OUGD603 - Secret 7 - Initial ideas & research

Following early research into the song, album and artist I had a grasp of some initial ideas on how to represent 'I'm Not Down' for Secret 7. As stated earlier on in this project, the song evokes the thought of defiance for me. Therefore, I used this as a starting point to generate ideas from and simply linking anything I associate with 'Defiance'.

In general the words I associated with defiance can also be a linked to the movement of Punk, so a direction was definitely was forming at this stage. Being bold and acting with pride for a purpose would be the definition of defiance from my brainstorming, but initial visuals also come from this. For example smiley face and fist in the air, which both alone are symbolic and bold visuals which could work to showcase 'I'm Not Down'.

I wanted to look more into a fist in the air as an idea for Secret 7, so I researched into the raised fist which is a symbol intertwined with visual cultures and political movements. Its been repurposed throughout history by various movements, cultures and discarded, only to be recycled again later in 2017 in forms such as emojis or even Trump. However, its still a genuine political gesture as certain mottoes and slogans from the civil rights and Black Power movements have fallen out of fashion, but the raised fist remains a hugely popular visual signal of defiance and solidarity. Its been used for solidarity and strength for labor unions, left wing politics, civil rights activists, white supremacists, and the Black Panther Party. The raised fist resonates with The Clash on a number of levels, such as its connection to Punks defiance but also politically. The Clash were heavily involved with Black Power movements and left wing politics as discovered in research.