Style & Gender Remixed

I want to bring attention to the fact that we remix everyday. For example we remix our style, gender construction before we even start our day. We remix our style and gender construct every morning while we are getting dressed, some days I wear patterns, textures, and I even clash colours. I do this depending on the mood and type of day I have. I like to use different patterns on top of different textures and this is what I call a ‘fabric remix’. The clothes are all made in different places, ‘made in China’, ‘made in India’, ‘made in the U.S.A’, ‘made in Italy’, etc. I am remixing culture and textures from different places, and when I weather leather and fur I am remixing animals (sorry for any vegetarians/vegans reading this blog, all my furs are vintage if that helps). My point is that I am able to own pieces from all different locales and cultures and remix them together into one outfit for the purpose of self-expression. I also wear vintage pieces, usually stolen from my grandma and remix them with high designer brands.

We remix gender by the way we act, the way we present ourselves, and the way we dress. I tend to do many things that people point out are “un-lady like” such as burping out loud, stuffing my face, swearing etc. I also often wear boys clothing, baggy t-shirts, baggy jeans, mens sunglasses, my boyfriend’s hats, sweaters etc. At the same time I am “dressing as a boy” I still wear makeup, dye my hair, paint my nails and so on. I actually usually prefer unisex clothes, and styles and I prefer cologne over perfume. I call this a 'gender remix' obviously different from drag, but then again according to feminist theorist Judith Halbertstam everyone performs drag because everyone performs and acts according to a certain gender construct, whether accepted by society or not (212).

Even though Ive always worn boy clothes ever since my heavy metal/hardcore days back in highschool (when it was very un-popular and I got made fun of every day) it is now found in all angles of the fashion industry. Gender reversed and unisex clothing is in. High fashion today is very much unisex based or I like to call it "gender remixed." Lots of female models are chosen because they look boy-ish, and lots of transvestite male models are chosen for their unique bone structures and their boxy body shape. Men are wearing skirts, and women are wearing drop crotch pants. Big boobs are out, and flat chested is in. The reverse role is highly popular now, and if you haven't noticed already I am sure you will start to notice now.

We either act according to our specific gender, or we don’t, luckily today falling between gender cracks and remixing all genders together in an outfit has become more accepted in society. This step in fashion is also a great leap for feminist theorists who are continually trying to break down the gender barriers. Excited to see whats going to come in the future!

Here is an example of a model who looks quite boyish, but can also remain feminine at the same time

Aggy Deyn:

Link for the rest of her photoshoot by the famous Hedi Slimane HERE

Source:

Halberstam, Judith. “F2M: The Making of Female Masculinity.” The Lesbian Postmodern. Ed. Laura Doan. New York: Columbia UP, 1994. 210-228. 0-231- 08411-0. 267p.

Owning success

We talk a lot about ownership in KS 400, and most of the time I find we focus a lot on the negative side of things. We read stories of law suits, infringements and the like, yet very rarely do we look at the positive side of the ownership issue. I started thinking this when I found an artcle in the paper on the TTC subway. A ten year girl re-made the hit Born this Way by Lady GaGa and instead of being penalized for this, she has been launched into fame and success. A lot of people in the talent industry are now keeping an eye on her because of her fabulous voice. Even Lady GaGa was impressed. Last night, she had the opportunity to sing with Lady GaGa on stage at her Tornonto concert. Stories like this are fairly rare, but they do occurr--I think that sometimes scholars forget that remixing a song, and claiming it to be your own is not necessarily a bad thing.

here is Lady GaGa's rendition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4a8QtvOkBQ

and the remixed version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG0wi1m-89o

Remixes At Their Finest

Hilarioussss Charlie Sheen Dub-Step Remix. Enough Said.

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1hLduV1p88&feature=topvideos

cultural appropriation as remix?

In another class I am writing a paper about the Cowichan sweaters that were manufactured by The Bay for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. The sweaters that were made by The Bay looked like the original Cowichan sweaters and were hand made from the same kind of wool, but the Cowichan people were not involved in their manufacture nor were they given any kind of compensation or recognition for the sweaters that were sold for $350 each at the Bay.

The Cowichan People have been making versions of this sweater since before Contact with European colonialists.

