BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Cultures student commissioned by placemaking agency, DS.Emotion

As the world continues to shift and evolve at a rapid pace, it’s more important than ever to uncover the catalysts around us that drive such significant change.

At London College of Communication, our BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Cultures course uses current contexts and critical perspectives to investigate the role of media, cultural and creative processes in the development of wider society. Grounded in academic theory, students are supported to put their ideas into practice through the use of digital technologies, film and photography as they learn how to communicate ideas effectively within a diverse creative environment.

This emphasis on collaboration also enables them to explore the importance of establishing professional relationships that benefit individuals, local communities, organisations and the global landscape, building the vital experience they need for future careers in the media, communication and arts industries.

Current BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Cultures student Alena Jarrett was recently able to channel the transferable skills developed throughout her studies into a real-world opportunity with award-winning branding and marketing agency, DS.Emotion. With a focus on bringing strategy and vision to the practice of placemaking across areas ranging from the Shard to Carnaby Street, their team considers the ways in which clients can maximise the potential of the spaces they inhabit to achieve their broader goals.

After the challenges of the past 2 years, many public spaces have changed dramatically, with many elements having fallen blank, unloved and under-utilised. DS.Emotion’s Canvas initiative aims to maximise the potential of these spaces by using windows across the UK to showcase the work of creative students and recent graduates – creating visual interest for local communities while also helping to highlight the work of emerging makers.

Alena’s featured project was developed during her first year at LCC, and raises questions of social constructs and natural behaviours throughout the dynamic of mothers, daughters, identity and selfhood.

We caught up with her to discuss her interest in exploring the intricacies of human relationships, interrogating ideas of womanhood, and highlights from her time at the College so far.

What inspired the ideas for your featured images, and how did you develop them?

The photos featured by DS.Emotion were taken from a 5-piece collection completed as part of my assessment for the ‘Identity and Difference’ course unit during Year 1. They were inspired by the idea of body glosses and Erving Goffman's notion that identity is a performed character that we create through learned practices.

I knew I wanted to create something about my relationship with my mother, as well as something that explored the use of light and a slow shutter speed as I thought it would be a fun challenge. The light behind my mum and I was actually created by my grandma running behind us with different coloured torches!

I played around a lot with different ideas during the development process, but the final idea suddenly hit me one day when my grandmother told me that, when at the theatre, 'a lady does not cross her knees, only her ankles' - values and practices that had been passed down through several generations of women, and yet no one had really questioned them. The photos capture our acceptance of the fact that we can be feminine and lady-like and be ourselves at the same time.

Featuring both my mother and I, my work symbolises the struggle between conforming to the socially acceptable, 'lady-like' image taught to all women, and the desire to live and present ourselves in exactly the way we want to. I think they’re really a journey of understanding and accepting our identities - both from a daughter's point of view, and from a mother’s.

What were your highlights of the experience?

The day that my work was featured on the windows and the associated social media posts were published was very exciting. It was so surreal to see images of me and my mum huge and on display on one of the busiest streets in London.

My website also got a lot more traffic following the exhibition too, which was exciting!

What have you most enjoyed about your time as a student at LCC so far?

I enjoy the diversity of the students I've met, and I’ve also enjoyed that the units we study are really eye-opening and challenging. Not challenging in terms of being super difficult, but challenging in the sense that they ask you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and dig into texts more deeply.

I also love that studying at LCC means that you also belong to UAL, which means that I have access to so many different people and facilities.

Who would you recommend BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Cultures to?

I think our course structure requires you to be an independent worker - someone who can push themselves and keep on top of their work. We focus more on theory than technical aspects, but I like that we still get to experience both.

I think I’d ultimately recommend this course to anyone who’s interested in the psychological side of media, and who wants to understand its impact on all facets of society.

Related links:

• Find out more about Alena's work on her website.
• Explore BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Cultures at London College of Communication.
• Learn more about our Media School.
• Experience life at LCC through our interactive Virtual Open Day.