This project continues my exploration of the figure of antwoman as a representative of femininity. One of the things I love doing with her is placing her within works of art by the great masters and by that say something about them. Here I continued with it by connecting high art with contemporary culture and through this connection ask questions about how women are perceived in society, and also how women learn to perceive themselves.
This project looks at the female gaze. As it is reflected in the eyes of artists, in characters that serve as role models for girls, in cultural icons. The 4 legendary editions are based on 4 female figures from different worlds, and together tells a story. Added to this story’s are other elements like illustrations, doodles, photos and text that are mixed together with antwoman to create different stories through the randomness play. Hidden symbols and massages can be found as part of this elements.
The 1st legendary edition is based on Vermeer’s famous painting “girl with a pearl earring”, where the artist portrays the maid looking at the viewer. In the history of modern art, the artist is always a man, and the woman is always the muse, the object of the gaze, never creating on her own. Never the one who gets the success and the fame.
Another edition is an homage to Beyonce, One of the most successful female performer and singer and a feminist icon. This is a tribute to a woman that broke boundaries and gives strength and hope to many. She represents the opposite to the girl in Vermeer’s painting, but they are both strong and worthy in the same way.
The third edition is based on “We can do it”, Also known as “"Rosie the Riveter". famous WW2 poster that was originally aimed to boost the morale of women workers during WW2, and merged again in the 80’s as a feminist symbol. This is an example of how the same image can have different meanings with the way society decides to address to it.
The last legendary edition is based on Minnie, one of the recognizable symbols of Disney and a model for little girls all over the world. Minnie is the female version of Mickey Mouse. She represents the social models that girls identify with from a young age and the messages they receive through them about what it means to be a girl, to be a woman. This is the massages I grew up with and by choosing this model alongside a role model like Beyonce I want to explore what it means to grow up as a woman today.
When Feminist art started to form as a movement artists talked about representing the female gaze, because art history is based and designed by the male gaze. I chose recognizable and very well-known female symbols, with female characters that look directly at the viewer. I’m talking about the female gaze as it is today, as it is formed by my daughters. It still has a long way to go, but its changing. This is the dawn of a new gaze.
