RNUAL Block 3 – Registration Presenters

Monday 26 June – Friday 30 June 2023

Name: Nilufar Nuthall

College: LCC
Mode of Study: FULL TIME

Supervisory Team:
Director of Studies Val Williams, Co Supervisor Alistair O’Neill

Dissertation: Working Title and Abstract

‘How do affect and memory play a part in confessional art’

My practice-based PhD concentrates on the relationship between the private and
creative art practice assimilating affect theory, the idea that emotions are the primary
motives for human behaviour. Confessional art focuses on an intentional revelation
of the private self and encourages an intimate analysis of the artist’s, artist’s
subjects’, or spectators confidential, and often controversial, experiences and
emotions. Confessional art distinguishes itself from other art kinds of visual practice
by being confrontational and controversial, explicitly revealing the emotions of the
artist.

Presentation: The Homographs

I will be presenting my latest body of works, The Homographs, each of two or more
words spelled the same but not necessarily pronounced the same and having
different meanings and origins.

Using gestures, words, phrases and objects I was surrounded by, and grew up
listening to in the 1980s, I have created a series of 80 self-portraits. I am exploring
how emotions and the English language are layered and fluid.

Etymology is an indication of the times in which we live and, in this project, serves as
a marker for how the perception of women has changed over the years. When
certain words in the English language are associated with women, the meanings are
construed depending on the era in which the word is being defined and, in this
series, raises questions about how women have been perceived as derisory in the
name of humour.

In The Homographs, the domesticated woman is also the emotional woman, the
attractive woman is dangerous, the ugly woman is farcical, the body and body parts
of the woman is and are used to degrade and shame the woman.

Growing up in a British Iranian household, I rejected speaking two languages as a

child, adopting English as my mother tongue. With this in mind, gesture became the
way I was able to communicate with my Persian grandparents. My rubber face and
slapstick demeanour endeared me to them and created a connection I craved.

There may be content warning as two of the photographs show the figure in a state
of semi-undress.
 RNUAL Block 3 – Registration Presenters
Monday 26 June – Friday 30 June 2023

Key Words:

Confessional art, emotion, performance, memory, affect theory

AV playback needs: If I am presenting online, Yes it will be essential to play audio

visual material

Delivery Format and Availability:

In person on Wednesday 28th June Chelsea College of Art or online on Thursday 29th
June. Preferably in person on the 28th June.

Preferred mode of delivery and availability-

I am not available these days and times Monday 26, Tuesday 27th or Friday 30th:

 __YES_____I want to present in person

OR

 __YES_____I want to present remotely online in Collaborate