Identity, whether it be personal,
cultural or historical is solely based upon how one views it. Although society
categorizes it with one definition, it is easy to describe it in various ways. I
was able to visit the Museum of Modern art where in two exhibits one being “Cindy
Sherman”, the other “Contemporary Galleries: 1980- Now” I found pieces of art
that by my definitions described a sense of personal, cultural, and historical
identity.
In
the Contemporary Gallery one of the artworks displayed was “Tormented Self
Portrait” by Ashley Bickerton. As I viewed this, I automatically thought of products.
It was a collage of different logos representing consumer products. Altogether
it was a representation of different brand names which came across as a type of
cultural identity. Within different cultures different products are used. In
the American culture, for the most part, brand names are particularly
important. Viewing this specific artwork made me think about how different
people really are. The brand names displayed were foreign to me, but as a
couple passed behind me they knew almost every single one of them. I believe
the artist; Ashley Bickerton was focusing on representing a particular group
making this work fit into a category of cultural identity.
Another
piece of artwork that stood out to me in the Contemporary Gallery was that of
Doris Salcedo with “Atrabiliarios.” As I came across it, it was simply old
mistreated shoes in the wall. A bit confused I read a reading posted on the
wall. These shoes were a representation of people who disappeared during the Colombian
Civil War that began in the 1960’s, making it fit into historical identity, or
lack there of. This artwork was a unique way of showing respect to those who
are no longer with us.
Last
but not least and artwork that came across as personal identity was one in
Cindy Shermans display. “Doll Clothes” is a film that was transferred to DVD.
In the film there is a doll that is going through pages of clothing for her,
seems as though she is looking for something in her taste. She finds a dress,
puts it on, just to be later grabbed by a hand, have the dress taken off of her
and placed back inside the page. This represented personal identity because the
doll was looking for something she liked, but then forced to change. I translated
that to a sense of imprisonment where she can’t express herself the way she
wanted.
Identity
is the state or fact of being the same as one described. So although we have
general ideas as to what cultural, historical and personal identity is, it can
be described or shown as different things. The examples I’ve discussed from the
Cindy Sherman and Contemporary Galleries: 1980-Now exhibits, are only pieces
that came across as identity to me. For the most part, just like art,
expression of identity depends on who views it.
Ashley Bickerton
“Tormented Self Portrait”
Synthetic Paint, bronze powder and lacquer on wood, aluminum, rubber,
plastic, leather, chrome-plated steel and canvas.
1987-88
“Atrabiliarios”
Wall installation with plywood, shoes, animal fiber, thread, and
sheepskin, six niches
1992-93
Cindy Sherman
“Doll Clothes”
16mm film transferred to DVD
1975
