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Transition from housewife to feminist GUINDI S - 19-24.pdf
- 1. The Transition From Housewife to Feminist How Second Wave feminist artists were important to establish female gender identity
- 2. The aim for this Related Study is to investigate emerging female gender identity in post war society and to those who challenged these norms ever since. My Personal Investigation explored the impact of Covid-19 on the lives of young people and how it has shaped our lives. I will focus my investigation on the post war 1950s ‘baby boomer’ generation to better understand the depictions of women in culture and sexual identity. To do this I will look at the negative (sexist) depictions of the ‘housewife’ in advertising and on television. My investigation will look at how these negative depictions were challenged by radical second wave feminist artists who subverted these stereotypes by minipulating fashion images and training their lenses on their own bodies. These artist include Cindy Sherman, Eleanor Antin , Hannah Wilke, Barbra Krugger and Martha Rosler. As a way of appreciating the legacy of these important artist who helped shape female identity today, I will look a the recent fashion photography of work by Miles Adlridge. By looking at his work I will see how the image of a women in advertising has changed. INTRODUCTION
- 3. 1900 Claude Cahun Cindy Sherman Lea Miller Miles Aldridge WOMEN’S EQUALITY TIMELINE-AMERICA 1913-Womens suffrage march-Washington DC 1932-First women to be elected in US senate 1944-Prohibiting discrimination in pay on account of sex 1973-Supreme court make abortion legal 1981-First women to serve on the supreme court 2000 1963-Equal pay act is passed by congress The Womens Liberation Movement, 1960s
- 4. EMERGING FEMINISM 1920s-50s Here I will look at how women in the 1920’s-50’s started to fight female gender norms through photography and fashion and what was the start to a massive movement for women.
- 5. 1920`s women's fashion changed. They were called "flappers" which were bold and freer with what they wore. Dresses were shorter and lighter as materials had to be rationed. Women's clothing in the 1900s THE EARLIEST SEEDS OF FEMINISM POST WORLD WAR 1
- 6. THE EARLIEST SEEDS OF FEMINISM The Dancing Flappers The Flapper were a generation of young Western women in the 1920`s. They wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, smoked and flaunted their annoyance ta what was considered acceptable behaviour. This shocked their Victorian parents. They wated to break free from how they were told to act and have fun doing what they wanted. "Making a spectacle of themselves" " They were free to be wild, sexy expressive" "Their parents were appalled"
- 7. Women Becoming Equal Through Fashion Instead of corsets they wore camisoles, for knickers they had bloomers or drawers. Waistlines dropped and hemlines rose. Women were now also permitted to show their bare calves. Shift dresses were very popular along with cloche hats and scarves. Silhouettes matched a masculine frame being streamlined. THE EARLIEST SEEDS OF FEMINISM POST WORLD WAR 1 These women were defying the fashion world and wore suits that only men would be seen in.
- 8. Claude Cahun who specialized in realism he experimented the idea of gender identity and the subconscious mind. Her self-portraits from 1928 embodies her attitudes, staring into the camera in outfits that aren't conventionally feminine or masculine. Cahun had an identity unique to her which put her ahead of her times. She used mirrors and collages to show a reflection of social norms. She only got recognition for her work in the 1990`s. "Under this mask, another mask, I will never be finished removing all these faces" Claude Cahun THE EARLIEST SEEDS OF FEMINISM Claude Cahun Women were gaining more attraction as to how photography could tell a story and its freedom from conventional arts. With the evolution of new technology, this coincided with feminist prevailing the gender relations. Cahuns work uses very eccentric poses with direct eye contact with the camera. She uses different costume and makeup to enhance the images. Her body is usually in the frame.
- 9. Lee Miller was an American surrealist artist who didn’t let her gender or beauty define her. Miller in Hitlers Bath She was the official war photographer for Vogue. THE EARLIEST SEEDS OF FEMINISM LEE MILLER She is one of the early photographers to fight gender stereotypes with the way she didn’t define herself and how her photography portrayed her . She is a reason many photographers after her have followed in her footsteps of non gender conforming. Lea Millers images often showed interesting backgrounds and used this to compose her images as these mid shot, environmental portraits.
