Growing Old for Real: Women, Image and Identity
My research explores how older women relate to visual image - our own and those of celebrity/media - and how this affects our identity and presentation of self, particularly when the advertising market has recognised the potential of 'grey' spending power, when the economy requires us to work longer, when the issue of reconstructed relationships may be significant and when cosmetic surgery, treatments etc. have become commonplace for those able and willing to pay. Much research has centred on the effect of image on young women leading sometimes to poor self esteem, eating disorder etc. but little attention has been paid to the experiences of older women.
The material female body has long been central to woman’s sense of identity, and constantly exploited to commercial advantage. I have examined the links between media images, ageing and issues of ‘invisibility’ with reference to an interdisciplinary theoretical framework including aspects of psychoanalysis, feminist discourse and social construction theory.
Integral to the research is a portfolio of original photographic work.