Is Sweet Kitsch A Danger To Society?

Artists in the early 1900s commonly utilized techniques of distortion and exaggeration, characteristics of expressionism, to establish the element of emotion. According to Wolf (2017), expressionist artists often incorporate “swirling, swaying, and exaggeratedly executed brushstrokes to convey the turgid emotional state of the artist reacting to the anxieties of the modern world” (p. 1). Amplification of the human figure often evokes strong emotions for audiences of many different cultures. Additionally, the style reflects the consequences of urbanization, such as the alienation of individuals in society (Wolf, 2017). Expressionism allows artists to surpass realism and reflect the tribulations of living in a modern society.

Saying it “is all about 'investment dressing' - buying one piece and loving it for a long time”. (Siegle, 8) When buying a product the shopper should not be afraid to spend a little extra cash so it won’t have to be disposed in a few months time. Making more of a relationship to care for what is in their possession. And repair the clothes they have since “just 2 per cent of the average clothing budget goes on services that repair or lengthen the lifespan of our garments and accessories”. (Siegle, 9) She goes over how the more you buy fast fashion the higher the price and the cheaper the material will be. Ending up in the garbage and repeating the cycle of devastating effects on the

In this essay, I will be discussing about a social group that took fashion to the next level and create a huge impact in British history were the punks culture during the late nineteen seventies. The punk cultures were to rebel against the government during the great depression and were all about the attitude of the younger generations. During the late nineteen seventies was the time of unemployment and social unrest, a lot of the young white kids felt outcast from the British culture, foreseeing their lives with little prospect and so called “no future”. It was also a DIY “Do it yourself” movement. Younger generation that adopted the punk look often create their own garment by wearing safety pins,

Day then draws a sharp criticism on the increasingly “commodified” nature of tattoos, as she derides them as a mere “fashion statement”. The words “fashion statement” insinuates that such tattoos are materialistic and transparent in meaning, upholding the notion that modern tattoos carry no purpose in today’s society, other than to impress others. The reader, as a result, may be invoked to feel annoyance and frustration at the ignorance of the general public, who are implied to be unaware of the previous meaning of tattoos. Moreover, Day compounds upon this pre-established notion of commodity by stating it is “fashion’s proprietary mark”. The word “proprietary” may position the reader to criticise the fashion industry, as it is suggested that the fashion industry has defiled body art out of economical greed. Day finds this “profoundly annoying”; the conviction in her statement, achieved through the use of brevity, may invite the reader to share similar sentiments,

Pop Art emerged in Britain in the late 50’s and the United States in the early 60’s.(Mamiya 1992) Pop Art is generally known today as a representation of celebrating popular culture and consumerism, however it’s background and origins are far more broad and extensive. There are many factors and influences that lead to the creation of the Pop Art movement such as adjusting to life after World War II, new technological advances that lead to mass cooperate growth, the evolution of Abstract Expressionism and also social issues in the media such as feminism. (Smith 2001; Mamiya 1992) Many of these factors overlap and act as a catalyst in the creation of Neodadaism and eventually Pop Art. (Livingstone 1992) Pop Art does not have a soul distinct style nor just one major influence and this can be proven by looking at key artists of the movement such as Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg and James Rosenquist as well as female Pop artists such as Martha Rosler. (Brauer, Edwards, Finch & Hopps 2001) Exploring these artists and the major influences of their work will break down Pop Art and establish the movement’s purpose as well as its evolution.

This essay will explore the effects social and political changes had on fashion in the 1980’s. This period was chosen because the new romantic fashions were so different to the punk fashions that had been before, this essay will therefore identify the changes that had taken place to influence this change. Primary evidence used to support findings will include interviews and photographs which will show a firsthand account of the period.

Fashion is everything to society and the media. The fashion industry has transformed into a necessity in the life of people. Everyone wants to look good, feel fabulous and feel as if we belong with everyone else. The envy and desire to wear certain things and look a certain way all come, from wearing the latest fashion handbags, accessories, dresses, shoes, and the list goes on. But, when is considering fashion into an individual’s life going too far to the extreme? Many do not consider the whereabouts of fashion materials and how the environment is affected by the mere existence of certain garments. Some may believe these objects grow on trees. But that is clearly not the case. Even though it would be nice. The fashion industry as a

Right after the fun relaxing 1960’s and excitement of the american dream it all came crashing down in the 1970’s. Political distrust and economic unrest took its toll on the citizens of the United States and so they found refuge in the arts. With the Nixon watergate scandal, withdrawal from vietnam, inflation, the oil crisis, and increasing ‘slum’ areas the american dream began to fall apart, many people awoke to the idea that the United States was not as great as it supposedly was. Many activist groups sought change and people, especially the youth, took comfort in new art forms and ways of expression including disco, postmodern art and punk and grunge styles.

A massive artistic change begins with a sense of something about this is wrong. The next step is anger against the wrong and a decision to rectify it. Later, the anger and need for change bleed into every artistic form to revolutionize culture itself. There is no better example of a counter-culture movement than America in the 1960’s, as defiance of previous social norms took place in the Civil Rights movement, the beginning of feminism, and the construction of a radical “hippie” lifestyle. Through cultural changes came rapid controversial evolution in the arts, particularly in music and fashion.

Despite my research strongly suggesting that street art frequently has socio-political underlying messages and it is extremely accessible to the youth, I was unable to find definitive evidence concerning if street art is effective in portraying socio-political messages to the young. Therefore, I conducted an investigation to act as primary research and hopefully give results that could answer the question. I aimed to discover the opinion of a small group of London young adults; whether they thought that street art had an ability to convey socio-political themes and if they felt the art had any influence in their lives.

The book, From Goodwill to Grunge: A Story of Second Hand Styles and Alternative Economics, is in complete adherence with my view of the world, especially as teenager in the 21st century. I believe that fashion, and what people wear is, unfortunately, such a big part of life in 2018. Many teens and young adults are expected to dress a certain way, and shop at certain stores, and if they don’t , they risk being bullied, especially in middle and high schools, which can be extremely deleterious to a teens mental health as well as self esteem. In today’s day and time, thrifting is as popular as ever, with many teens adopting the thrifting lifestyle exclusively for the aesthetic. In the chapter “The Invention of Vintage Clothing” , Le Zotte states,“Vintage

In order to discuss pop art I have chosen to examine the work and to some extent lives of Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol who were two of the main forces behind the American movement. I intend to reflect the attitudes of the public and artists in America at this time, while examining the growing popularity of pop art from its rocky, abstract expressionist start in the 1950s through the height of consumer culture in the 60s and 70s to the present day.

The world has become aesthetically poorer for this change, as the result of which brightness and contrast have been replaced by dullness and similarity. There can be little doubt, however, that the drastic reduction of the decorative element in male clothing has, to some extent, achieved its aim.

In The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera kitsch is defined an artistic model that “excludes everything from its purview which is essentially unacceptable in in human existence” (248). Kundera is basically saying that various methods of art and culture attempt to evade issues that may reveal unfriendly aspects of being and sugarcoat the harsh truth. Kitsch is being demonstrated at the end of the novel when Kundera depicts an emotional death of the dog, Karenin.

Case Study 1.2 “Geoffrey B. Small is Big on Quality, Customers, Community” is about a leading fashion designer that does not want his customers to think about the brand name, color, style or price of the fabrics they wear. Small’s wants his customers to be “thinking about the quality and origins of the fabrics you wear, their impact on the environment, and your own view of social responsibility as a customer.” Even if the customer cannot afford his clothing he wants them to understand his mission as a designer.