Constructing an Identity

Throughout your life, you construct your identity. Be it the way of personal experiences, relationships, emotions, or simply wanting to change the way you are. Your upbringing, without a doubt, influences who you are as a person and who you become. These variety of factors are coupled with the identity you cannot change. Such identities include; race, class, religion, power, and more. When constructing our own identity, we crave to be seen in the light that we want to be noticed. As John Berger says in Ways of Seeing, “Soon after we can see, we are aware that we can also be seen. The eye of the other combines with our own eye to make it fully credible that we are part of the visible world.”(Berger 3). In many ways, while constructing our identity, we take pieces from different people in our life. We find traits that we find attractive. The way society surrounds us, influences the way we choose to present ourselves. Ultimately, we seek gratification and attraction. 

In terms of spectacle, we seek to be included in it. We find ourselves wanting to be in the middle of the spectacle. Society is all about presentation. Just like we present ourselves when constructing our identity, so does the spectacle. “In societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into representation.”(Debord). The spectacle gazes the needs of society. Everyone wants to be noticed, or to have attention drawn to them in some form or another. We as a society seek out attention and the approval of others. In the likes of social media, we portray happiness to others to make ourselves feel better. As Finklestein states in The Art of Self Invention; "to participate in society we cultivate a public persona, a manner of being in the world that works to sustain our engagement with others.” (Finklestein). We are conforming to the spectacle. 

Self identity is prevalent in so many pieces of art. Art has always been seen as a way to express ourselves. Expression is the similarity that self identity and art share. Often times we express ourselves through how we look; our hair, tattoos, piercings, clothing, and more. For others, art is seen as a form of expression. Putting our feelings into physical form is our way of showing our honest, truthful selves. In the art shown at the Montclair Art Museum, the artists that were on display expressed their feelings in a variety of forms; being sexual orientation, race, size, feelings, gaze, patriarchy, and more. 

Catherine Opie is the photographer for the pieces on Identity and Nonconformity. Opie has a history of producing art from large social groups. She often focuses on LGBTQ groups such as the ones shown in this collection. Opie looks to break stereotypes and forces the audience to make a distinct eye contact with her work. Opie allows for her subjects to comfortable break the social norm and express themselves. These pieces by Opie show the comfort of the subjects being in their own skin as LGBTQ community members. 

Allan Rohan Crite brings race into the idea of identity. His work on the Gospel of Matthew, depicts a popular biblical tail. During the time of this piece, the country was facing the Great depression. Crite looked to tell a story in his works. However, he made a pretty significant change. The typical christmas story casted all white characters. Crite instead switches the narrative and makes all of the characters Africa american. This was his form of constructing an identity. He saw race as an important aspect of who you are and wanted to express that.

         

In Lorna Simpson’s piece Coiffure, she uses the idea of gaze to change the subject. As I stated, hair is a main aspect of self identification, and Simpson uses that to her advantage. Instead of doing a typical self portrait, she requires her subjects to be seen in a different perspective. She doesn’t want to just portray names and faces, but also art. She seeks the viewers attention and imagination. Her text allows for an image to be drawn in the mind of the audience of who this subject may just be.

 

In Barbara Kruger’s piece Untitled (Seeing through you), she is changing the perspective. She wants the audience to connect with the piece. She seeks to overthrow previous thoughts and examine new ways of thinking. She wants the old patriarchal nature to feel uncomfortable. She boosts feminism and forward thinking by being repeatedly aggressive. Kruger wants the audience to display their own true identity and not the fake ones we often present. Kruger aims to displace complacency. 

 

In Khelinda Wiley’s piece Mater Mbaye, he seeks to explore african culture. Wiley is a celebrated artist because of his desire to identify culture and race in his work. He wants his west african culture known and sought as part of his identity. He shows that your upbringing is a serious part of your identity. Wiley wants his subjects to express their true selves and celebrate who they are. He sees no reason to construct an identity and instead wants to enhance the one his subjects currently have.