- 10. SECOND WAVE FEMINSM 1960s-80s Here I will look at what is second wave feminism as this is the roots that lead to many feminist photographers emerging.
- 11. “Hugh Hefner is my enemy” “ Men arent going to give up their power and privilidge easily, because they benefit from oppresing women” “Hefner has built an empire based on oppseressing women” Two women on the Dick Cavett show talking about the women’s Liberation and how women have been oppressed by men and how there need to be a change. “You make them look like animals, women are`nt bunnies they’re not rabbits there human beings” “What we would really like if for there to be no nesey for women to seduce men to get what they want “ "The Personal is Political”
- 12. . Second wave feminism of the 1960-80s looked at equality and discrimination. The slogan, "The person is political" shone a light on political inequalities and encouraged women to see how their personal lives reflected societal sexism. SECOND WAVE FEMINISM Feminist history is split up into waves. First wave was in n19th and early 20th century focused on womens rights to vote. Second wave in 1960-80s, focused on womens liberation and equal rights. The third wave in 1990s was a continuation of the second wave feminism. From looking at emerging and second wave feminism, women fought against gender norms and how photography was an important way of showing this and breaking boundaries.
- 13. The Male Gaze Here I will look at the male gaze which has often been used in TV and art which I will analyse to get further understanding, as this is another way of looking at how women were seen through mens eyes.
- 14. THE MALE GAZE In Art Crying Girl-Roy Lichtenstein, 1963 Roy was a famous pop artist, influenced by pop art. He used dark line, thick lines and a limited colour palette. Used ben-day dots which were used in printing comics. The image depicts a women crying, she looks stressed and vulnerable, and this symbolises women`s feeling of entrapment at the time and their female identity having an inferior role in society. This image is filling the frame and is an extreme close up. This piece of art shows its texture and sadness through the eyes. In these artworks women lose their subjectivity to become objects in a male dominated world. Feminists have argued that art was the domain of men.
- 15. This theory suggests women are being denied human identity and are seen more as objects and only admired for their physical appearance. The male gaze is often seen in movies where the audience is put into the perspective of a heterosexual man. A scene may focus on a woman's body, putting you in their eyes and how they see women. THE MALE GAZE From the view-point of a man This theory also suggests women watch films in a secondary perspective and see themselves from a man's perspective. In films, often the female has no real importance except in the relation to a male character. Whats important is the way she makes him feel or act. Mulvey states that the role of a female character is- as an erotic object within the narrative or for the spectators .
- 16. THE MALE GAZE James Bond - when its ok to slap a woman Here Sean Connery is talking about his views on women. “ Its better to do it with an opened hand” “ I don’t think its that bad” “ It depends on the circumstances and if it merits it” “ “Women are pretty good at this, they cant leave it alone” “ Then I think its absolutely right”
- 17. THE MALE GAZE TV Advertising This advert depicts the women to be younger, with a childlike nature, the way she is posed . Using direct eye contact and acting almost vulnerable but seductive. Showing a position of submissiveness and powerlessness. Adverts like this were very common in there way of portraying women Women are urged to have beauty and sex appeal which is often show through being submissive. Male gaze tells women how to behave and find their identity in the approval of the male gaze. This representation creates an unhealthy obsession amongst women regarding their bodies. Understanding the concept of the male gaze in advertising, film and art is crucial in appreciating how women saw themselves. If all images are created for man's viewpoint and pleasure, women will not be equal to men.
- 18. How To Be A Good Wife Here I will go back in time to look at how women were treated as wives in the 1950’s. This was because of the baby boomers after WW2. This caused the emerging progressive feminist movements of the 1920s to be setback. Women wanted to change how they were perceived and why this led to the second wave feminism.
