Deconstructing Books, Reconstructing Women Summers Esther Morris University of South Carolina
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University of South Carolina Scholar Commons Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2013 Deconstructing Books, Reconstructing Women Summers Esther Morris University of South Carolina Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd Part of the Art Practice Commons Recommended Citation Morris, S. E.(2013). Deconstructing Books, Reconstructing Women. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/ etd/447 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DECONSTRUCTING BOOKS, RECONSTRUCTING WOMEN by Summers Morris Bachelor of Fine Arts University of South Carolina, 2007 ___________________________________________________________ Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts in Art Studio College of Arts and Sciences University of South Carolina 2013 Accepted by: Sara Schneckloth, Director of Thesis Marius Valdes, Reader Bradford Collins, Reader Lacy Ford, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies ABSTRACT The goal of my thesis project is to examine the notion of choice encountered by females with respect to gender roles. I intend to underscore the turmoil which often comes from choices that leave many classic feminine roles left unattended by either sex. I have created three altered books that address these struggles, as I have personally experienced these, regarding marriage, motherhood, and domesticity. Each book analyzes the conflicting nature of choice and, according to my own decisions as a modern feminist, concludes accordingly. This in-depth look at the struggle for women to not only choose gender roles to adopt, but to live with the consequences that lie in their wake, is best communicated through the use of altered books. The altered books themselves function conceptually as a metaphor, contain formal elements that enhance various concepts within each book, and allow for appropriation which lends itself to humor which defines my voice as the artist and narrator. Beyond the laughter, my hope is that those who empathize with the desperation felt by the female characters in my books may also understand the actual seriousness of the messages, acknowledging the humor and hardships that accompany my characters as they work to find their way through each one of my narratives. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………... ii LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………...………….iv CHAPTER 1-INTRODUCTION...…………………………………………………….…1 CHAPTER 2-PROJECT DESCRIPTION………………………………………………..7 CHAPTER 3-JUSTIFICATION...…….………………………………………………....11 CHAPTER 4-RESEARCH……………………………...…………………………….…20 CHAPTER 5-PROCESS..……...………………………………………………………...25 CHAPTER 6-CONCLUSION….………………………………………………………..27 WORKS CITED.………………………………………………………………………...31 APPENDIX A- ZOMBIE MOMMY………...……………………………………………33 APPENDIX B- MECHANICAL MATRIMONY………………………………………....59 APPENDIX C- THE ESCAPE…………………………………………………………...82 APPENDIX D- MISCELLANEOUS..…………………………………………………..92 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure A.1 Zombie Mommy Front Cover………………………………………………...33 Figure A.2 Zombie Mommy Back Cover………………………………………………...34 Figure A.3 Zombie Mommy Unaltered First Page……………………………………….35 Figure A.4 Zombie Mommy Unaltered Second Page…………………………………….36 Figure A.5 Zombie Mommy Beginning of Altered Pages…………………………..……37 Figure A.6 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………..….38 Figure A.7 Zombie Mommy………………………………………………………..…….39 Figure A.8 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………..….40 Figure A.9 Zombie Mommy……………………………………………………………...41 Figure A.10 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….42 Figure A.11 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….43 Figure A.12 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….44 Figure A.13 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….45 Figure A.14 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….46 Figure A.15 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….47 Figure A.16 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….48 Figure A.17 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….49 Figure A.18 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….50 Figure A.19 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….51 Figure A.20 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….52 iv Figure A.21 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….53 Figure A.22 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….54 Figure A.23 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….55 Figure A.24 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….56 Figure A.25 Zombie Mommy…………………………………………………………….57 Figure A.26 Zombie Mommy Unaltered Final Page………………………………….