I found this project challenging at first, as I was unsure about what topic to cover, or how to do it. Once I had chosen consumerism however, the ideas came flowing, inspiration was all around me. On my TV, on my computer, in the shops, in the bushes, on the streets, in my dustbin. My only problem now was what subject to chose. In the end I selected a mix of subject areas, some taken from a list of family spending, some chosen because I felt I would be able to source imagery for them.
In my work, I wanted to challenge the pictures we are presented with by those promoting consumerism, and I think mixing images from reality, with those from the false reality of advertising, manages to accomplish this. I hope the pictures I produced for this project will provoke discussion, and achieve my original aim of getting viewers to question whether consumerism is all it is cracked up to be.
Overall, I am happy with my final set of images and think that they work well as a group. There are some however, that I believe could be improved with more time. In fact, one of the things I have learnt from this project is that finding suitable imagery on a subject can be a very slow process. If I were to do another project, with a similar schedule, I would definitely choose a different method of creating my pictures.
Having said all that, I do like the use of the “Readymade” and intend to develop the technique of photomontage within my personal work in the future.
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Cosmetics
Cosmetics
This picture examines the cosmetics industry. In the background are the headquarters of Proctor and Gamble, a multinational company in control of many popular cosmetics brands such as Pantene and Gillette. On the building is a photo of a rabbit taking part in a Draize eye test. This involves rubbing cosmetics in the rabbits eyes for 14 days and then killing them. Also in the image are some mice bred with no hair to make cosmetic product testing easier, a slurry pit from a rabbit factory farm and a bag full of dead guinea pigs.
Traditionally known for their soaps and detergents, P&G now produce a massive range of products in hair care, cosmetics, perfumes, personal hygiene, laundry care, snack food, paper and feminine hygiene, and even pet food. P&G’s brands include Ariel, Daz, Fairy, Max Factor, Olay, Pantene Pro-V, Herbal Essences, and Head and Shoulders.
P&G admit that guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, rats and mice are among the animals used in their ‘product safety research’, as well as cats and dogs in pet food experiments. Investigations continue to reveal disturbing examples of P&G’s ongoing involvement in painful and lethal animal tests.
Procter & Gamble exist for one reason, and one reason only - to make as much money as possible. P&G test on animals because of their desire to get new chemical ingredients on to the market. This allows them to claim that their new hair dye, skin cream or washing powder etc. is ‘new, improved’, in the hope of increasing sales. But with many companies producing similar consumer products without carrying out animal tests, it shows that P&G’s cruelty is motivated by greed.
Laboratory Cruelty you were not Supposed to See
In obtaining vital photographic evidence of the cruelty of vivisection - Brian Gunn has penetrated the veil of secrecy which shrouds laboratory animal testing research.
During the course of his undercover work he has both been threatened and badly beaten up. His thought-provoking photographs and investigative reports have won many awards.
Brian Gunn's pictures are extensively used on TV and in newspapers, films and magazine throughout the world.
This picture examines the cosmetics industry. In the background are the headquarters of Proctor and Gamble, a multinational company in control of many popular cosmetics brands such as Pantene and Gillette. On the building is a photo of a rabbit taking part in a Draize eye test. This involves rubbing cosmetics in the rabbits eyes for 14 days and then killing them. Also in the image are some mice bred with no hair to make cosmetic product testing easier, a slurry pit from a rabbit factory farm and a bag full of dead guinea pigs.
Why Boycott Procter & Gamble?
P&G are the world’s largest consumer products company, with an annual turnover of over $68 billion. Their international headquarters is in the US city of Cincinnati.
Traditionally known for their soaps and detergents, P&G now produce a massive range of products in hair care, cosmetics, perfumes, personal hygiene, laundry care, snack food, paper and feminine hygiene, and even pet food. P&G’s brands include Ariel, Daz, Fairy, Max Factor, Olay, Pantene Pro-V, Herbal Essences, and Head and Shoulders.
P&G admit that guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, rats and mice are among the animals used in their ‘product safety research’, as well as cats and dogs in pet food experiments. Investigations continue to reveal disturbing examples of P&G’s ongoing involvement in painful and lethal animal tests.
Procter & Gamble exist for one reason, and one reason only - to make as much money as possible. P&G test on animals because of their desire to get new chemical ingredients on to the market. This allows them to claim that their new hair dye, skin cream or washing powder etc. is ‘new, improved’, in the hope of increasing sales. But with many companies producing similar consumer products without carrying out animal tests, it shows that P&G’s cruelty is motivated by greed.
A list of Proctor and Gamble products here: http://www.uncaged.co.uk/pgproducts.htm
Laboratory Cruelty you were not Supposed to See
In obtaining vital photographic evidence of the cruelty of vivisection - Brian Gunn has penetrated the veil of secrecy which shrouds laboratory animal testing research.
During the course of his undercover work he has both been threatened and badly beaten up. His thought-provoking photographs and investigative reports have won many awards.
Brian Gunn's pictures are extensively used on TV and in newspapers, films and magazine throughout the world.
See some of Brian's pictures here: http://www.animalexperimentspictures.com/index.php
Food
Food Production and Packaging
The subject for this image is the business of producing and supplying us all with food. It juxtaposes images containing rows of packaged goods, with landfill sites where the majority of what is on the shelves will end up. Also in the image are a butcher lifted from a supermarket promotional leaflet, a dinosaur made from plastic bags and a row of white eyed satanic cows ready to be milked.