- 19. LIFE AS A 1950`S HOUSEWIFE How To Be A Good Wife (1950s Style) Putting the women in a submissive role, she is only praised if she is a good wife dehumanising her and being treated unequally. Adverts mainly targeted at men. The way he is holding her is as if he needs to protect her reinforcing women were not. Its very important for a wife to look good for her husband and do everything to make sure that his is happy as he is the most important person in the family.
- 20. Family life was a very important goal after the second world war and having this "perfect" life. But many women were not happy with this at the end of the 50`s and made the catchphrase "there is something missing" and was supported by many women. Taking care of the house, cooking and looking after the kids wa sthe main job as the ideal wife and this was their daily routine. But many women felt inadequate, and this is when the fight for women’s rights began. “There was no savouring the experience, there was only surviving it…” LIFE AS A 1950`S HOUSEWIFE How To Be A Good Wife (1950s Style) Images depicting the 1950’s often show women in the kitchen, cleaning or looking after the kids as this connotes to a good housewife and shows how women should be.
- 21. A woman was seen as the provider, the idea of a perfect mother and wife doing housework and responsibilty of the children. Men didn’t encourage their wives to be independent. LIFE AS A 1950`S HOUSEWIFE How To Be A Good Wife (1950s Style) This shows how men were seen as more dominant and more imortant in the household. Symbolising women as weaker and only for mens wellbeing in the use. "Your goal is to try to make sure your home is a place of peace,orde and tranquility where your husband can renew himin body and spirit".
- 22. FEMININITY IN ADVERTISING 1920-50’s Here I will look at how women were depicted in advertising and the way they targeted men. I will also analyse and break down some adverts which will help to gain a better understanding of how they were portrayed.
- 23. FEMINITY IN ADVERTISING The portrayal of women in 1950s All these ads feature a woman trying to sell a house item as a housewife represents someone in the household who should be intersted in these things and want to buy them to keep their family well look after and cared for. We see this in adverts with their husbnads as it shows they must provide for them as a good wife cooking meals and cleaning up. Making these types of adverts subject to the male gaze as we`re seeing life through a man's eyes and how he sees women and thier role.
- 24. Erving Goffman Gender Advertisements (1979) FEMINITY IN ADVERTISING The portrayal of women in 1950s This advert depicts women as a bit clumsy or careless, as she has burnt the meal she needed to prepare perfectly for her husband. Also that she needs support from him for making a mistake, making her seem not independent and needing reassurance from a man. This advert was aimed at men as they could relate perhaps, and make fun of their wives for messing up, showing they don’t care for her feelings. The way he is comforting her and that she is crying over it shows her as weak and submissive. The composition uses his hand to frame the image leading our eyes to the table. Erving Goffman looks at how femininity and masculinity is displayed within Western media.
- 25. FEMINITY IN ADVERTISING The portrayal of women in 1950s This advert shows its male audience what a perfect housewife should look like and how she should act. The fact she is dressed up nicely hair done, makeup done looking very presentable will appeal to the male audience. The way she is stereotypically holding ingredients for cooking, this could symbolise she is going to the kitchen to cook her husband a nice meal. These ads often depicted what men wanted to see, such as this idea of a good housewife.
- 26. This ad for Weyenberg Massagic shoes was featured in Playboy magazine and reprinted in the "No Comment" section of Ms. magazine in December 1974. FEMINITY IN ADVERTISING The portrayal of women in 1950s Women in advertising were often put in a submissive role here this woman is lying on the floor. This advert symbolises that women are below menas represented by a male shoe to symbolise he is the boss, literally showing women are beneath men. It’s a visual representation showing a woman's place in men's eyes as this was their target audience, so still has the women not wearing many clothes coming back to the male gaze. Ads in the 1970`s were very sexist but they were not seen as wrong or offensive at the time, so they were able to get away with them. Her gaze is looking towards the shoe showing her submission. She is in the centre of the frame but in the background showing she is less important .
- 27. FEMININTY IN ADVERTISING 1970’s ONWARDS Here I will be looking at more later adverts created but feminist artists which contrast to adverts I have previously looked at. These women are looking to defy stereotypes that ads from the 1950-70’s were showing.