My paper tries to problematize this cultural appropriation. But as I was working on it today I coundl't help but think (and I guess this is my question to all of you): is this just another form of remix? is it the same as Girl Talk using bits and pieces of different songs to make something new? Does the culture and history attached to the Cowichan sweaters make a difference?

Pirates and IsoHunt

I found a great story covering the IsoHunt trip through the US copyright litigation.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/the-law-page/the-case-against-isohunt/article1925928/


Just thought I'd share it for those who are interested.

This is the Manifesto of Mother Monster

Threading straight from the previous blog post, I would like to continue with the notions of origin points in two (strangely related) popular culture references.

1) Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (film)
2) Lady Gaga's "I was Born this way" (music video)

Firstly, the film Vertigo has always been a confusing and often misinterpreted film out of Hitchcock's collection for a number of reasons. While studying his creation in a film course last year, I made it my concern to focus solely on the use of circles and spirals. My reasoning behind this was to pin-point why exactly they appeared in nearly every twisted sequence; but most prominently in the opening credits. The idea of the circle alone creates that unconventional reality of a "never-ending" problem, the replaying of events, but in the end never being able to find solutions because the circle is always the same (following the same pattern for eternity). On the other hand the spiral has clearly defined beginning and ending points, but when the spirals are shown in the actual film footage (staircases usually), the beginning and ending points become lost and create a frantic confusion that dooms those who have been caught up inside of it.
For those who have not seen the film I highly recommend it, as the opening credits do not exactly give the best examples. I found it interesting though that they foreshadow the events of the plot and story line.

This is the video of the opening credits (excuse the length, but it still gives you the general idea)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkHn8PNGYaA

The other day, while perusing youtube I noticed that the new Lady Gaga video had been posted. Knowing that this artist often makes an effort to reference Hitchcock movies made me interested to what new material she had come up with in her new album. While watching the opening sequences (lasting longer than usual), I found myself wondering where I had heard this music before. It is in fact, the IDENTICAL theme music from Vertigo! In my excitement, I replayed the video and began to take note of the fact that once again, Lady Gaga proved to be deeper than usual. Her interesting use of mirrored images forces the reference of copies, confusion, and the pure remix of visuals. Although she doesn't make much use of the original material, I do find this video to be a remix of a remix. If anything, Lady Gaga is presenting herself as a series of copies, and in the beginning sequences, the starting point of her birth, and the ending point of her evil is somewhat ambiguous and undetectable.

Check out the video! The song isn't the best (it's not up to her remix standards), but the first minute and a half may draw up other conclusions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw

"Art Without a Beginning or an End" M.C Esher

Reading Jean Baudrillard’s “Simulacra and Simulations” made it clear that life today as the hyperreal is life comprised of series of copies or references without an origin. The terms hyperreal and simulacrum are very modern terms that will be replacing or used in the definitions of words like originality, art, reference and so on. Simulacrum means copy without an original, infinite and endlessly reproducing, which brings me to reappropriating “art without a beginning or an end” as M.C Esher presented. To me this concept is a good symbol to exemplify how people go in circles trying to find a referent or something original. Art and literature has endless referents and comparing this confusing, endless, and abstract thought to the film Inception was my primary reaction. Especially when Kevin Hatch was presenting during lecture, all I could think about were the paradoxal architecture and design that Joseph Gorden-Levitt (Arthur) was teaching Ellen Page (Ariadne) in the movie. The paradoxal universe that Page was taught to create is very similar to the designs Hatch had on his presentation slides.

Example from Inception: The infinite stair case

here is another example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKSUfcHVIJQ

Applying the physical paradox to a thought process, song or piece of art can be tricky. Here is a mini example of the way I see it with remix music. Remix music has become so popular that now there are remixes of remixes, the referent is sometimes really difficult to find because everything about the song is re written, voice has changed, even the title is different! Here is an example of a song I love, that is a remix of a remix. I heard the remix of a remix before I heard the original, and first remix. Some people might not realize the final product is even a remix at all.

>>>Original:

>>>Friendly Fires remixed it, then Aeroplane remixed it on top of that remix:

>>>Remix of the remix (My Favorite) (NOTE: Name changed from Crave You to I Crave Paris)