Dawn Woolley

Tuesday 6th October 2020

Notes:

-Explores the impact of adverts (how social ideas are transmitted via adverts)

-Her work combines still life with portraits

- Explains how there is a need for women to look perfect e.g cosmetics will use phrases such as airbrush which suggests removing flaws

-Explains how photos are unrealistic as there is a team and lighting used to create the perfect picture in adverts and the media

-Pleasure is short - inspired by Dutch ideologies

- Her work is often cut outs of people made to look real - combines 2D and 3D worlds

- Capitalism - during Christmas you are told to indulge and enjoy yourself yet in the new year you are told to restrict yourself and diet

- Social media is a mass marketing tool. Celebrity culture and selfies advertise the perfect life and body in a relatable, passive, life like and interact-able way. Celebrities become like imaginary friends and a gateway to a lifestyle you desire.

- She works in a range of mediums from performance art, installation and photography.

Reflection:

This was a really interesting lecture and talk. I was really interested to learn about how much academic studies and research went into her project and to hear the depth and ideologies that went into her work. I also liked learning about how she was able to produce work through collectives, commissions and by applying for grants. Her worked seemed to be heavily influenced by societies expectations and the power of social media, branding and advertisements, these are all topics that I am all very interested however Woolley takes a very strong and negative stance on theses topics whilst also producing work that isn't something I would usually look into. This helped me look at things from a different perspective and allow me to witness a new and almost sculpture way of working.