- 28. Cindy Shermans work has very close conections with this very famous war poster in the way its brightly coloured and her pose and serious facial expression. This war poster connotes to female empowerment and the way its framed to get her arm in to represent her being physically strong and the caption shows her mental strength too. FEMINITY IN ADVERTISING Contrasting with war time depiction The war saw a huge increase in female workers, including factories such as the munitions industry. Women also worked as secretaries, typists and even tram conductors. Thousands of women worked on farms but also still in traditional roles such as nursing. All these women were great role models for getting involved in the war effort. Which is a complete contrast to this 1950`s ad where the woman is holding washing detergent in her hand. The way they are framed similarly just shows this contrast and step forward.
- 29. Training their lenses on their own bodies, Marxism and Art: Beware of Fascist Feminism 1977 Hannah Wilke is known for her work on feminist photography using her own body for her art and mocking modelling glamour. FEMINITY IN ADVERTISING DISMANTLING CONSTRUCTS OF WOMEN - Hannah Wilke She worked on female iconography based on her body, creating these abstract forms. She contrasts the way women were portrayed in advertisements like these. Her work confronted erotic stereotypes and made ironic gestures and poses. Hannah Wilke has taken back the idea of male gaze and has started controlling this ideas herself.
- 30. Kruger is an American conceptual artist. Informed by feminism was known for her aggressive slogans, over black and white images from magazines. Her visual language influenced by the work as a graphic designer. She addressed political issues, employing media effects. FEMINITY IN ADVERTISING Subverting Adverts - Barbara Kruger Her work connects to Hannah Wilke`s as they both address political issues and create positive female iconography. These women were important as they turned adverts on their head and out a positive spin on female identity. From looking at and breaking down femininity in advertising it has helped me understand the depictions men had of women and how they were seen as this submissive role. Then looking at the contrast of more feminist take on advertising shows how far women have come and how differently they want to be seen.
- 31. Women weren’t only treated as less important in the house but this was also depicted on screen. These shows targeted men as they were showing women as just this domestic role for men. WOMEN ON SCREEN
- 32. ON TV - OZZIE AND HARRIET, 1952 -1966 These types of show idealised domesticity and women do all the work for their husbands. WandaVision takes us back in time to the 1950`s and this idea of a housewife and gives us a modern take on what it was like. ON TV - Father Knows Best (1954-1960) WOMEN ON SCREEN 1950s Television These shows depict women as just an accessory to their husbands who are there to please and keep the house well kept. They give women a feeling of dependency on men. These shows were much more aimed at men as they show them in a more dominant an important role and they can relate to their own life.
- 33. MARTHA ROLSER Semiotics of the Kitchen 1975 Rosler plays the role of a housewife and creates a parody cooking programmes from the 1960’s. Going through the alphabet naming all things found in the kitchen but with angry gestures and movements to show the frustration of oppressive roles women have. WOMEN ON SCREEN MARTHA ROLSER RESPONSE Martha Rosler took the ideas of how women were supposed to act and she reversed the role of a good housewife with her anger towards what she was doing, where women were always meant to be ladylike and gentle. Here Rosler has hit back at how women were depicted on screen and seen as just someone who belonged in the kitchen. Again showing this idea of why feminism came about as a result of anger of women.
- 34. STEPFORD WIVES Here I will look at the famous novel and film Stepford Wives. As this is a great example of how women were depicted as housewives and the idea that they were robots.
- 35. "Stepford wife’ has become code for some robot following a script and meeting some male misogynistic ideal of femininity” Mary Stuart Masterson
- 36. CONNECTIONS WOMEN ON SCREEN STEPFORD WIVES RESONSE The Stepford Wives was a book written by Iran Levin on 1972. The story is about a photographer and young mother, Joanna, who thinks the housewives living in her new neighbourhood are all robots creates by their husbands. Desperate housewives is a modern version of the stepford housewives as it follows a group of women as seen through their friends. Joanna believes that the women are being brainwashed or poisoned into submission. She feels they are all mindless, docile and lacking free will. This connects to how women of the 1950’s acted and is depicting this, but Joanna like us in the modern day seen its not right.
