Lecture 7//Celebrity culture

What the lecture will look at:

• The history of a celebrity.
• The relationship between photography/film/tv and celebrity.
• The culture significance of celebrities.
• Contemporary icons as case studies.

Julia Margaret Cameron

• Celebrity portraits , late 19th century to early 20th century. 
• Painting, soft focus, toning, romantic/theatrical themes.

The Bride (1869)

Mariana

• "She said I am a weary, weary" 1875.
• Sisters are often acting scenes from mythology.
• Christina, sister, both famous for aesthetic artists like Whistler, Dante.

English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson

• Male celebrities of the day were given a different treatment photographically.
• More solid, less ethereal. 
• Pose is more staged, less mythical. 

Invention of moving pictures
Publicizing the idea of a celebrity. 
Louis Aime Augustin Le Prince, from leeds. Inventor of the first moving images. 1888.
'The Silent Era' in film-from that date up to 1927.

The Artist (2011)

Celebrities going in and out of fashion. 

Josephine Baker (1906-1975)

• Baker costumes for the Danse banane from the Folies Bergeres production Un Vent de Folie in Paris in 1927.
• Had a Jewish husband.
• A muse for contemporary authors. 
• Two sides to public and private persona. 

Influences

• Celebrities, Glamour, live music and fashion.
• Beyonce offers references to Josephine Baker.

Golden age of Hollywood

• Between 1927 and 1960.
• The jazz singer is the first feature length motion picture with synchronized dialogue.

Clark Glabe

• 'King of Hollywood  starred opposite many star actresses of the time in the silent films and on stage.
• US army Air cops during WWII. 

Betty Davis

• Known for playing unlikeable characters.
• Married a man who claimed he had never heard of her. 
• Reversed roles of celebrities and normal people. 
• The canteen where celebrities served the public.

Marilyn Monroe

• Opposite
• Actress, singer
• Relationships with Arthur Miller and the Kennedy brothers.
• Iconic as a sex symbol, the spectacle.
• Her death frezzes her status. 

Andy Warhol-Pop Art

• Iconic, recognizable
• Her face becomes a mask and is repeated in the publicity and the news.
• makes her compelling, mythological. 

Audrey Flack's Marilyn (1977)

• In the tradition of the 16th/17th century.
• Photorealism- airbrush. 
• Difference between person and the painted image.

Elvis Presley 

• Warhol uses an image of him acting the classic American hero-the cowboy.
• Blurs our vision, reminds us that the image is all we can see.
• An icon

Warhols Factory photographed by Richard Avedon (1969)

• Encourages sub-cultured individuals as a place of expression
• Factory-idea of the creation of style.
• Reflection of 60's politics. 
• Turn them into celebrities.
• On the edges of society.

John F Kennedy

• Celebrity politician-youth and good looks.
• Television speeches.
• Fashionable, beautiful wife.
• His death in 1963 was not filmed by the tv cameras but by the public- conspiracy. 

Advent of Television

• 'Golden age' begins in the late 40's and goes through 50's and 60's. 
• Focus on drama as entertainment.
• Late 50's early 60's TV became commonplace in UK and US homes.

The Jacksons as a brand

• Musicians/performers.
• 1971 The Jackson 5 had an animated cartoon.
• In 1976 they star in a comedy acting as themselves

Michael Jackson

• Looks changed as got older- speculation.
• Plastic surgery. 
• Interpreted as reactions to the abuse he suffered from his father as a child. 

Madonna

• Material girl (1985)
• Postmodern recycling of the golden Era of Hollywood.
• Pastiche of Marilyn's performance of Diamonds are a girls Best Friend in Gentleman prefer blondes (1953).

Still from the vogue video (1990)

Reinvents herself for every tour.

Lady Gaga-Brit Awards 2010

• Recycles image every time she is in the public eye. 
• Signature style is multiple. 
• Hard to get in touch with her really self.

Jana Sterbak (1987)

• Meat dress, influenced Lady Gaga's more modern day version.
• Creates a reaction.

Barak Obama

• 'Pop' president.
• His election seems to offer progress in American politics as he is the first black president.

Youtube

• Created February 2005.
• Showcases self-made celebrities.
• Using pop-culture to get out self-promotion. 

Princess Diana (1971)

• Represents innocence and beauty as the truth of her marriage to Charles emerges.
• Reinvents herself as fashion icon as they begin to separate.
• Seen as a fitting match.
• As relationship breaks down, Diana reinvents herself.  

The Paparazzi

• Seems to be the blame of her death in 1997.
• Celebrities, especially royals, are owned by the public. This idea is reinforced with funerals. 
• Bigger celebrity, the more traumatic the loss.

Whitney Houston's Funeral (2012)

• A commercial value to celebrity deaths.
• Prices for music are hyped.
• Public expected to buy albums as a reaction to her death.

David Beckham

• Contemporary 'everyman'.
• A brand.
• Cross worlds of sport, fashion and music.

Imitation of celebrity

• Tribute bands.
• Industry revolved around this concept. 

Alison Jackson private (2004)

• 'Apparently 'caught' in a private moment. 
• Uses methods to portray a spied on moment.
• Through windows, doors.
• Implied being looked at.
• Uses look-a-likes.

As seen on stars

• Asos, a way to sell clothes.
• Become a celebrity by dressing/looking like them.

Pierre and Giles

• Before photoshop used widely.
• Retouched.airbrushed images.
• Studio sets.
• Colours from Indian religious posters.

Shiva and Family/Madonna

Jun de Junes

Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow (1996)

John Stezaker from the Marriage series (2006)

Twitter

• Since 2006.
• Follow celebs.
• Details of private life.
• Read through thoughts.
• Can get obsessed. 
• Line between public and private.