily in comparison to the neatly packaged processed meat of the supermarkets. Its more so the organ like, bodily visuals I am interested in capturing - questioning our aversion to such visuals. Many artists have explored this concept, painters such as Jenny Saville (who captures her subjects exaggerating the fleshy, meaty and veiny parts) and Anish Kapoor (detailed and gory paintings of meat) as well as Gunther von Hagens creator of 'body worlds.' a touring exhibition that features the preserved remains of humans.

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Having been inspired by the work of Marilyn Minter I wanted to experiment with various substances on a glass pane to create visuals that entice yet disgust at the same time. I am happy with how the technique using the glass creating interesting textures, however I did struggle locating a focal point as when the focus was set to my face the detail on the glass wasn't as strong even on a wide depth of field - if I revisit this idea I will definitely be using a model as it was a challenge to execute what I wanted through a self portrait, I will also use a macro lens. Although I wasn't able to achieve hyper- detail in some of the glass images I am happy with the hazier looking images too - adding to the smeared textures created by the honey and glass, so there could be further experimentation here. I also enjoy how whilst these images are gross there is a sensual element to them, a canniness to food advertisements featuring over sexualised women - i think playing with this paradox using advertising conventions could be very interesting- teetering on the edge between sexy and disgusting.

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I decided to present these 3 images as my final selection for the triptych, I feel they work well in conjunction with each other forming somewhat of a circular narrative aided further through the use of the red image as the final of the 3. One tiny annoying detail is the crop on the final image, I wish it was the same crop as the first - for more coherence, this was something I didn't neccesarily think about during shooting as i was playing around with the framing without having a set idea in mind about how i was going to use the images in conjunction tone another - having said that, this way of shooting has been effective for me - relying more on intuition in my image making process as opposed to concept - led image making. This is something I will definitley be exploring in my upcoming shoots, potentially using some of the other images from this shoot and building a larger sequence.

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I am happy with the outcomes for this shoot, I enjoyed creating the lighting set up using coloured gels over the studio lights, i feel this was integral for this shoot aiding the overall etherial almost painterly aesthetic of the image that lends itself to a fantasy- like/ dream core look. The intention of this shoot was to create a 'fantastical world' further exploring the ideas I was visualising in my specialisation project - childhood ideals of beauty and hyper femininity and dress up culture. If i were to explore this idea further in my following shoots i would work more on constructing a stronger background as i feel he image looks obviously shot in a studio which is not exactly what i am aiming for, something more 3 dimensional would work better producing less of a 'flat' image. The most successful images of this shoot are the close- up shots, I prefer the framing of these images far more as it picks up the smaller details - more visually interesting. Having said that if I were to present these images as a series or even just a diptych I would pair my final selected image with one of the full length ones.

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Whilst I enjoy some of the shots from these two shoots, I found using the Penatx 67 as opposed to a lightweight digital camera really effected my image making process - I find using analogue can be greatin terms of every image being highly constructed and thought out - just through the very function of the camera not being automated in the same way a DSLR is. During my previous project i was able to produce quick snap shot like images that definitley aided the internet aesthetics and back room concepts I was exploring, these images have a completley different feel. I am however glad I chose to further experiment with analogue before deciding on my medium for the final project, I do think digital formats will suit the aesthetic I wish to explore in my following shoots.

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After spending some time with my images, I have refined my final images to 12, mapped out above - I want the 4 images that are presented as a set of diptych's printed at A4 , and the remaining images printed at 6x4 and pinned to the wall at a decent distance - mapped out like a spider gram. The sequencing element of the final presentation is key for this project and really exacorbate the concepts and feeling i want the images to exude.

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Inspirations for Kitsch aesthetics - Mika Rottenberg and abjection

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Rottenberg Mika | Marys Cherries | By Afterimage Matter | Facebook

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I want to play off the over-sexualised advertising conventions found in food ads - featuring women seductively consuming junk food- But push it a little further to the point it becomes 'gross' playing with the ideas of abjection I have explored thus far - leaving the viewer questioning whether they are attracted or disgusted by the image, linking to ideas surrounding how women are allowed to conduct themselves - unable to indulge or gorge in the way men are- deemed unattractive and unsexy as opposed to comedic (when men burp, eat quickly and messily etc)

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by Jaskaran Sangha

The media has a powerful role over women and their body image, which use this power to define the way of conveying messages and having the audience draw in. They believe that everything they say is true.

The media has its own way of twisting and portraying food as being very "bad" or "good" for you. As an example, food has a strong connection to body since it is the main factor in determining ones body weight. How media use food in advertisements? In the media, we predominately see food being used as a sex object, or as a means to achieve the "fabulous skinny body" everybody dreams of. Everyday, we see these ads on the magazines and TVs. As a result, many food advertisements include women to reach their targeted group of men. In those ads, usually sexy and provocative women are shown with specific food items that the companies are trying to sell. This shows us how media stereotypes; women are seen as an attractive objects by men, women do not eat as much as men do, and women are seductive. That is why they are able to sell food much easier because of the fact that the women barely have any clothes on!

To selling their products many dieting companies use the before and after picture or testimony of women, which impact women negatively. They are aiming to shape the women's perspective to relate this comparison to situation and buy the diet product in order to look like their after image. Diet products vary from pills, drinks, meals to meal points. All of the companies state that they are the best and they give results right away. Because of these ads many women receive mixed emotions about food and their body image. On one side, they use food as a sex object and to be seductive; on the other side, they promote dieting to get the beautiful body. That is why today many women do not have good eating habits, whose health is affected due to the negative messages that the media conveys.