- 37. “A Stepford wife epitomizes somebody who is perfectly made up, looks perfect, and presents a very perfect facade.” Nanette Newman (Actor in the lead role) WOMEN ON SCREEN STEPFORD WIVES RESONSE The idea of white picket fence America where everything looks perfect on the surface and have to keep up these perfect appearances, which links to the idea of a Stepford wife. As a modern day audience watching this film it almost shows how women were used like these perfect robots. Women were treated as housewives and depicted in Stepford Wives as subservient robots. This has given me a greater insight as to why feminism emerged and why women wanted to subvert this negative image and create a new identity.
- 38. CINDY SHERMAN Cindy Sherman's exploration of identity through the multiple guises sort you promote feminism. Her iconic Untitled Film series were influential to many in today's world.
- 39. Sherman is an American self-portrait photographer, who has mastered the work of socially critical photography. Known for her famous guises depicting her self many in different contexts from movies to imagined characters. and her work on observing societal sexual stereotypes. WOMEN ON SCREEN Introduction to Cindy Sheman Cindy Shermans work links back to early seeds of feminism in the way she dresses up and changes the way we see how women dress and act. Showing women can wear suits aswell as men. I think this early take on feminism was an influcncing factoron Shermans work. She uses a lot of direct eye contact with her audience and has very exaggerated poses. She embodies each character she disguises herself in . Her compositions always have her in a formal pose either sitting down or standing. "Under this mask, another mask, I will never be finished removing all these faces" Claude Cahun Connections with early feminist icons
- 40. Eleanor Antin 'Carving: A Traditional Sculpture' (detail) 1972 This is a piece of conceptual art and it’s the idea of a traditional sculpture and using herself as the model. Greek sculptures usually look at depicting the ideal body. She uses her own body and describes it as " standard poor man material". Cindy Sherman’s Bus Riders,1976 Bus riders depicts the people Sherman would see on the bus or waiting for the bus in her daily life, taking on their personalities and body language to create a series of images all different from each other. WOMEN ON SCREEN Cindy Sherman Comparison with Eleanor Antin Both women are using their bodies to train their camera. By doing this they are taking control of the male gaze in deciding what their audience look at. These series of images create a repeated pattern and both use 3D elements of their own bodies, having them in black and white give the images a greater contrast.
- 41. The camera is looking upwards at her this creates a striking angle getting the background of buildings in too. This is quiet a cinematic shot. Untitled film still #21 1978 WOMEN ON SCREEN Cindy Sherman Untitled Film Stills This famous image shows her playing a stereotypical female film character influenced by the 1950’s and 60’s. She intentionally looks away from the camera out of the frame, this gives the image more mystery and leaves you with questions about her. She is posed as a female character from a film. Her outfit is very formal and her facial expression is serious. Black and white, mimicking the Hollywood film . She takes great thought in composing her photos for a great shot down to the clothes, lighting, look and angles. The lighting in her images is very stark which creates that mysterious movie feel to them.
- 42. Her "Untitled film" stills are 70 black and white images made tthroughout 3 years , where Sherman posed as different guises of generic female film characters such as working girls and lonely housewife. "The still must tease with the promise of a story the viewer of it itches to be told". Cindy Sherman WOMEN ON SCREEN Cindy Sherman Untitled Film Stills These images show voyeurism, theatricality, mystery and vulnerability. Which is what Cindy Sherman wanted to depict in these film stills. Her poses and facial expressions create this visual language and the story behind her images. Cindy Sherman and Lea Miller are similar as they are both feminist photographers who use their own bodies in their photos. You can see how Sherman was emulating artists like this. She uses natural light and her compositions always have her places in front of a background which helps tell the story. In some ways you could say Cindy Sherman has taken control of the male gaze by creating these self-portraits. Cindy Sherman was in hitting back at the stereotypical image of women and by using, owning, her own body to create powerful images of female gender identity.
