Weekly Selfie #3

Untitled - Facial cosmetic variation
 

Trying to embrace this New Self-Image

                                                        

"Ways of Seeing" by John Berger, Chapters 2 and 3

Quote 1: The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe (page 8)."

Response: Our beliefs shape our perspective and the way we interpret the world around us. We can influence our perspective by challenging our beliefs and looking at things from different angles.

Quote 2: "The compositional unity of a painting contributes fundamentally to the power of its image (page 13)."

Response: The compositional unity of a painting refers to the way the various elements in the painting are arranged and how they interact with each other. This arrangement helps to create an overall sense of balance and harmony, which in turn helps to enhance the overall impact of the image.

Bell Hooks: Understanding Patriarchy

Quote 1:  "So far in our nation visionary feminist movement is the only struggle for justice that emphasizes the need to end patriarchy. No mass body of women has challenged patriarchy and neither has any group of men come together to lead the struggle (page 32)."

Response: Because patriarchy is deeply embedded in our culture and is seen as the normal way of things. It is seen as a natural order and is not something that can be easily changed. As a result, many people take it for granted and do not see it as something that needs to be challenged.

Quote 2: "By highlighting psychological patriarchy, we see that everyone is implicated and we are freed from the misperception that men are the enemy (page 33)."

Response: By understanding the psychological patriarchy that exists in society, we can see that both men and women perpetuate it and are both victims of it. This understanding allows us to recognize that everyone is complicit in this system and that the only way to break it is to work together.

Bell Hooks: The Oppositional Gaze

Quote 1: "Disrupting conventional racist and sexist stereotypical representations of black female bodies, these scenes invite the audience to look differently (page 130)."

Response: By challenging the stereotypes, the film subverts the expected narrative and allows the audience to empathize with the characters, rather than judging them based on their race or gender. This, in turn, allows the audience to gain a new understanding of these characters and their stories.

Quote 2: "Looking and looking back, black women involve ourselves in a process whereby we see our history as counter-memory, using it as a way to know the present and invent the future (page 131)."

Response: By looking back at the history of black women, we can gain a better understanding of our current position in society, and where we could potentially go in the future. We can also use this knowledge to create a narrative that challenges existing stereotypes and demonstrates our resilience and strength.

New York Times| Female Gaze: Art that Looks at What Women See 

Quote 1: "It is important to really just present the artists with their portraits and then let visitors make the comparisons themselves." 

Response: By allowing the visitors to make their own comparisons, they are given the freedom to think critically about the art and interpret it in their own way. This encourages them to engage with the art more deeply and appreciate its beauty.

New York Times| Ana Mendieta: Artist Who Pushed Boundaries

Quote 1: "She urged viewers to disregard their gender, race or other defining societal factors and instead connect with the humanity they share with others."

Response: She believed that by focusing on our similarities rather than our differences, we can create a more understanding and accepting society. 

What is the Male Gaze? 

The Male Gaze refers to the way in which visual media, such as films and advertisements, tend to depict women from a heterosexual male perspective.

What is the Female Gaze?

The female Gaze is a term used to describe a shift in perspective that challenges the dominant male gaze. It represents a feminist critique of traditional cinematic representation and aims to offer an alternative viewpoint. The Female Gaze seeks to portray women as subjects with agency and complex inner lives, rather than mere objects of male desire. It emphasizes female perspectives, experiences, and desires, challenging the objectification and sexualization of women in visual media.

What is the Oppositional Gaze?

The Oppositional Gaze is a type of looking relation that involves the political rebellion and resistance against the repression of a black person's right to look.