Madison Utendahl and Olivia Fagon Race and/as Technology Final Proposal --

Madison Utendahl and Olivia Fagon
Race and/as Technology Final Proposal:

Title: T.B.A - [ A photo project/passing + dragging]

Basic Intro:

Texts:
- Jennifer Gonzalez, “The Face and the Public: Race, Secrecy and Digital Art
Practice," in Camera Obscura 70, Vol. 24, No. 1 (2009): 37-65.
- “Morphologies: Race as Visual Technology,” Only Skin Deep, 379-393.

Process:
The project will be executed in three stages. The first will be an interview process in which we will ask and develop an understanding and profile of our participant’s (preferably two men and two women) ‘other’ through a framework of questions that will incorporate their opinions on race, gender, and socio-cultural differences. Second, using their ‘profiled other’ (the subject will not be forced to dress in a particular way) we will develop a costume/makeup design and execute a photoshoot with the participant depicted as their other. We will complete a before-photo of the participant in their everyday appearance. Enhanced through photo-editing and retouching, we will complete the project by questioning and developing the results of the photoshoot and interviews using Gonzalez’s notions of morphology and ‘the face’, as well as theories on passing, drag, and identity tourism. This third stage will also include a guided discussion with the participants on the experience of ‘passing’ during the photoshoot, and their reactions and insights to the completed photographs.

Passing/Dragging:
- As the apparatuses of what it means to be hetero-normative continues to be questioned, dragging has become an agency by which those who fall outside of hetero-normative/hegemonic gender, race, sexuality (etc) constructs can attempt to “pass,” and/or "drag"--- blend in with the “real” normative apparatus.
- Dragging/Passing can become a naturalized normative appearance -- allows for the individual who chooses to drag to be seamless and “pass,” the untrained eye.

Questions of Analysis:
- What is the salience of gender and racial difference in these particular subject’s conception of ‘the other’? What, if any, are the political implications of an artificial experience ?
- The discrepancy between elements of difference that are perceptible and ones that are corporeal
- Does the use of visual technology (Photography and Photographic Editing ) to blur/distort visual representations of difference (gender, sexuality, race, occupation etc) function as a solution to indulge the active desire to both embody and abject the other?

- By anchoring theoretical discussions on the other, passing, and identity tourism with the ‘real’ lived experiences and interpretation of these concepts of individuals, do we find a more pragmatic approach to these theories?

- juxtaposing our own interpretations with the participants...compounding of perceptions.. both ours and the participants

Proposed Interview Questions:
Q: When you think of women or when you think of feminine side of yourself, what comes to mind? - Images of femininity that you can relate to ---
- What images do you have of women?
- Mothers/Sisters/Strangers etc

Q: When you think of men when you think of masculine side of yourself, what comes to mind? - Images of masculinity that you can relate to
- What images do you have of of men?
- Fathers/Brothers/Strangers etc.

Q: What do you think of as your “other,” completely opposite of your self?
- Have you ever desired to be this person/thing?

Q: Why do you think some people choose to embody their “other,” or make the choice to “pass,” on daily basis/“drag” their “other” from time to time?

Q: How would you define “passing,” and “dragging” ? Do you consider them to be the same things? What are their differences?

Q: What do you know about cyber-worlds -- facebook/second life etc? Have you ever thought of passing/dragging your "other" in the form of a cyber-site?


to be continued....