….58 Figure B.1 Mechanical Matrimony Front Cover………………………………………...59 Figure B.2 Mechanical Matrimony Detail of Coptic stitch……………………………...60 Figure B.3 Mechanical Matrimony ……………………………………………………..61 Figure B.4 Mechanical Matrimony Detail……………………………………………….61 Figure B.5 Mechanical Matrimony ……………………………………………………...62 Figure B.6 Mechanical Matrimony Detail……………………………………………….62 Figure B.7 Mechanical Matrimony ……………………………………………………...63 Figure B.8 Mechanical Matrimony Detail……………………………………………….63 Figure B.9 Mechanical Matrimony ……………………………………………………...64 Figure B.10 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………………..…….64 Figure B.11 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….65 Figure B.12 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………………..…….65 Figure B.13 Mechanical Matrimony Detail…………………………………………..….65 Figure B.14 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….66 Figure B.15 Mechanical Matrimony Detail……………………………………..……….66 Figure B.16 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………………..…….66 Figure B.17 Mechanical Matrimony Waterfall Card Mechanics………………..……….67 v Figure B.18 Mechanical Matrimony Waterfall Card Details (1)…………………..…….68 Figure B.19 Mechanical Matrimony Waterfall Card Details (2)……………………..….69 Figure B.20 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….70 Figure B.21 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….70 Figure B.22 Mechanical Matrimony Detail……………………………………..……….71 Figure B.23 Mechanical Matrimony Detail…………………………………..………….71 Figure B.24 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….72 Figure B.25 Mechanical Matrimony Detail……………………………………..……….72 Figure B.26 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….73 Figure B.27 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….74 Figure B.28 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….74 Figure B.29 Mechanical Matrimony Detail……………………………………..……….75 Figure B.30 Mechanical Matrimony Detail…………………………………..………….75 Figure B.31 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………..…………….75 Figure B.32 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….76 Figure B.33 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………..…………….76 Figure B.34 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………..…………….77 Figure B.35 Mechanical Matrimony Detail…………………………………..………….77 Figure B.36 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….78 Figure B.37 Mechanical Matrimony Detail…………………………………..………….78 Figure B.38 Mechanical Matrimony Detail…………………………………..………….78 Figure B.39 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….79 Figure B.40 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………...……………79 vi Figure B.41 Mechanical Matrimony Detail………………………………..…………….79 Figure B.42 Mechanical Matrimony Detail…………………………………..………….80 Figure B.43 Mechanical Matrimony …………………………………………………….80 Figure B.44 Mechanical Matrimony (Wheel of Choice Detail)………...……………….81 Figure C.1 The Escape Front Cover………………………………………………..……82 Figure C.2 The Escape Back Cover…………………………………………...…………83 Figure C.3 The Escape ……………………………………………………..……………84 Figure C.4 The Escape ……………………………………………………..……………85 Figure C.5 The Escape Detail……………………………………………………………86 Figure C.6 The Escape ………………………………………………………..…………87 Figure C.7 The Escape Detail……………………………………………………………88 Figure C.8 The Escape Detail……………………………………………........…………88 Figure C.9 The Escape ………………………………………………………………..…89 Figure C.10 The Escape …………………………………………………………………90 Figure C.11 The Escape …………………………………………………………………91 Figure D.1 Zombie Mommy Journal Excerpt………………………………………..…...92 Figure D.2. Zombie Mommy “Dear Mother-To-Be” Rewrite……………………………93 Figure D.3. Zombie Mommy Unused Page Layout…………………………………...….94 Figure D.4 The Escape Ribbon Detail…………………………………………...………95 Figure D.5 Work Table…………………………………………………………………..96 Figure D. 6 Mechanical Matrimony “Maquette Madness”...……………………………97 vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The primary intent for my thesis work is to craft three altered books which address my goal of examining the notion of choice encountered by females with respect to gender roles. The problems of craft and conceptualization are at the forefront of my research, with my major questions being: how do I construct altered books and how do I do so in a way that addresses my conceptual concerns? Regarding concept, my questions are as follows: how do I convey the juxtaposition of opposing sex-typing that conflicts many modern women and how do I create work that provokes women to question whether their gender roles are self-imposed choices or are structures set in place by their upbringing? My thesis work began with the analysis of the practice of altering books and my own personal reflections. The term “altered book” is not a term familiar to most people, in or out of the art world. The questions I receive always lead me into a short speech on the definition and history behind the art form. I find appropriation to be the best opening topic. Appropriation, in the art world, is the act of an artist taking possession of a copy of an original work of art by another artist, not with the intent of plagiarizing, but with the intent to use his or her viewer's association of that image to bring added power to the new context in which the artist