Luce Irigaray
Luce Iriguaray suggests that instead of women being objectified by the male gaze and the male desire, it can be avoided by ironically overstating it. In today's society there are a variety of roles provided for women thanks to the efforts of the first and second-wave heminist movements. Young womenare told they can play as many parts as they want. Iriguray would argue we ahould all use these 'masks' that are at out disposal in an ironic way. By doing this are women subverting stereotypes or re-enforcing them?
Lady Gaga, Meat dress?
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of playing with and ironically overstating the idea of myself as 'object'. To undermine and take the piss has been a coping strategy and a way of challenging and confronting things my whole life. But im not sure about the 'masks', i feel we should be putting them down not picking them up. I think these only re-enforce the stereotypes. As an artist I will always aim to steer away from irony and look for subversion in other more abstract ways.
ReplyDeleteThe masks made reference to here may not be as problematic as you may think. Taking your comment above and putting it into a personal perspective, it may be said that I have many 'masks' myself. There is my 'outgoing mask' when I'm out with friends, or my 'flirty mask' when I'm with a lover or my 'professional mask' when I'm at work. All of these 'masks' and more make who I am, and I am a female. Portraying these within art and playing with these ideas may re-enforce the stereotypes, but is this always a bad thing? Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteIs putting on a mask the same as playing a role? We tend to fall into habitual ways of behaving with people we know in a sort of unconscious way but putting on a mask seems more like a deliberate act, done for a reason.
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