World affairs
Working with a contemporary news event, create an illustration that comments on it from a statical perspective. Think about how you structure this image. What information do you need to give the viewer in order for them to understand the context in which this image should read? In other words, how do you connect your image to your chosen event? Think about how you use symbolism and metaphor in the image.
Use caricature to help you identify who’s in your illustration. You may want to use collage to do this or work with your drawing skills.
Mind map
So I am going to start off with a spider diagram/ mind map to get some ideas going, I have some in my head already, I think it needs to be political, something with the government, and something that has been in the news recently.
Keywords
My keywords I have used from the mind map are:-
Boris Johnson, party gate, regret, breaking rules, scandal, labour, Kier Starmer, restrictions, ignore, one rule for one, caught.
Mood board
I have put together a little Pinterest board of ideas (see below)
Plus a few extra photos of Partygate itself.
News element – satirical idea
So my idea is that Kier Starmer played the sensible leader of the opposition and wanted Boris Johnson to resign over party gate, but we find out 18 months later he also had a party gate scandal, so its one rule for one leader and not for the other!
The people of England not only mistrust the Prime minister now but also the leader of the Labour Party is just as bad, it’s a farce, they have both been caught when they should have been leading by example. It throws the public into disarray, you have to vote for a leader but they are as bad as each other.
The public played by the rules stayed in didn’t see their families for months even a year or two, people died, people didn’t see their loved ones before they died, and you’ve got a government having a party full of 50-60 people, ignoring the rules.
They satirical element will be that they are in number 10 drinking champagne, elitist and they are better than everybody else, in their posh suits, eating canapés, celebrating and having fun.
Approach
Kier starter will be in the background sneering, thinking Ive got you nailed to Boris Johnson, but then there is someone in the background filming him too.
I’ll try this approach first and see if it works, I’ll use caricature for both Boris and Kier, I’ll add in some background details, and draw the men with elements of their personalities into the drawing. Boris with his unkempt hair, slightly crazy looking, unkempt and scruffy. Kier very well kept, clean shaven, very upright and boring.
Process
I think this process will come as we go along the ideas, I’m not really sure how it will turn out, but I think it will be trial and error with this exercise.
Thumbnails
I did some thumbnails, one of a grand drawing room in Downing Street, people in suits, chandeliers, and panelled walls to show the difference between the Mp’s and the public.
Another one with a butler and trays of champagne, famous art work, and Kier Starmer sneering.
The third Boris having fun at the party with other MP’s and billionaires, scruffy hair, scruffy shirt, next to a polished woman.
The fourth Kier Starmer amount all the other MP’s in cognate, with dark glasses and a moustache.
This was just some loose ideas, I wanted to let it flow more when I was actually working on the collage, start do a bit, then take a step back and look again, what else does it need etc.
Visual style
I decided to not use digital software for this exercise, I wanted to be a bit more creative and try something different. I chose collage just because I saw this image and thought this was very funny, and thought I would include this style into my collages to add to the satirical elements.
Art work
I chose these images to work with and layer up on my collage.
I started with the actual photograph from the party, then layered up each element, I added Kier Starmer first, and put him in a place where he’s amongst the group.
I then added Boris Johnson dancing in the foreground, I used a bigger head than the body to create the caricature style.
I then used the accessories, so the gold framed picture of Margaret Thatcher, the chandelier, and the flag. I also added a butler with Matt Hancocks face as caricature, just because he was at one of the party’s and at a later date the public find out he was having an affair during the pandemic too, I thought this would add more drama and humour.
Looking at it now I want to add a picture of the lady Matt had the affair with, hiding behind the table. A champagne glass in Boris’s hand, dark glasses and incognito stuff for Kier Starmer, and a stay home, stay safe covid banner in the background, to add more humour and relevant motifs.
So I sneaked Gina in behind the table as though she is hiding.
I added a hat and dark glasses to Kier starter as though he is incognito at the party.
I added the covid stay home protect lives poster in the background, as though it’s irrelevant to them.
I then added another champagne glass to Boris’s hand, as the copy of him dancing is a little blurred, so I added another over the top.
So this is the final collage, hopefully it’s funny and there is irony in there as well as sarcasm and satirical themes, and caricature of Boris’ Kier and Matt.
Summery
What went well
I think the collage art went really well, I enjoyed the creativity of it and thought it fitted together well, I tried to think about the whole picture of the party and add elements on the walls, ceiling, people holding things. I also thought about using something new in the foreground, middle and background to give a full picture.
I think some bits are funny personally, Some are silly and some are using the satirical elements of politics and what goes on behind closed doors.
What I would do differently
With news and politics its hard to find funny things sometimes as you are not sure how far to take it, would people find it offensive? It was difficult at first to pin point something I wanted to use from the news recently, as obviously some things are not funny, like the war in the Ukraine!
After the initial apprehension in thinking of something to work with, I thought it was better to use something from the past, that we know the whole story of, that’s why I chose ‘Party gate’, I could also reference things that have happened since, that we have found out, like Matt Hancocks affair with Gina Colangelo, and also Kier Starmer being investigated as well for his own Party gate issue!
I’m not sure all the satirical elements other people will see or find funny, but I think the collage definitely has humour, and has also bought the old news of ‘Party gate’ up to current events.
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