The power of white: An investigation on the relevance and reverence of the white bride

Submission note: An Exegesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Visual Arts by Research to the La Trobe Art Institute, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora.

The power of the ‘White Wedding’ is a phenomenon in the West. With all its sublime complexity and mystical reverence, it remains an important and powerful focus for Western women today. As an artist, my work lies in what perpetuates the power of this tradition as an ongoing cultural ‘motif’ in our secular, individualist societies. Conception, cultural and historical context, and social relevance of the ‘White Wedding’ ceremony and its associated imagery pose questions such as, “Is there a hidden influence that distorts women’s decisions and compromises their desires”, making them choose ‘white’ (Ingraham, C. 2008, pp.159-175)? Or, on the other hand, have women taken ownership of the ‘white’ separating themselves from past frameworks to embrace the white wedding ceremony in ways not seen before? The themes within this exegesis have an autobiographical narrative spanning three generations of weddings providing the opportunity to express the resilience of the female spirit that adapts and translates the world in an intimate way. The spectacle of royal weddings and their relationship with the media within a global capitalist system represents the idea of ‘being modern’ and ‘achieving successes’. This idea is at the heart of the psychological and physical desires of the Bride. The discussion of marriage itself is limited herein, to the issue of an individual’s choice to marry, and comparisons of chosen rituals. Furthermore, this exegesis looks specifically at a woman’s ‘rite of passage’, within the “institution of heterosexuality” (Ingraham, 1999, p.3). I make sense of the world around me through my art practice; specifically, in this investigation, through drawing techniques and sculpture in clay, using the colour ‘white’ in all its guises. I work initially in chaos, “fused disparities”, use metaphors and ‘visual analogues’. My work is intuitive and meets the logical, creating “tangible structures”. (Roukes, 1984.p.v.), calls this “Synectic processes”. The process I use resembles a diary of art making, working through the project themes, refining techniques, and discovering new avenues for making. Themes and techniques are explored concurrently honouring both past methods and highlighting present experiences. Iconographic motifs from bridal and religious rituals are dissected and rearranged throughout the visual research as I explore their symbolic meanings and purposes. The relationship with white and opposing black, act as companions in this research project. I use a limited pallet of variations of black and white which highlight the symbolism of the traditional Bride and Groom. The contrast brings brilliance to the white within the works which is at the heart of the exegesis. This relationship between white and black is evident in the artworks, where the bold white is enhanced by the contrast of a black background of charcoal and the overlay of the dark wash. Some very significant personal events took place during my master’s candidature, informing and enriching the project. Revisiting my own story as the narrative throughout this project has provided me with extensive ‘first hand’ material to draw from. The research ends with resolved techniques in drawing and watercolour resist on paper and the use of translucency in porcelain to achieve brilliant white ceramic pieces. This project has provided me with a clearer understanding of the white wedding, but also, importantly, a deeper understanding of how art is able to drive my research.