OUGD503 - Penguin Design Awards: Feminist Art

OUGD503 - Studio Brief 1/Penguin Design Awards 

Feminist Art 

I thought the content of the book could be used as inspiration for my redesign of the cover. I started my researching feminist art as this aesthetic could appeal to the target audience and better reflect the books content as opposed to only reflecting the author as the current cover seems to display. I found this specific variety of art tended be very bold, explicit and have angry connotations. The first image I looked at was explicit in terms of its aesthetic, This piece looks at the concept of free the nipple and how we perceive double standards between males and females chests. The writing in the body adds a personal connotations through the used of hand rendered type to create an emotive connection with its audience. 

The second image draws on stereotypes, using the archaic hobby of needlepoint (stereotyped as a female activity) the over use of pink creates garish connotations of women further extended through the use of delicate scissors and floral patterns. This is then juxtaposed with the stitched type 'smash the patriarchy' this contrasts the overall aesthetic in terms of concept which the piece making a statement to reverse the stereotypes its connoting in terms of its visual aesthetic. I like this satirical style on contradicting itself and find it works well making the audience actively question the image. 

The final image I analysed is a famous piece by Barbra Kruger who overlays short political statements over imagery to articulate her views on people/society. This image is a take on theory from French philosopher René Descartes famous quote "Cogito ergo sum"....."I think therefore I am" basically meaning you exist simply because you made a conscious effort to think. Kruger takes that sentence to a materialistic level - in other words, a person is defined not by what they think, but what they own (through shopping) this is a trate commonly associated with women. To me this piece is very conceptual in the way in which it targets the image of women and is effective in questioning our perceptions of society. 

These images target issues of women in different ways however are all effect in communicating their concepts to the audience. I will take inspiration from the different aesthetics and ways in which the pieces communicate forward into my initial ideas and design development to successfully target the target audience and create an engaging yet contextual resolution to the brief.