| It's difficult for young people...they are confused about how they want to be seen |
Have you ever stood in front of the mirror and wondered who the person looking back at you is? For most of us the answer is yes. Clothes, hairstyles and the music we listen to are important to young people. They help to define who we are. But fashion constantly changes and so do the things that we consider to be statements of image and identity.
Children's Express, the UK's only news agency for young people, visited Image and Identity, a temporary exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and looks at whether today's teenagers are just more into experimenting with life than previous generations or whether they're really just struggling with working out who they actually are:
There are very few people who don't know the meaning of the term identity crisis, simply because most of us at some point in our lives will have wondered if that's what we're going through.
The world in which we live is a diverse mix of cultures, languages, race and religion. These used to be the things that young people used to define their sense of identity but we no longer live in a world where these things are clearly defined. We also have to deal with the conflicting pressures put on us by politicians who decide how we should live and celebrities who largely influence how we look and behave.
"It is difficult for young people," said Elena, 18, from London, "not because they don't have the opportunity to express themselves but because they are confused as to how they want to be seen."
Alex, 19, also from London, agreed: "Young people have trouble defining themselves today. There are so many difficulties within the world that I feel people don't have the time to stop and think about it."
It's reassuring to know that it's not only other young people who recognise the difficulties of growing up in the 21st Century. Speaking at the launch of the Image and Identity exhibition, Estelle Morris the Minister for Arts said: "One thing that is very different for young people right now is to find a sense of belonging, to know how important you are in a very competitive world." Ms Morris added that when she was growing up it was easier to find a sense of belonging.
That search for a "sense of belonging", as Ms Morris describes it, is something a lot of us can identify with and it seemed appropriate that Ms Morris made her comments at the exhibition surrounded art made by young people from all over the UK, with backgrounds and histories stretching across the globe. The works were honest, creative and raw and each expressed in some way the artist's own sense of themselves.
One young woman from High Storrs School in Sheffield had customised a pair of her own trainers with nails - a shocking modern Hellraiser for the feet. She said the trainers represented aspects of her personality and how she shows herself to the outside world.
Another young person from the Gifted and Talented Young People in the Excellence in Cities programme said of his work: "It's basically me! The caricatures are my mum, my sister and me. Whether I like it or not, they are my family and a great influence on my life. The three flags - every country that I have lived in (UK, USA and Ghana) also influence my morals and so have become a part of me."
For us the work of these young people highlighted the importance of art in our lives - how we are able to take the confusion in our worlds, turn it into art and find a sense of self that leads to the elusive sense of belonging and perhaps even use to forge a career.
This has definitely been the case for Raghav, a fresh R&B solo artist, who was also at the launch. Raghav sings in both Hindi and English and admitted he had a difficult time with his own identity when growing up: "I was influenced by parents who said I should stick to my Asian roots, but I grew up in Canada listening to North American R&B."
Raghav's music is a mixture of traditional Indian and modern hip-hop sounds. His videos feature Indian girls dancing in half Bollywood, half Bump'n'Grind style, wearing bindis and hot pants.
His songs and videos have been accused of being a cynical marketing ploy to appeal to a wider audience and sell more records but the other side of it is that Raghav might just be someone who has accepted the blend of cultures that he is and realised that he doesn't have to choose one.
Whichever, Raghav's identity has gained him minor celebrity status and the attention he received from many of the young people at the launch was a clear indication that we are often dazzled by the notion of celebrity. "It was interesting to see everyone crowding around the pop star," says Chris from Brighton. "Today is all about looking to your own image, not to celebrities."
The reality is that celebrities do play a large role in how we see ourselves, something which Michelle, 19, from London recognises. However, she adds what's important is that young people also have their own identity: "Celebrities are good for taking defining tips from - Kurt Cobain said 'It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.' But skinny blond celebrities can also make girls feel inadequate and cause anorexia too."
Elena, 18, also from London said: "Celebrities are ok for influence but anything more is likely to cause insecurity in someone who doesn't have the looks or money to resemble them."
Finding your own way to express yourself is something the young people who took part in the Image and Identity exhibition got to do. This was very clear from the powerful work on show.
Even though the world might be more confusing today, the exhibition helped us to understand how we can all be proud of our heritage and identity. Young people do experiment with life because that's how we find out what we do and don't like and yes, some of us do suffer from identity crises. But surely this is just part of the journey to working out who we are and where we belong.
As Ms Morris openly admitted: "I wouldn't be a human being unless at some point I wondered whether I was going in the right direction and doing the right thing. I think anyone who tells you they have never had a problem with their image and identity is perhaps not telling the truth."
About the team
This story was produced by Gabriella Gay, 17, Samir Pasha, 14, Yasmine Kutner, 11 and Nivine Arafa, 10. It was published on Sky television's Reach for the Sky website.