- 43. Miles Aldridge Home Works In my conclusion I will look at how Miles Aldridge reflected on second wave feminists work and was able to subvert the depictions of a submissive housewife.
- 44. “I want to set a sort of unsettling message, but my trick is to sugar- coat it in these bright colours” Miles Aldridge
- 45. Miles Aldridge is a British fashion photographer. His work has been seen in fashion magazines in across the world. In Aldrige's cinematic images of women we see a world filled with saturated in garish colours and erotically charged imagery. The aesthetic resembles pop art, psychedelia and films by David Lynch. Home Works is an obvious throwback to the1950s American housewife. To understand the context of Aldriges work I will look at 1950's America and the role/perception of women These images depict this housewife character and has made them look like robots the way they are posed look almost not human, and this reflects how women felt they were treated. Miles Aldridge Homeworks Introduction
- 46. Miles Aldridge Homeworks Women on Screen - Comparisons with Cindy Sherman Links in with how housewives were portrayed on tv. Miles Alrdridges work links back with Cindy Sherman as she was fighting back against the depictions of women bit in a more subtle way. Now Alrdidge has pushed his work even further showing these women in a more aggressive way contrasting to how they were ways perceived as submissive He uses harsh high key lighting, with fluorescent colours to create contrast wi th the mood of the subject. This juxtaposition adds to the surreal quality of the image The shot is composed with the camera at a higher level, so the model is looking up, submissive. Use of props taken in the kitchen to signify she is a housewife, however the knife in her hand looks like a weapon. This image shows Aldridges dark humour and confronting the idea on the role of a housewife, creating this almost angry image of this women in the kitchen where society says she should be happiest. His work also depicts these women as robots the way they are posed and the lighting he uses. This is reminiscent of the Stepford Wives
- 47. Miles Alridge’s work connects with the Stepford Wives as his photography looks at the image of a housewife and the representation of them being almost robotic, which links to how women were depicted on screen. Miles Aldridge Homeworks Women on Screen - Comparisons with Stepford Wives This image from Stepford wives shows all these women looking the same with this perfect looking exterior. The image of being robotic and not having free will or a personality as they don’t need one as their purpose is to look after the house. His work has a great use of bold colour and high key lighting, which creates these striking images. These woman are often the central focus with stereotypical backgrounds such as a kitchen.
- 48. Miles Aldridge Homeworks Femineity in Advertising - Subversive Advertising These adverts show a contrast from the sexist housewife ads to more feminist campaigns. This poster is aimed at women to try and get them motivated and get involved in the war effort and not conform to being stuck at home like men think they should. This advert is aimed at men, showing a more sexist advert depicting the perfect housewife. Holding stereotypical items used for cooking, and the wife thanking her husband for providing her with these things to then look after him.
- 49. SUMMARIES Feminism has allowed me to understand more about how these women fought against gender norms and how photography broke boundaries. The male gaze helped me understand how men saw women through art and media and a man`s point of view was more important. How women were treated as housewives and depicted on screen gave me a greater insight as to why feminism emerged and how women were not seen as equal. Cindy Sherman showed me how important her work was in hitting back at the stereotypical image of women in the 1950’s. Femininity in advertising helped me understand the depictions men had of women. Then looking at the contrast of more feminist take on advertising shows such a contrast. Miles Aldridge has been able to subvert the idea of a housewife into something more aggressive and robot like.
- 50. MY OPINION ON THESE ARTISTS WORK Cindy Sherman and Miles Aldridge’s work were both turning depictions of women in the 1950’s on its head. I think their work really helps challenge the stereotype role women were given. The way Aldridge has reflected on feminist work and has subverted the role of a housewife to be something more aggressive is and effective way of fighting gender norm. This relates to my portfolio as looking at how this important period of time for women and how they felt. It relates to an important time now during covid and how photography can help depict feelings of people today. Start End I think by going through all these stages and aspects of this era it has given me a deeper understanding into how female identity has changed and how photographers have helped pioneer this.