Summative Statement

My CoP3 dissertation looks into the image of 'the witch', questioning the origin of the stereotypical depictions of 'the hag' and 'the seductress' and asking why these images endure to this day. In an attempt to answer these questions, I researched the European witch craze of the 14th to 18th centuries, and the potential factors that contributed to its cause. My findings centred around the themes of repression and control. The image of 'the hag' was found to be a result of the repression of pagan traditions by the Church. The image of 'the seductress' was a repression of female sexuality by misogynistic views, provoked by the Church and by publications of the time, e.g. the Malleus Maleficarum. The second section of my essay looked into the endurance of these stereotypes, using theories by Jung and Campbell to analyse examples from historical and contemporary art, literature and film.

Through the images I was looking at in my research, and the exploration of the medieval time period, my practical work became an exploration of traditional printmaking; using linocut to emulate the aesthetic of the old medieval woodcuts. Reading about the persecution and torture of witches led me to research medieval torture practices and tools. I wanted to move away from witches as I didn't want my practical work to illustrate my essay. However the themes of evil, repression and control still remained.

The intention of the practical work was a primary research project into printmaking, which would develop my skills and broaden my understanding of the medium. I aimed to illustrate the objects as something beautiful and really well crafted. It was my intention to reflect the theme of distorted truth and altered perception, illustrating the idea that something can look beautiful but be truly horrendous.

Through the textual and practical research, this module has taught me a lot. I've developed a strong contextual understanding behind the project, and my practical skills have improved greatly. I have learnt that linocutting is a challenging process, but one which is really rewarding. It is incredibly time consuming and in order to create well considered, well crafted work, a serious amount of testing and trial and error is involved. Although challenging at times, this module has been an eye opener for me in many ways, helping me to understand more about my chosen method of working and where my tone of voice fits in.