The subject for this image is the business of producing and supplying us all with food. It juxtaposes images containing rows of packaged goods, with landfill sites where the majority of what is on the shelves will end up. Also in the image are a butcher lifted from a supermarket promotional leaflet, a dinosaur made from plastic bags and a row of white eyed satanic cows ready to be milked.
Too much packaging? Dump it at checkout, urges minister
Shoppers were urged yesterday to take direct action to force supermarkets to cut the excessive and wasteful packaging that goes direct from the shop shelf to the household bin. The environment minister Ben Bradshaw advised food shoppers to leave excessive wrapping at the tills and to report the stores to trading standards in an attempt to cut the amount of unnecessary plastic sent to landfill sites.
Supermarkets' excessive packaging exposed by survey
"If we had less unnecessary packaging, it would cut costs and lead to lower prices at the tills. When packaging is sent to landfill it is expensive for taxpayers and damaging for the environment. Britain is the dustbin of Europe with more rubbish being thrown into landfill than almost any other country in Europe. Taxpayers don't want to see their money going towards paying landfill taxes and EU fines when council tax could be reduced instead."
Landfill tax costs councils £32 for every tonne of rubbish – a figure that will rise to £48 by 2010
Cars
Cars
In this picture I wanted to explore some of the issues surrounding the use of cars. In the background of the image is a depleted US oil field and a helicopter used by the US in the last Iraq war to secure fresh oil supplies. In the foreground is a pile of scraped and crushed cars, a Jeep from a car commercial, and a road traffic accident victim with a bone sticking out his leg.
Use of Resources
The manufacture, operation and maintenance of vehicles impacts the environment by using non-renewable resources such as:
Metals
Petroleum (for plastics and fuel)
Other fossil fuels (e.g. coal for production of electricity).
This affects the environment as follows:
Resources are finite, so we should use them wisely
Producing these resources can cause damage, e.g. damage caused by the mining of resources
Disposing of products at the end of their life can cause damage
Greenpeace says car scrap schemes waste taxes
"The schemes will not increase the competitiveness of the car sector, nor will they benefit the climate, the environment or road safety,"
Read More: http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5383LB20090409
Greenpeace and Cars: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/cars
In this picture I wanted to explore some of the issues surrounding the use of cars. In the background of the image is a depleted US oil field and a helicopter used by the US in the last Iraq war to secure fresh oil supplies. In the foreground is a pile of scraped and crushed cars, a Jeep from a car commercial, and a road traffic accident victim with a bone sticking out his leg.
Use of Resources
The manufacture, operation and maintenance of vehicles impacts the environment by using non-renewable resources such as:
Metals
Petroleum (for plastics and fuel)
Other fossil fuels (e.g. coal for production of electricity).
This affects the environment as follows:
Resources are finite, so we should use them wisely
Producing these resources can cause damage, e.g. damage caused by the mining of resources
Disposing of products at the end of their life can cause damage
Greenpeace says car scrap schemes waste taxes
"The schemes will not increase the competitiveness of the car sector, nor will they benefit the climate, the environment or road safety,"
Read More: http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5383LB20090409
Greenpeace and Cars: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/cars
Monday, 27 April 2009
Holidays
A Cheap Holiday
I reworked my holidays montage without the writing and with a new sky. The upload problem I had before was due to it being in CMYK mode instead of RGB.
I reworked my holidays montage without the writing and with a new sky. The upload problem I had before was due to it being in CMYK mode instead of RGB.
Fashion
Jeans
I looked at the the production of cotton jeans for this montage. I wanted to try and show some of the links in the chain. In the background is a cotton field, a cotton market and the chemical plant that makes the pesticides and fertilisers for the cotton field. In the foreground is a shack used to spin and dye the cotton, mixed with imagery from a jeans sweatshop in China, and an advert for designer jeans.
I looked at the the production of cotton jeans for this montage. I wanted to try and show some of the links in the chain. In the background is a cotton field, a cotton market and the chemical plant that makes the pesticides and fertilisers for the cotton field. In the foreground is a shack used to spin and dye the cotton, mixed with imagery from a jeans sweatshop in China, and an advert for designer jeans.
Chinese Blue Jeans Sweatshop
"They only get about four hours sleep at night, which might help explain their tendency to doze off on the job. But the enterprising Mr. Xi demonstrates his remedy for such indiscretions, namely, stiff fines, and using clothespins to keep their eyelids open."
Read More Here: http://newsblaze.com/story/20070126232727nnnn.nb/topstory.html
The Real Cost
This image was partly inspired by the book, The Real Cost by Richard North.
http://books.google.com/books?id=_0WZ6P2QBvsC&source=gbs_ViewAPI&pgis=1
Electronics
Electronics Montage
This picture explores the the way consumer electronics are sold, and then disposed of. It is comprised of edited imagery taken from advertising for electronic goods mixed with images of illegal electrical waste dumps where the technology all too quickly ends up.
Complete Wasters
This picture was partly inspired by this group who i did some voluntary work with last summer. http://www.completewasters.co.uk/
This picture explores the the way consumer electronics are sold, and then disposed of. It is comprised of edited imagery taken from advertising for electronic goods mixed with images of illegal electrical waste dumps where the technology all too quickly ends up.
E-Waste
The UN estimates that some 20 to 50m tonnes of e-waste are generated worldwide each year, comprising more than 5 percent of all municipal solid waste. The fate of large quantities of this so-called e-waste is unknown. Much is exported, often illegally, for dumping in Africa or for rudimentary recovery in Asia, where workers at scrapyards are exposed to toxic chemicals when the products are broken apart and as water, soil and air are polluted.
Complete Wasters
This picture was partly inspired by this group who i did some voluntary work with last summer. http://www.completewasters.co.uk/
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