The Male Gaze
Clay, ink, styrofoam
7" x 3" x 3"
The Male Gaze
Clay, ink, styrofoam
7" x 3" x 3"
Research #1:
Explainer: what does the ‘male gaze’ mean, and what about a female gaze?
"Visual media that respond to masculine voyeurism tends to sexualise women for a male viewer. As Mulvey wrote, women are characterised by their “to-be-looked-at-ness” in cinema. Woman is “spectacle”, and man is “the bearer of the look”
"The “male gaze” invokes the sexual politics of the gaze and suggests a sexualised way of looking that empowers men and objectifies women. In the male gaze, woman is visually positioned as an “object” of heterosexual male desire. Her feelings, thoughts and her own sexual drives are less important than her being “framed” by male desire."
Research #2:
Toxic Culture 101: Understanding the Sexualization of Women
"A year ago I decided to drive across the street from my office for lunch. I wanted to avoid the catcalls I’d endured the last time I had crossed this particular street, when a middle-aged man yelled from his red Chevy truck, “Ride my cock, baby!” I wondered what it would be like not to feel like a sexual object on display. But I also wondered whether I’d rather be the woman who gets whistled at or the one who doesn’t."
"There is also the rise of the “breastaurant,” chain establishments featuring young, attractive servers in revealing uniforms. According to an article written in 2015 by journalist Jillian Berman, “Sales at the Tilted Kilt, Twin Peaks and Brick House…have grown at a double-digit pace over the last year.”
Reflection Statement: Sculpture #1
The sculpture entitled "The Male Gaze" was born out of a deep reflection on the pervasive issue of the objectification of women in society. My intent for this piece was to vividly communicate and confront the viewer with the complex and often unsettling perspective experienced by women in a world where objectification and the male gaze are unfortunately prevalent. Through this sculpture, I aimed to evoke a range of emotions and provoke thoughtful contemplation on the realities faced by women every day. My intent for this piece was to communicate the perspective of a woman in a woman's world.
I aimed to capture the essence of how women perceive each other through the lens of beauty, emphasizing admiration rather than objectification. To achieve this, I incorporated a palette of bright, soft colors alongside motifs such as flowers, vines, leaves, and a dove. These elements symbolize the intrinsic beauty of women, celebrating their grace and vitality. In reflecting on my work, I realized the need for deeper symbolism to convey the message effectively. I introduced the dove into the composition. The dove, renowned for its symbolism of beauty and peace, enriches the artwork by encapsulating the essence of feminine beauty in a harmonious and serene manner.
I want to keep exploring this topic on sexualization and lean more about how I can use symbolism to convey a message in my art. This piece allowed me to explore the use of symbols and how I cant display a meaning without words. The making of this work exposed new ideas such as creating deeper meanings behind my artwork.
Reflection Statement: Sculpture #2
The sculpture entitled "The Male Gaze" emerged from a profound contemplation of the pervasive issue of women's objectification in our societal landscape. It was conceived with a deliberate intent to visually articulate the experience of being a woman in a predominantly male-oriented world. My intent for this piece was to visually communicate a woman in a mans world.
I wanted to focus on the aspects of how a man can objectify a woman and show how the perspective of a man shows a corrupt world about women. I decided to include a mask over her eyes, a guard over her mouth, the statue is withered with color and texture, and a crow. I decided to add these factors to convey the corrupt world that men make through showing how a woman is displayed as an object. I felt the work was lacking differentially from the first sculpture so I added more symbolism.
I want to keep exploring these ideas of a mens world. I want to learn more about how and even why men (not all) create a corrupt world for woman. This piece allowed me to explore the symbolism behind my art and how it can create a deeper impact for the viewers. The making of this world exposed new ideas such as creating symbols to create a message.
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