FINAL PROJECT PROPOSAL - TIME

SEQUENTIAL RECUT By Bianca Cooper

Pink has been called the most divisive of colors be- cause society has given it a particular meaning. To- day, pink is a color often associated with femininity, weakness, Barbie, bubble gum and Legally Blonde. However, the meaning and the role of pink has not always been this way. In the West, pink first became fashionable in the mid-1700s, when European aristo- crats regardless of gender wore faint pink powder as a symbol of luxury and class. In 18th century Euro- pean society it continued to be used as a symbol of status because the materials used to dye such lavish garments were imported from expensive expeditions to central Asia and South America. Pink was not as- sociated with femininity as both sexes wore it. The tint was, in fact, often considered more appropriate for little boys because it was seen as a paler shade or red, which had “masculine,” military undertones. In Rococo and Neoclassical art, it symbolized youth and romance. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century when men started to wear darker colors and pink became more associated with women and its identity started changing. At that time, gender roles didn’t see wom- en as a main decision maker so pink was seen as a friv- olous color and one that you wouldn’t take seriously because it didn’t represent power. But this changed again in the 1960s when celebrities and public fig- ures, from Jackie Kennedy to Marilyn Monroe, adopt- ed it as a mark of luxury. From the 1980s onwards, more artists have made it edgier including celebrities in pop and hip-hop cultures: Madonna, Rihanna, The Ramones. It is now a symbol of empowerment and defiance. To wear pink now is to make a statement. Attitudes towards pinks are changing. To quote the great color historian Michel Pastoureau, “It is soci- ety that ‘makes’ color, defines it, gives it meaning”.



PROPOSAL 1 My first idea for this project is to create a video that would consist of pictures and vid- eos of me walking through New York City wearing a pink suit. These scences would cap- ture me doing mundane activities and also extravagant activities. It would follow me as my time goes by. I plan to mix still images and videos to keep the audience engaged.

PROPOSAL 2 My second idea is to create a book filled with still images that I take on the streets of New York City that capture how people are wearing today. I would add a ‘vintage’ effect to the images to create a story through them. It would consist of approximately 20 images in color with a caption.