Disclaimer: The below video and images contain nudity.
Man as Object - Reversing the Gaze
When viewing the above promo, two memories came to mind. One was an instance, where I was speaking to a man who told me that, "women's bodies are beautiful, men's bodies are not meant to be beautiful. The body of a man is utilitarian."
The other was when I was dating a man who insisted that a woman who claimed to appreciate a less than chiseled physique was either lying in order to comfort the ego of their male partner, or they simply became accustomed to their partner's body as romantic feelings intensified.
I remember how I felt when I sat across from these men; I felt deflated. I appreciate the Man as Object exhibition as it allows its audience to understand that women are attracted to different makes and models. It offers insight to the fact that women are capable of looking at the bodies of men in sexual and non-sexual ways.
The fact that women look at men with desire, is often overshadowed by the bombardment of female exploitation in the media. I do not believe that this exhibit is meant to oppress or exploit men. "Reversing the Gaze", doesn't necessarily mean that because men exploit us women, women in turn should exploit men. I think it's a bold way of showing us that women do in fact objectify men, humbly admire men, and find themselves to be curious about men.
About the exhibition: From the website
The goal of this exhibition Man as Object - Reversing the Gaze is to turn the tables and to exhibit works that put the male in the position of art subject and spectacle. What does it mean to objectify men? What does it mean to reverse the (male) gaze? What are the visible signs of maleness and masculinity? How are feminist artists challenging societal views regarding men and masculinity?
The exhibition will examine the visibility of men and masculinity from female/feminist/transgender perspectives. In so doing it necessarily problematizes notions of 'men,' 'male,' 'masculinity,' 'women' and 'female' while exploring new possibilities for the gaze. This is an inclusive show, and we welcome women and transgender artists to challenge what it means for 'women' to look at 'men.'
Not only will the male figure be taking on the historically 'female' or passive role as object of the gaze, but the surveyor is now positioned as active and critical of traditional gender roles, thus creating a truly feminist stance. The male body and its gender expression become spectacle for a woman's viewing and contemplation. Surveying the ways men are represented in contemporary art by women, this exhibition will open new dialogues regarding the myriad of ways how women view men in today's culture and society.
This exhibition will explore women's responses to a male dominated world in a different way than an exhibition of women's images of themselves. It will mark an important development in Feminist Art , which has long concentrated on images of women meant to challenge stereotypical notions of womanhood. A gallery filled with works depicting men, created by women, actively resists the prevalence of the male gaze in art as well as the continued domination of male artists exhibiting in galleries and museums
For more information visit the exhibits official website, here.
"Men As Table" by Della Calfee
ReplyDeleteI think you need to post the names of the artists and give credit where it is due.
Anonymous,
DeleteThanks for providing the name. I wasn't privy to it at the time of this post. However, if you'll notice, I provided two links that lead a reader directly to the website. Thanks for stopping by.