A transfictive tale : life of the artist as a self-brand

• Main Author: Sylvester, Sara
• Published: Cardiff University 2017
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.732219

The body serves as a critical site of identity performance particularly when considering the implications of technology on construction of the self. This thesis investigates the growing interest in the development of transfictive artists as art practice and how through the use of multimedia platforms it is possible to create and establish a fictional identity through transmedia storytelling. Each of the fictional artists selected for this research, namely Susan Fielder, Donelle Woolford, Cherry Lazar, Ona Artist and Seren Sanclêr, function to draw the audience into exploring issues of identity, performance, in particular, the artist persona as exemplifying selfebrity. This original contribution to knowledge explores the ideas, concerns and ways of creating a transfictive heteronymic persona in relation to gender politics, the ways in which media convergence is utilised to develop identity, performance and the importance of self-branding. The case studies are discussed in relation to the above issues, demonstrating where appropriate the influence that digital media has had on contemporary art by offering new challenges and opportunities to explore issues of identity construction. By taking an autoethnography approach to explore identity performance, the research incorporates visual autoethnography to illuminate directly the construction process of crafting a fictive artist, Seren Sanclêr, as a site for the development of new knowledge about transfictive storytelling as a process to develop identity. What this particular thesis intends to examine is why artists are creating fictive artists and how this specific art practice reflects and informs the culture from which it emerges.