Artist Diary from Abroad (part 3)

St. Patrick's Parade, Dublin


Liz (centre) with her friends and flatmates Steph and Marie


I know that it has been awhile since I have written a journal entry, but the past two weeks have been rather eventful – and not all to do with my studies. Firstly though, I will update you one how my studies have been going.
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Last week, practical wise, I had a refresher in the technical side of photography. Claire, the photography lecturer, spent the afternoon with me showing me how to set up professional lighting, to do a meter, how to do effects with brollies, etc. It was a very interesting afternoon, and allowed me to think more about the technical aspects of how to achieve my practical goals. At the moment, with reference to my theory, I feel that using photography as a documenting process for my ideas is the way to pursue my prac ideas.

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In regards to theory, I had another meeting with Griselda, and discussion was raised in consideration to the fine line drawn between identity and subjectivity. In the Collins Online Dictionary, identity means – ‘the state of having unique identifying characteristics held by no other person or thing’, or ‘the individual characteristics
by which a person or thing is recognized’, whilst subject (in reference to a person) means – ‘that which thinks or feels as opposed to the object of thinking and feeling; the self or the mind’, or ‘a substance as opposed to it’s attributes’. Within my own research I view identity as that with which I am labeled socially, such as woman, white, disabled, short, etc; the subject, however, I consider as being my self, my inside, the experience of my embodiment. It is through subjectivity that artists such as Hannah Wilke, Jo Spence, Mary Duffy and Alison Lapper have managed to express the experiences of their embodiment, the attempted destruction of the object by becoming the subject.

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I plan to begin writing my dissertation proposal these holidays, as I am writing it I intend to contribute more diary entries, in an attempt to draw discussion into my work, please feel free to comment on my research – I am curious as to what other people think on the subject.

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Now, onto the reason my journal entries have not been frequent. I have gone into holiday mode this past week and that included a weekend away to Dublin, Ireland. I got to see the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, which was so much fun, and of course, drink way to much Guinness. I would recommend everyone go to Dublin – it is my new favorite city. Whilst there I was also privileged to see The Book of Kells, which is housed in Trinity College, it was fascinating to see; the detail in the illustrations and the neatness of the writing and the age of the book gave me goose bumps. I am back in Leeds now, and unfortunately am paying for my all night Guinness binge, because I am suffering from a cold. So lots of sleeping at the moment and not much work done, Dublin was worth every second though.

Liz