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As we move in further into the course, we’ve discussed, read and seen through various artworks/art related videos about what in a sense “constructing” identity means. It’s a very complex topic and does not have one definite answer as we all know.  When we talk about identity, in a literal sense it’s about “who you are” and “where you belong in society” but what does that mean? Is how you dress, talk, the god you believe in or the people you associate with depict who you really are? During our midterm, we got to see that identity is all of that and much more. It can be so much more abstract than that, we see it through Cindy Sherman’s work that although each picture was physically her, she was able to manipulate herself to be “other people.” We see it through Frida Kahlo’s paintings were each one shared a bit of her life in subtle ways. It's interesting to see the different perspectives of identity that there is and how one single person's identity can easily develop into something else and/or adapt to the social norms in one’s current time.

During the break, I attended the Montclair Art Museum to see the “Constructing Identity in America” exhibition; there were various forms artists were able to show their view on identity whether it was their own or someone else. Evidently, themes such as patriarchy, looking/gaze, power, race, class, identity, and manners were present in almost all the pieces. Some felt a bit more intentional than others, while some you had to really ponder and understand maybe what the artist was trying to go for. I chose the following 5 pieces of work to discuss about for this blog.

This first piece is called “Family Totem” by Tom Nussbaum made in 2003-04. 

It’s a sculpture based essentially on family structure, and how everyone relies on and supports one another. This piece stuck out to me because the structure of this family made me think about the patriarchal hierarchy. I don’t think the artist meant to do this on purpose, maybe there’s a different backstory to it but to me, I see patriarchy here because the young-looking son (not a girl but a boy) is on top with the mom (perhaps) being the bottom platform holding everyone together. To me this emphasizes the need of girls/woman having to be the care takers while the boys/men rise to the top rather than the other way around. 

The second piece is called “Bernabe Mendez (Spiderman)” by Dulce Pinzon in 2007.

A very powerful photograph of an immigrant worker cleaning windows in a Spider man costume depicts identity in terms of class and race. It’s admirable that this man he chose to be the subject just happens to be selfless and makes sure through all his hard work and struggles that a certain amount of his earnings goes back to his homeland. It ties into the reason behind why he is wearing the costume to begin with. His acts to anyone else might seem minuscule but to his family or even himself, he might feel like what he is doing is heroic, he is a hero in the ways he can. This I think was my favorite only because it hits home and although it very simple, it’s powerful when you know background information.  

The third piece is called “What is an American?” by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith in 2003.

This one was interesting to read, and I feel like it relates in a way to power and manners. This piece was done way before technology really sky rockets and it accurately depicts some aspects of what an average American focuses on now in 2019, using wireless connection, worrying about getting money and getting to the top, fashion, and body image. This sense of power we feel from mastering all these things and how we present ourselves reveals our manners. It’s interesting how spot on this print became and reflects identity in a more generalized way.  

The fourth and fifth piece I merged together, their titles are “Portrait of Sarah Coates Levy” and “Portrait of Samson Levy Jr.” by Thomas Sully in 1808. These are clearly older paintings that can show a bit of how the artist portrayed his models. Husband and wife portrait paintings, it’s not a shocker that the man is portrayed to be more dominant. Although back then the patriarchy system was a lot more implemented than now, the male in this insistent is given a more authorities look, facing the audience unlike the wife who is staring towards the husband in a gaze like way. This is how females still now are shown in media, emphasizing their submissiveness through a gaze or through their clothing. Sarah in her portrait seems to be focused on her clothing, perhaps trying to show off some type of status and it shows a bit about their culture.