First-hand Contextual Research
National Gallery Dublin Research Trip
During a trip to Dublin in December for contextual research at the national gallery of Ireland, it was important to take a visit before my viewpoints assignment because of the large collection of renaissance and baroque art. Two very expansive art movements where the female experience was observed through the male gaze. Propagating a visual culture of decent morality and behaviour put forward to spread Roman catholic doctrine. the symbolic status of Mary as both Mother and virgin. This perpetual state of virginity especially within Ireland has been a point of deep hurt for the damage it has inflicted for generations of Irish women as the impossible ideal was placed onto them. An exhibition of Barthome Estanban Murillo's Prodigal son series on the biblical story of repentance and forgiveness in abundance, when put into the perspective of gender lines the subject of this kind of forgiveness seems to be exclusive when the same leniency would not be given to a woman. A sentiment carried through in todays issues when discussing gender discrimination. On display side by side Murillo's 'The penitent Magdalen' and 'The immaculate Conception' Fransisco De Zurbaran, the two biblical characterisations of infallibility and penitence juxtaposing an impossible infallibility and a morally repentant. When in perspective these archetypes of perpetual virgin and fallen woman play into the male gaze and only serve to cause harm. The magdalen is often hyper sexualised, her redemption flagellant and sacrificial. She is redeemed only through Christ, a submission to a system that gave Magdalene her status as fallen. Her attempt to hide her modesty is erotic with the addition of bare shoulders and a held breast, the image of devotion is corrupted. The held breast in 'The immaculate conception' however is a symbolic cue to her status as mother and maiden, untouched by no mortal man; devoid of sexual intent. Allegory paintings like these are the carriers of moral propaganda. within my research the interest in the corrupted image and virtue is something I am exploring deeper within my work.
Ulster Museum
At Ulster Museum the exhibition 'Renoir and The New Era' came as first hand contextual reference when researching the male gaze within art modern history. On loan from The Courtauld Institute of Art Pierre-Auguste Renoir's La Loge is the Exhibition's centrepoint building on the Impressionists capturing of real life scenes through their radical new techniques and ideas of the era, with the aim to not replicate a scene but to create an impression; through non traditional methods to connote emotion and the feeling of a scene. La Loge serves as testament to a direct and uncompromising look at the female experience in male dominated spaces, reflecting on the view of the subject through the artists interpretation of her. Critics had conflicting views of the status of the central subject at the 1874 exhibition of this painting deemed the female subject as being 'cocotte' with her position in the avant-scenè boxes as one who's occupants want to visible and seen by those within theatre society with her use of makeup denoting a worthless yet attractive figure.
Artist Research
Paula Rego: Obedience and Defiance
The exhibition of a major retrospective of the works of Paula Rego in The Irish Museum of Modern Art, An uncompromising look at the themes that have connected her works. The works of Rego reflect on the themes of political and feminist commentary , suffering and the female experience. Throughout these works whether depicting the turbulent and complex relationship with her husband or her abortion series, Rego provides a word on power dynamics and pain. The ambiguity of conflicted ideas of vulnerability and untouchable dominance are prevalent within her works, the submissive nature of the male subjects in her work projects an imaginative opposition to the reality; giving an unflinching contemplation on the similarities between art practice and romantic relationships. The dog woman series mirrors the artist's struggle with obedience and animalistic femininity, a storyteller of sexuality, fear and rejection. Her submission towards her husband in her art practice in the realms of discussion and intellectual conversation is all consuming and within her this series the subjects portray a starved dog like version of woman struggling for approval and love of their owner.
Sarah Lucas
Sarah Lucas one of the most prevalent artists to come out of the YBA movement, an artist in the mediums of sculpture, photography and collage whose work blurs the line of absurdist humour and gender deconstruction. The work of Lucas is playfully sensual, breaking down the core components of the body in a provocative and perverse way. Adopting perishable and mundane items using them as suggestion satirising gender stereotypes through her non traditional depictions of the female body. Playing into visual puns and irreverent practices as social commentary, crudely and spectacularly making comment on gender. Lucas's loud and bawdy sexuality shock and create mixed reaction with viewers with her reductive and confronting nature of her work. Lucas's imagery is unflinching and scrutinous of lad culture, her compositions take up space; in many self portraits legs spread mirroring the behaviour of men. The representation of Phallic imagery neither valid nor obsolete, her comment of machism isn't aggressive but rather retrospective challenging discussion through an approachable and tongue and cheek humour.
Chantal Joffe
The work of Chantal Joffe has been influential for me working with the female form, Joffe's work views the female subject from a female gaze: an admiration and relation to the form rather than a disconnected view, considering issues of motherhood and ageing. Painting her sitters as complex beings that hold power to those who view them, her paintings of female subjects are personal and sensitive to the people she paints.Her expressive use of marks and colour offer an emotional investigation of the human experience, casual and documenting the transitional moments in a woman's life in the stages of child rearing to ageing in both public and private spaces. The intimacy of the scenes of motherhood and maternal force are referenced within my work in my attempt the capture desire, guilt and motherhood in the female form, a lamination of expectation and pain but also the beauty that comes from vulnerability.
Influence from other forms of Art media
Film
The skin I live in - Pedro Almodóvar
In his 18th film Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar develops a story of identity and captivity. The construction of a new self in a forced capacity, the protagonist vera is held under control of a plastic surgeon Robert who perfects the body of his subject against her will. Later learning that through force that Vera's identity had been changed and was taken by Robert who was once Vincente. Governance had been taken from the protagonist and confined to a body they denied as a form of dominance. The complicated questions of morality and the understanding of trans issues from a cis filmmaker, redefined by many as a queer horror with the shock to heteronormative nightmare of a lack of choice and a forced way of living invert gender dynamics. The emasculation of a cis straight man as penance for rape. Repulsive acts for repulsive acts, the right of choice becomes obsolete. This film serves as inspiration for the modelling of desire and domination within my work, breaking with the conjecture that body = sex.
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Belladonna of Sadness - Eiichi Yamamoto
The anime film Belladonna of sadness was an inspiration in the composition of the sculture in my fmp, in the scene(left) the titular character Jeanne is torn, the destruction of her body both felt in emotional and physical trauma. The erotic, psychedelic tableau emcompossing theses of rape, suffering, the occult and female empowerment. The trial of the character and the multiple violations felt by Jeanne lead her to the occult to obtain revenge on her oppressors. The power of female divination for survival mirroring the history that demonised and executed the accused and use to present the act of vengeance as the final form of healing. In my work the symbolism of an expulsion will be used, in the form of sourced fabrics, the idea stemmed from the scene pictured above of martyrdom and christianity.
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