For my Responding To Creative Contexts module I had to write an essay based off the concept that todays general view is that all art (past, present and future) exists within - and is affected by - contexts. My essay also had to focus on Global Visual Culture, and how visual images play a key role in producing cultural meaning, and how images are forms of visual communication. The question I created for my essay was 'To What Extent Have Designers Challenged Female Gender Roles Throughout History.'. After researching a variety of different artists from different art backgrounds and looking at a variety of art pieces from different moments in time to answer my question I then had to create my own piece of art, in any form I desired, in response to my question and research. My artwork which can be seen to the right is in response to my question focusing on challenging female gender roles. However, I decided to take my response one step further by creating a piece of artwork that not only focused on the idea of challenging female gender but also male gender roles. I did this by taking a picture of myself, as the female and fellow student, Matthew, as the male and painted words on both us that are typically associated with the opposite sex. Therefore, on my picture I have words such as strong, dominant and stubborn painted on me and Matthew has words such as, soft, bossy and submissive painted on him. I did this to suggest that no matter the gender you can obtain any traits and characteristics even if they are typically associated with the opposite sex and that we shouldn't keep confining people to these 'gender roles' and 'stereotypes'.  

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To view my essay please click on the link below.