TerryWorld

Infamous for turning filth into fashion, Terry Richardson's photography sits equally at home in the pages of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Vice Magazines. In his book TerryWorld taboos are null and void. Richardson is credited with taking 1970s porn esthetic and making it fashion chic. Celebrities, supermodels and pornstars alike will do for his lens what they'll do for no other...

Terry highlights exactly what I'm looking at, the emergence of a form of porn-chic. Terry is re-interpreting porn as an art form... Creating a sense of exclusivity, style and sophistication.

Talk at the British Film Institute 'Laura Mulvey On The Blonde'

Earlier this week I attended a talk by feminist theorist, Laura Mulvey. I am considering her theory of the 'male gaze' to my work and although the topic of this talk was not specific to my research, I thought it would be of great value and interest anyway.

As she was focussing on the representation of women in film I applied what she was saying to the film work of Mike Figgis for Agent Provocateur. For example, she discussed how constructed femininity (my interpretation: wearing of lingerie, regulated bodies etc) is seductive, alluring and mysterious which is how, I believe, the representations of the women are intended in the Figgis film.

Meeting with Neil Kirkham...

Rachel (Velody) advised me to meet up with Neil, a professor at the university, who specializes in my research topic of art and pornography. We discussed my ideas and he seemed to be impressed with my topic as he said it was unique and that nobody to his knowledge had done a dissertation of this content. This was very reassuring for me and also helpful as he suggested a couple books for me to read (The Secret Museum by Walter Kendrick and The Secret History of Civilisation by Isabel Tang) which will help me to look into the history of pornography...