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Lesbian Photographers
Joan Scott makes many assertions in her historical essay on gender. The key point that plays into my own research is that “gender is a primary way of signifying relationships of power.” Power, in the case of women and photography, is controlling the political economy of photography--- as in the ability to control or inform both the denotations, and connotations of a photograph. My research project on lesbian and queer photography from the 1930s to today in America illustrates that there is unequal distribution of power, with a strong correlation to race, class, and gender. This mal-distribution of power changes over time and large shifts link with other large shifts in social change. Through oral histories I conducted with lesbian photographers I learned firsthand that telling lesbian or queer history means understanding the politics of shifting power of photographic representation. As Barthes explains in his essay The Photographic Paradox, scholars must look at both the denotations and connotations of a photograph in order to completely understand its meaning. A long history of lesbian photography shows how as social changes reconstructed ideas of women, lesbian photography both reflected changes and offered challenges, particularly with gender, sexuality, and race.
As in the case for many social groups, the power to produce the lesbian image is skewed over race, class, and gender. An unequal distribution of resources because of race, class, and gender means that there are fewer resources to spread among those who seek to take pictures. In the early days of photography, those with access to photography were overwhelmingly white, male, and middle or upper class. Race, class, and gender also affected the imagining of documentation by photography, the availability of personal space, capital to purchase equipment, and funds to support taking pictures as a living. Furthermore, in order to get pictures published, the photographer needed connections or money. These prohibitive costs prevent an unforeseen number of women, minorities, and poor from imagining that they could record their lives by photograph, so many of these individuals and groups came to be represented by pictures taken by those whose primary identity may lie outside that group.
A lack of photographers from the inside of the group did not mean that a group wouldn’t be photographed.
Curtis’s work represents the ideological construction of foreign cultures in the 'way of seeing' that is suitable for the audience of the photograph and the photographer. This illustrates the highly political motives of photograph, carrying multiple meanings in order to craft certain imaginations of the subject (Berger, 1972). As a result of the power that the photographer has on its subjects, certain messages and ‘way of seeing’ are depicted through photographs. For instance, expected gender roles are played out in photographs of the Indian subjects, portraying the expectation of Curtis and his audience of the masculine and feminine behaviour by the subjects conforming to such gender standards (Jackson, 1992). Indian men are captured in what Jackson (1992) describes as ‘active poses’, such as fishing or dancing, juxtaposed with the ‘passive poses’ of female subjects, photographed in more decorative postured of waiting and watching. Though it can be argued that the manipulation and selection of images by Curtis as an artist’s ‘creative manipulation’ of their work, Curtis’ photography was used as a scientific measure, and hence should be devoid of such influences (Jackson,
According to the book entitled Ways of Seeing written by John Berger, the power of an image is extraordinary given that it can speak a thousand words. This has also been enhanced by the rapidly evolving technology that elicits more subconscious views about an image by anyone who sees them online or in real life. Some professional writers like Susan Bordo have emphasized that pictures of men often receive a wide range of negative tones or opinions due to the physiological effects that are fashionable to society or any other individual who approves or disapproves the beauty in a portrait of two men or women (Berger 38). This essay offers my opinion concerning the pictures of the Doloce and Gabbana, the gay Italian designers, as well as that of
No other artist has ever made as extended or complex career of presenting herself to the camera as has Cindy Sherman. Yet, while all of her photographs are taken of Cindy Sherman, it is impossible to class call her works self-portraits. She has transformed and staged herself into as unnamed actresses in undefined B movies, make-believe television characters, pretend porn stars, undifferentiated young women in ambivalent emotional states, fashion mannequins, monsters form fairly tales and those which she has created, bodies with deformities, and numbers of grotesqueries. Her work as been praised and embraced by both feminist political groups and apolitical mainstream art. Essentially, Sherman’s photography is part of the culture and investigation of sexual and racial identity within the visual arts since the 1970’s. It has been said that, “The bulk of her work…has been constructed as a theater of femininity as it is formed and informed by mass culture…(her) pictures insist on the aporia of feminine identity tout court, represented in her pictures as a potentially limitless range of masquerades, roles, projections” (Sobieszek 229).
Every year, over 250,000 people make Canada their new home. Attracted by its education system, economy and universal healthcare system, there are few other places in the world like it. All Canadians are guaranteed equality before the law and equality of opportunity, regardless of where they are from. However, some might argue that Canadian policy has not been put into practice as well as it should be. Is the concept of true equality a far-fetched idea? It seems that Canada has taken great measures to promote the integration of immigrants socially, but can the same be said for their integration economically? Politically? To judge whether or not Canada has been successful at promoting the integration of immigrants in these realms, a deeper understanding of Canadian policy must be considered.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper." Images of Woman in American Popular Culture. Ed. Angela G. Dorenkamp, et al. Port Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1995. 78-89.
