*Quick help needed in art project featuring ayu!*

[Eewyi]

I would like to ask for help, ideas and suggestions from you guys!

So, we got an assignment from our art teacher. The task is following:
-> Choose one celebrity who interests you. [x ayu]
-> Think about the image this celebrity has. What kind of it is in the media? How you personally see this celebrity? What kind of image the celebrity herself/himself gives? etc.
-> The task is to, for example make a collage of the chosen celebrity and then show her/him in a different light. [You can also draw. If you make a collage remember to make interesting design for it. You can use writing as well. It is acceptable to use imagination.] For example, if the said celebrity is mainly shown in positive light in the media, make him/her the opposite. [a.k.a make him/her look bad/ugly/mean, ahahaha, how cruel is that! XD] You can also highlight one particular "little mistake" the celebrity has. [Really, this sounds more and more cruel :,D]

So guys, help me please~ In general, what kind of image ayu has in the media? I think she's quite respected, but I also heard that some seem to think that she is just a diva...I dunno, tell me~

What kind of pics should I use? Or just draw something? [I thought of making a collage...]

And also, how should I present her? I don't find it really amusing to present her in a bad light. But it's the point of this project to make her look completely opposite she actually is so...

The project starts tomorrow, so I would like to get as much tips as possible! Thanks~ ^_^

Side note: When I watched the 2004 document made of ayu, I found it interesting that ayu herself [at least was, I'm not so sure if that's the case anymore as it seemed that the "super popularity years" involved huge stress on her] controls her image pretty strictly. Usually it's said that "it's the fault/policy of the record company" but I see that ayu herself was pretty strict about it, if not even more than Avex.
I think, in the early years of her career, she saw someone called "Ayumi Hamasaki" as a completely different person than she as a human actually is. Some kind of machine or a product who produces dreams and happiness to everyone. [It's also noticeable in the early interviews of her career] Also, how she refers "Ayumi Hamasaki" in 3rd person during work..it supports that theory.
Nowadays though, I think she has opened up more, kinda shown her real self in media too. [And of course, I think she has always shown her true self to the fans] She doesn't refer "Ayumi Hamasaki" like a different person anymore, does she?
When she speaks in her early working documents, instead of saying "I would like to do it like this" she says "I thought Ayumi Hamasaki would do it like this" it's like she isn't comfortable of being the highlighted superstar she is in the public. She wants to reject that fame she has as an artist. She isn't clearly ready to show her real self as the artist "Ayumi Hamasaki" during this time yet, expect in her lyrics.

I just thought could I do something out of those thoughts ayu had during that time, and the thoughts she has now?

[asmAyumi1992]

how about, the media thought Ayu is just a diva. But she's in fact is really a normal person.

[Eewyi]

Originally Posted by asmAyumi1992

how about, the media thought Ayu is just a diva. But she's in fact is really a normal person.

Yes, I could use those opposites, use her most diva-like pics, and then add her most normal-like pics, that's one possibility, thanks :3

[koumori]

If you want to concentrate on Ayu for an art project..I think it's interesting what you mentioned about Ayu seperating herself from "the product, Ayumi Hamasaki", especially in her early years. I remember one quote was something like..."I sometimes want to just be Ayu, shopping for jeans, but I know to my fans and the public I will always just be "Ayumi Hamasaki". This is why I do not get impatient when people follow me, even when I am just personal shopping. To them there is no difference between "Ayu" and "Ayumi Hamasaki"."

I think for a while Ayu struggled with putting together her public/celebrity/on-stage persona and still retaining how she was personally, especially since her lyrics were so personal. I think now she feels a lot more at rest with how she acts and what she shares with TA, staff and fans...but earlier on there was a definite struggle going on. It could be really interesting to base your celebrity artwork off that internal struggle, which at times she made so public.

For her general image in the media, it depends where you look..for tabloids looking for scoops and readers, it'll be the plastic-fantastic super-diva Ayu~ For fashion magazines it'll be the legend that never ceases to cause style and trends wherever she goes. Just like in her music, she has many images..but in the media, they're created for her, y'know? Whichever is more interesting you should go for.

[Eewyi]

Originally Posted by Koumori

If you want to concentrate on Ayu for an art project..I think it's interesting what you mentioned about Ayu seperating herself from "the product, Ayumi Hamasaki", especially in her early years. I remember one quote was something like..."I sometimes want to just be Ayu, shopping for jeans, but I know to my fans and the public I will always just be "Ayumi Hamasaki". This is why I do not get impatient when people follow me, even when I am just personal shopping. To them there is no difference between "Ayu" and "Ayumi Hamasaki"."

I think for a while Ayu struggled with putting together her public/celebrity/on-stage persona and still retaining how she was personally, especially since her lyrics were so personal. I think now she feels a lot more at rest with how she acts and what she shares with TA, staff and fans...but earlier on there was a definite struggle going on. It could be really interesting to base your celebrity artwork off that internal struggle, which at times she made so public.

For her general image in the media, it depends where you look..for tabloids looking for scoops and readers, it'll be the plastic-fantastic super-diva Ayu~ For fashion magazines it'll be the legend that never ceases to cause style and trends wherever she goes. Just like in her music, she has many images..but in the media, they're created for her, y'know? Whichever is more interesting you should go for.

Thank you for your thoughts! :3
So, in the end I made a collage with quotes from ayu and her lyrics during the years [most of them are from years '10~'11 though, but there is also that super famous "I should be thought as a product" from the TIME Magazine during 2001]
Once it's ready, I'll show it to you~

[majrakun]

This sounds like such an interesting Art project! I wish my course would come up with something like that. Hahaha. Really interesting insight as well. I would like to see what you came up with as well!

[susiowong]

Ooh, that sounds like a fun project. I would like to see it when it's done too.

[Eewyi]

@majrakun and susiowong yes, of course, I'll take a picture of it once I can have it back~
And oh yes, it was pretty nice project! :3 One of my coursemates even asked questions about her, and she listened to A song for xx and progress, and commented that se liked ayus voice way better in progress~ [that's what I thought too]
Also, some of my coursemates commented that she's really pretty~

[rusuke]

Wow! Pretty interesting! I'll wait to see your project!

[AyuHamasaki01]

Oh this sounds really interesting, I wish my teacher gave us projects like this one
I hope we'll be able to see your project soon

[Eewyi]

Originally Posted by AyuHamasaki01

Oh this sounds really interesting, I wish my teacher gave us projects like this one
I hope we'll be able to see your project soon

I'll try to get it tomorrow ^_~

[gallowsCalibrator]

That sounds very interesting! I'm excited to see it as well. In my art class we recently had a collage project, but it was very generic; nowhere near as interesting as your assignment!