This November, the London College of Communication hosted the 2023 Postgraduate show, showing the work of a series of emerging creative photographers, studying at a MA level at Lcc.
One of the key themes that were presented at the showcase was the theme of Identity. Identity is fluid, vast, and has muted throughout the years but has always played an essential role in our society. It gives the human being a sense of self, which means that provides the individual with a sense of who they are and what their role is in society; it also has a social value, since it is crucial for establishing connections with others.
Identity’s meaning can transform and change based on different elements, such as the surroundings, as shown in the project “Broadway”.
The photographer aimed to document different artists in their personal spaces, these can be their living room, their studios, or the room where they perform their work. By doing this the student wanted to understand where their inspirations came from and where they create most of their work and explore what these spaces mean to them and how they eventually influence their work and their identities. The aspiring photographer also explains the particularity of this project, explaining that it is not focused on the work of these artists but on their own identity and who they are as people, portraying them as simple individuals who live in their homes and find inspiration in daily life.
“Usually it’s their work that gets the spotlight but in my project is the artist and his identity that gets that spotlight”.
Similarly to this project, the student Ruotong Zhou with her project “Golden Years”, portrays mature artists and designers from Britain, France, and Italy in their surroundings. After having long conversations with each of them Ruotong photographed them in their homes, these places are extremely personal and have a big role and impact in the lives and work of these artists. They reflect each woman’s interests and source of creativity. The photographs aim to capture the passion of these female artists coming from different parts of the world, as well as their pure essence. It also reflects on the role of the older generation and their impact on our world, obsessed with the “young and new.”
Another project that has its focuses on the older generation and the value of cultural preservation in the theme of Identity is the project “She of WU” by the student Jiayue Wu. The student portrays the so-called “Invisible women”, Chinese women who dedicate their lives to their own families. This project reflects on the patriarchal culture that many times does not give enough space to the desires, wishes, and dreams of Chinese women, who are obliged to sacrifice themselves for the well-being of their husbands and family. Through her gentle portraits of several generations of Wu women, the artist invites viewers to see her feelings during an emotional reunion with her family.
A different point of view on Identity was provided by the photographer Xin Feng in “Human Safari.” This project pays attention to the role of social media and modern technology on our identities. The Artist explains that these technologies allow us to shape and create ourselves and our identity, by doing so we then forget who we truly are and our real identity starts to hide and will eventually get lost in platforms such as Instagram or Tik Tok. Virtual social interaction turns each one of us into players, we can decide how we want people to see us and we can shape our traits. Finally, this project wants to analyze the relationship between Identity and the virtual role.