In the sixties and seventies, the feminist art movement emerged that began to challenge the inequalities that faced women artists. This movement coincided with the feminist movement as a whole, that women across the country were taking part in. Many female artists including Judy Chicago, Hannah Wilke, Eva Hesse and others began to rethink art making and attempted to raise consciousness regarding womenís issues. Many of these women began to focus on their work on sexuality and acknowledging the fact that they were women and artists. This forceful and radical approach was instrumental in gaining the acceptance of females in the...
From the moment a woman is born, she is automatically expected many things from her. Wear a dress, have no body hair, be with a man, don’t be too loud, etc. The list of “norms” that a woman is anticipated to uphold to goes on for days. And often times, women that decide to branch out from those “norms” are viewed as less valuable or obscene. In Robyn Ochs essay, “Bisexuality, Feminism, Men and Me”, she discusses the revolutionary moment when she realizes that living up to the assumptions of what it means to be a woman systemically limits us from our true potential. As presented in the movie “Frida”, a brilliant artist is often times overshadowed by her promiscuous relationships with women and men. A woman’s life does not dwindle down to the
"Whilst some feminists have argued to be included in 'male stream' ideologies, many have also long argued that women are in important respects both different from and superior to men, and that the problem they face is not discrimination or capitalism but male power." (Bryson, 2003, p. 3). The feminist art movement is unclear in its description because some describe this movement as art that was simply created by women and others describe it as art with anti-male statements in mind. For the focal point of this paper, the goal will be to analyze several female artists and their works of art who influenced, and who are said to have made powerful influence both in the feminist art movement from a political and societal perspective, then and today. With that being said, we will start with the female artist Judy Chicago and a quote from her that calcifies her position as an artist. "I believe in art that is connected to real human feeling that extends itself beyond the limits of the art world to embrace all people who are striving for alternatives in an increasingly dehumanized
Texting and driving is a deadly issue in today 's generation. Using our cellphones while driving is a damaging habit among teens and adults. This habit caused many catastrophic accidents and deaths. Texting while driving has made the roads unsafe for other drivers. Many states recognize the immense threat resulting from texting and driving and have placed a ban on this epidemic. While many people realize texting and driving is hazardous others believe that the ban is useless and not strong enough of a solution.
Gender and identity both play a significant role in everyday life. Photographers who deal with gender roles and stereotypes are Cindy Sherman, Sarah Lucas, Ilona Szwarc, (Gillian Wearing, Claude Cahun)
The Feminist Art Movement raised women’s status and the world’s awareness on gender equality through artworks that reflect women’s lives, feelings, and value. Through creativity, feminist artists invited the audience into their daily livings, to understand their strengths and efficiency, and to consider their needs and feelings. The movement expanded the traditional female role in society, such as housewives, to individuals with talents including artists, writers, the working class, and professionals. The female artists used media ranging from traditional techniques, like painting, to non-traditional art forms, such as installation art, performance art, conceptual art, and sculptures to share with the audience their new perspectives.
Ouellette, Laurie. "Inventing the Cosmo Girl." Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Critical Reader. By Gail Dines and Jean McMahon Humez. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2011. 228-29. Print.
“A photograph is not an opinion. Or is it?” So begins Susan Sontag's introductory essay to the book Women, a collection of photographs by Annie Leibovitz. Collected without a stated intention other than to treat on the subject matter at hand, Leibovitz’s images confront a wide spectrum of issues surrounding women living in America at the end of the twentieth century. Sontag explains, “Any large-scale picturing of women belongs to the ongoing story of how women are presented, and how they are invited to think of themselves (20).”
Islamophobia did not suddenly start after the horrific 9/11 event. Like anti-Semitism , it has long and deep historical roots; however, its contemporary resurgence has been triggered by the 9/11 attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. As a result of several people’s inane folly, Islamophobia distorts the photograph of the entire Muslim community wherever they live; Muslims today are guilty until proven innocent.
Work up a sweat with aerobic exercise on most days of the week. According to the U.S. department of Health and Human Services, it can take up to 300 minutes of cardio a week to lose weight. (See References 3) They suggest starting gradually by working your way up to exercising for 150 minutes a week, and then slowly increasing your workout duration. Whether you prefer jogging, bicycling, ice skating, or using a stair climber, or rowing or elliptical machine, maintain a moderate intensity during which you can still talk to a workout buddy.