acca education acca gillian wearing living proof

“I’m always trying to find ways of discovering new things about people, and in the process discover more about myself’ Gillian Wearing

artist's background

Gillian Wearing is an English artist, born in in 1963. She studied art at the Chelsea School of Art (1985-1987) and later went on to Goldsmiths College (1987-1990). As winner of the prestigious in 1997, Wearing is considered one of Britain’s most important contemporary artists and has exhibited extensively in , the United States and internationally. Living Proof is the largest survey of her work so far.

inspiration and investigation

Wearing's works relate to reality television and confession-style programs, where every-day people reveal their most intimate thoughts and experiences. Some works focus on individuals whose emotional and psychological behaviour has been stretched to the limit, while others show people at their most mundane, sharing minor hopes and fears as if admitting secrets to a friend. One of Wearing's major influences is Michael Apted's TV series, "7 UP".

Through the medium of photography and video, Wearing’s work, which she describes as “a kind of portraiture,” explores the complexity of human relationships and provides an insight into aspects of contemporary British Above: life. In Signs That Say What You Want Them To say and not Signs That Say Gillian Wearing Signs that say what you want them to say and What someone else wants you to say (1992-93), Wearing stopped passers- not Signs that say what someone else wants you to say, 1992 - 3 by, asking them to write down the first thing that came into their heads. In c-type prints courtesy the artist and , London Dancing in Peckham (1994), Wearing dances, as if with no inhibitions for half an hour in the middle of a shopping centre.

Using the strategy of ventriloquism, Wearing allows children to speak as adults and adults as children. Ultimately Wearing's intrigue is with people and the ways in which our futures unfold. curriculum links Both middle years and VCE level students will have the opportunity to explore a range of learning areas:

Victorian Essential Learning standards • Explore and analyse 'portraiture' in history, the range of portraits that exist and the way in which portraits have changed over time. • Explore and analyse the way in which Gillian Wearing's work explores people's behaviour in society. • Analyse the way in which Wearing's work highlights people's personal insecurities and the way we all share feelings, such as embarrassment. • Explore the way that Wearing has been influenced by the British TV series by Michael Apted, '7UP', and the way Wearing references this in her work. • Explore the range of new technologies which Wearing and other 01 contemporary artists utilise in their work.

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• Examine the devices particular meaning in Wearing her work. has utilised, i.e. 'the mask' to • convey Discuss the frank confessions of people interviewed by and how Wearing revealing they attitudes and beliefs in her work. • Explore the way in which Wearing has developed a distinctive style in her • Examine particular works in which way in which it has been an effective method for conveying meaning. • In Gillian's • Examine 'the portrait' and 'the mask' and the way Wearing Wearing's work, in terms of the interior and exterior lives of people? • Examine the way in issues and which Wearing has interpreted a range of social individual idiosyncrasies and social norms. • What issues do you think the work, ' including the setting, lighting, sound, structure etc • W towards the people she interviews media • Compare the work series. of Wearing to Michael Apted's '7UP' • to her British allow which technologies new utilise Wearing does How TV VCE level art, studio arts • the Explore work. • society? meaning. • Examine the range of mediums and methods in work Wearing's and how they convey meaning • been • psychology • How does the mask play an important part in work in highly engaging way • How does work to Wearing's relate confessional style TV shows, such as those presented by Jerry Springer. Wearing's Wearing's exhibition is to interpreting her work? • Compare and contrast the work of Diane Arbus with the work of and/or Gillian Wearing. • How important do you think it is for an artist like Wearing to be empat particular films and/or videos in the exhibition.

2001 , Above: Gillian Wearing 1 Trauma

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