This document discusses Nikki S. Lee's self-portrait photography project that explores identity. It defines identity as how one derives a self-image from family, gender, culture and socialization. Identity has three levels - personal, relational, and cultural/social. Some social identities discussed are racial, national, gender and ethnic identities. The document also covers stereotypes, prejudices and how artists like Cindy Sherman and Dorothea Lange have portrayed identity in self-portraits. Students are then assigned a project to create their own self-portrait through photography to represent their identity without necessarily featuring themselves.

1. Identity
Self - Portrait Photography Project
Nikki S. Lee, Projects (1997-2001)
Me’ and ‘them’: the in-between where ‘my identity’ tends to change
organically. - Nikki S. Lee

2. The importance of identity
Who am I?
I am…
I am…
I am…
I am…I am…
MultipleMultiple
IdentitiesIdentities
I am…
Nikki S. Lee — Parts, the men
are missing.
Lee leans on a man, then cuts
him out of the picture.

3. Painters have explored self portrait
throughout the history of art.
Self portrait- Vincent VanGough Self portrait – Frida Kahlo

4. 1. What is a Self-Portrait?
• Establishing and
embellishing a
definition of
one’s self

5. * Self – Portrait
• Doesn’t mean YOU have to be in the photo.
It must just represent you!

6. But, it could be a “selfie”

7. 2. Definition of Identity:
“the reflective self-conception or self-image
that we each derive from our family, gender,
cultural, ethnic, and individual socialization
process” (Ting-Toomey).
Nikki S. Lee — Projects: The Seniors Project
For this transformation, Lee needed a makeup artist.

8. I. Personal (what makes us unique)
II. Relational (our relationships with others)
III. Cultural, Communal or Social (large-scale communities
such as nationality, ethnicity, gender, religious or political
affiliation)
* You will need to choose 1 of these for this project
Photo-
graphy by
Catherine
Opie
3. Three levels of identity:

9. I. Personal (what makes us unique)

10. II. Relational (our relationships with others)

11. • III. Cultural, Communal or Social
(large-scale communities such as
nationality, ethnicity, gender, religious or
political affiliation)

12. 1. Racial Identity – a socially
constructed idea that still persists
in the United States
2. National Identity – the
nation/country one was born into
(or a sense of place)
4. Selected Social Identities

13. 3. Gender Identity (different than sexual identity) – how
a particular culture differentiates masculine and feminine
social roles

14. • 4. Ethnic Identity – derived from a sense of
shared heritage, history, traditions, values,
area of origin, and sometimes language.

15. Ethnic Identity:
The Hapa Project, Kip Fulbeck
• Fulbeck began the project
in 2001, traveling the
country photographing
over 1200 volunteer
subjects who self-
identified as Hapa
• HAPA= mixed ethnic
heritage with partial roots
in Asian and/or Pacific
Islander ancestry)

17. The dark side of identity
Stereotypes- categorization that mentally organizes your
experience with, and guides your behavior toward, a
particular group of people.
Prejudices – are deeply held negative feelings associates
with a particular group (anger, fear, aversion, anxiety).
Racism – an extension of stereotyping and prejudice. The
belief that one race is inherently superior to another; “genetic
endowment.”
Ethnocentrism – one’s own culture is superior to any other.

18. Stereotypes - Gender
Cindy Sherman plays the role of a young woman studying her own reflection.
The photo visually portrays a woman assembling her identity, caught in the act of
construction…she appears masked through make-up and costume.
Untitled Film Still #14. 1978.

19. Cindy Sherman. Untitled Film Still
#43. 1979.
Cindy Sherman. Untitled Film Still #48.
1979.
Cindy Sherman, Continued…

20. • 6. Clearly displaying the exaggerated manipulation of her
body, she describes her face as a blank canvas to be
worked on so as to create and unmask the social
stereotypes circulated by the media.
• Often revealing their decay and almost horrifying
aspects in features verging on the grotesque.

21. Remember…
emotions can be conveyed.
Dorothea Lange. (American, 1895-1965).
Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California. 1936
Photo by Tom Hoops

22. Let’s look at someone familiar!
• What makes President Barack Obama
who he is on the inside and the outside?

23. Identity- President Obama
• bi-racial, Hawaii, Kenya, Indonesia
• His love of basketball
• His hometown of Chicago
• Politician
• Lawyer
• Father, husband
• Harvard graduate
• President

24. 1. “Who am I on the inside?
2. Who am I on the outside?”
3. What do I value?
Identity?

25. • Then….how will you represent this
through a photograph?
1. Clothing, Props?
2. Environment?
3. People/models?

26. Student Examples
• Identity Portrayed through Photography

28. Incorporate Text?

29. Think outside the box!

30. Try something new?!

33. More Student Examples

34. Can be about you, but not
feature you

35. Use Photoshop to Manipulate Composition
Merge 2 photos
Arrange multiples

36. Due Dates
1. Monday, Nov. 9th
– Brainstorm 5 ideas for this project.
– 5 photos due by Monday
I. List ways you will “represent” yourself.
II.Think about the location, people, clothing,
backgrounds, etc.
III.How will your photo be unique?
IV. A new perspective?
2. Thursday, Nov. 12th
-Work day on photo
3. Friday, Nov. 13th
-Final Photo due