Photoshoot

I conducted a photoshoot of my (very obliging!) friend to illustrate the different approaches that a high street brand, such as Ann Summers, and an upmarket brand, such as Agent Provocateur, would take in their advertising campaigns. I had done one test-shoot with her previously, and so this time felt a lot more confident. It was lots of exhausting fun, and I'm really pleased with the shots!

During the shoot my model described how she felt like an object but also felt a sense of empowerment, perhaps this was due to my re-assuring comments of how amazing I thought she looked!

Above are a few examples of my work............... (Can you tell which ones are in each category?!)

Questionnaires/Focus Group

Compiling the primary research throughout this project has proven to be quite tricky. Having distributed well over 100 questionnaires, and only receiving 48 back... I'm sure you can see how disappointing this was. The questionnaires were very short and straightforward so I can only assume it was the subject matter that was bringing down the response rate. This shows to me that perhaps sex and sexual adventure is still somewhat of a taboo subject which people are still embarrassed to talk about... I was also wary of who I sent it to, thus reinforcing this point! Luckily I feel that I have compensated for this in the other research I have done!

The focus group also proved challenging as I was unwell for the first time I'd planned to do it. The rearranged time was later into my research, and one of the participants was unable to attend as she was stuck abroad due to the Iceland Volcano mishap! The findings of this focus group contradicted most of what I had previously researched, so this shook me up to a certain extent! But then I also thought that perhaps the girls did not reveal their honest thoughts entirely as I was asking for their opinions on what is arguably soft-porn... in which case they may have been embarrassed to admit their true feelings about it.

These hiccups along the way have prepared me for the future in that I now know how much organisation and dedication is needed to succeed with such tasks! Particularly when you are relying on other people......

John Stoddart @ Coco de Mer

LOVE AND LUST

This exhibition was held at the South Kensington store, and featured explicit photographs exploring the art of female seduction...
The pictures were a spectacle in themselves, although the real fascination lies in the fact that these artworks by established artist John Stoddart are being exhibited in a space that is ultimately a retail store. This shows how much Coco de Mer relies on its association with art to create a strong brand image which is helping to redefine porn as classy and desirable. Stoddart's work has featured both in Vanity Fair and Loaded Magazines! This is a further demonstration of how pornography is re-interpreted depending on where it is accessed...

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...

Store Visits!

To gain first hand, qualitative information to enrich my research I am conducting extended discussions with participants who have visited both specialist stores Ann Summers and Coco de Mer, to provide me with individual store reports.

I carried out the first one yesterday. I sent Lola, 23, to the two stores with a brief of what to consider and then met up with her immediately after she'd left the second one. I met her in Covent Garden after her visit to Coco de Mer, and we found a quiet place to sit on the road side (who said fashion wasn't glamorous?!) We proceeded to chat about her experience and her response to both stores.

In contrast to the interview with Alexandra, I used a dictaphone voice recorder as I knew the circumstances wouldn't allow for filming. In fact using the dictaphone to record the conversation was more successful as the participant was more at ease, and under less pressure to 'perform'.

It was definitely beneficial to conduct the discussion straight after the store visits so the topic was fresh in her mind.

I now look forward to the next one!