My personal view is that woman's bodies are used negatively in order to sell an item and we are so prone to these types of ads. We do not see how wrong they truly are! Now, considering the other side of the gender spectrum, we can see that there are rarely any ads or commercials with nude men selling food. We can see how we are use to seeing women in ads such that include household products, laundry detergents, vacuums, perfumes, clothing. As of 2012, can we say that women and men are not equal? Don't men do same household works as woman such as cleaning and laundry? Now, we should ask ourselves why woman are the center of the media. I think, we should consider what we are seeing and realize that women are not objects. We are equal human being. We should be portrayed equally in the media since it is the biggest influence in the public particularly over the younger audience.

Jaskaran Sangha is participating in Violence, Media Representations and Families a media literacy program joint initiative between Kwantlen Polytechnic University Sociology Department, First Voices and Battered Women's Support Services

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The relationship between food and woman in the ads - BWSS

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by Jaskaran Sangha The media has a powerful role over women and their body image, which use this power to define the way of conveying messages and having the audience draw in. They believe that everything they say is true. The media has its own way of twisting and portraying food as being very "bad" [...]

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She describes what she calls “food loathing” as “perhaps the most elementary and most archaic form of abjection” (2). According to Kristeva, people may experience food loathing merely by seeing a detested food item or even just watching someone consume or ingest a particular type of food.

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'aesthetisizing the abject' - advertising conventions

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'aesthetisizing the abject' - advertising conventions

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Sequencing some of the images from my recent shoot has helped me decide what my next steps are and where I want my project to go. I am enjoying the sensory visuals I have managed to create and want to continue, experimenting with different lenses and compositions. Colour is also something I will be prioritisng in my upcoming shoots - I want a sort of fantasy element to my images playing with vibrant colours and highly saturated images. In terms of aesthetic choices I want to play around with a more 'clean' look, using visual codes associated with advertising and commercial photography - especially food ads, looking at sensuality associated with food and 'the abject' on a whole in the same way Pipalotti Rist and Marilyn Minter do with their work, blurring the lines between 'pretty' and 'gross' Therefore my upcoming shoots aim to be more 'sterile' choreographed shots - inspired by the likes of Martin Parr. I think playing with the idea of 'sterile' environments and orchestrated choreographed 'mess' I through highly polished aesthetics associated with advertisements will be an interesting juxtaposition in my work.

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I visited Rist's current installation 'Lobe of the Lung' (2009) at the Tate Modern, being able to experience Rists work in person and as intended, on huge floor-to-ceiling screens that span the whole room- you really get a immersive, sensory and visceral feeling, transformed into the world Rist has created. The visuals include piles of food, crushed by what feels like a giant foot and underwater scenes that feature menstruation- blood leaking into the sea. Here, Rist is activley enaging with the 'digusting' the 'gross' and the 'abject' in highly visually pleasing ways.

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Rottenberg's 'Mary's cherries' is a short film about 3 women who sit on 3 different levels running a working chain to create glace cherries from fingernails which grow using a special lamp charged by the bikes each worker sits on. Here, Rottenberg is playing with the idea of disgust and the abject (being that the finger nail is being removed and turned into something edible) However, she frames this abjection in a very kitsch way making it somewhat pleasing to watch.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

Aug 12, 2008 · Mika Rottenberg's mesmerising video installations are humorous and surrealistic. In Mary's ...
Duration: 3:36
Posted: Aug 12, 2008

Apr 10, 2020 · Au temps du confinement, le service des publics du Frac OM a imaginé un dispositif numérique ...
Duration: 1:00
Posted: Apr 10, 2020

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Mika Rottenberg, Mary's Cherries - Google Search

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Aug 12, 2008 · Mika Rottenberg's mesmerising video installations are humorous and surrealistic.

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Minter works with both photography, moving image and paintings that feature hyper realistic up close shots of women and androgonous figures often covered in garish makeup, glitter and beads. Minter has been both praised and critiqued for her work, specifically the images she has produced that are more pornographic, slightly harder to look at than her highly aesthecised images of pearls in mouths. I think this combination of images works very well and comments on the phenomenom i aim to explore in my own work - locating the boundary between what is considered socially ok or even 'beautiful' and where that visual boundary is then crossed to the abject, the unacceptable and the grotesque. Interestingly, whilst Minter has critiqued the beauty industry through her work she plays off of typical advertising conventions making her images very easy to look at, because of this Minter has actually worked for a variety of beauty brands, including mac cosmetics.

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. Rist's work is both pretty and disgusting, as Watlington states, her disgusting work tests her viewers tolerence where as critics have said her 'pretty' work remains far more empty - Watlington argues against this, stating 'Rist has made blockbuster exhibitions out of images of substances—like menstrual blood—often considered disgusting and taboo.'

she frames the abject in a beautiful way

in doing sp, she alters viewers tolerance to images of things previously abjected

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Pretty Gross: Aestheticized Abjection in Feminist Video Art, 1996-2009 by Emily Watlington

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Pretty Gross: Aestheticized Abjection in Feminist Video Art, 1996-2009 by Emily Watlington

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'Rist, Minter, and Rottenberg deliberately toe the line between fine art and mass media, between art and advertisement. They work simultaneously with the formal language of attraction and seduction of advertising, as well as with techniques of aversion from abject performance art.'