On pants from Old Navy…
Buttons fall off, everyone dies.
On my photo critique…
Wow, first time I've ever really discussed a work of art that I've done. We talked about my stuff first. It was great, Szucs walked over and said “hmm, topherville” and then we started. I rambled on about self portrait as a thirteen year old girl, not feeling that way, people calling me that, etc. for a bit and then Szucs started talking about it. She thought the image of me lifting my shirt was powerful and represented the masculine revealing the feminine. I didn't interpret it that way since it was always a girl shirt to me, but I saw where she was coming from. Other people saw it that way too. She thought as a whole the more serious images worked better, and the more light hearted (pillow fight, me in nighty parodying myself) kind of diffused the overall message of the project.
It was note that it was more of a fantasy version of what it's like to be a thirteen year old girl. I agree with that. Szucs also saw it as being more of a personal look, which is true. I wonder if that takes away, because someone coming upon the images wouldn't be able to see what I see when I look at them. I think that's an area where I could probably use work. Joe, the 80something doctor in the class, thought I had a really good grip on the psychological aspect of trying to connect to a 13 year old girl/going back to what I was like then. He thought I should write a story to accompany it, because then it would explain more and add to the project. I think I will do that.
Szucs also interpreted Rainer as the “boy” character. He was wearing the striped shirt as well, and Szucs didn't make much of the yarn wig. haha. He also wasn't dressed to the extent that I was. One girl commented that a real 13 year old probably wouldn't be secure enough with her body to wear a nighty around a friend. I can kind of see that.
Szucs also liked one of the images of me on the bed with Rainer, well both I think. She thought the laughing one showed good emotion or something… I forget. The other one she said showed a sensuality that comes with the age and also an intimacy with Rainer that couldn't be achieved if we were just two guys. The whole idea of costuming and assuming these roles was a vehicle to talk about things more personal to myself. I think I should have explained it that way, because it was the more correct interpretation, than simply me trying to be a 13 year old. I know Szucs said “gayness” once, but I forget in what context.
Besides Joe the oldguy, Deborah the middle aged woman, and the one girl, no one else commented (well, Bud did a little). I've noticed in most all critiques this year that no one is ever really comfortable with commenting. It has to be forced out of them. It was kind of odd talking about myself for so long, but it was the most conceptual. I don't think the technicalities of photography were even discussed in regards to my work.
It will be sad to go a year without art classes that like. I really really enjoyed photography, even though I'm still not sure I'm that great at it.
Now it's time to pretend to clean my dorm room.