Shaping Human Values and Gender Representations - Essay Example

Prof Reflection: Art and the Marginalized Shaping Human Values and Gender Representations Art has the capa to revolutionizethe way that people understand the world around them. I began to see how representation art can also be representations of power or the lack of power. As artists reflect what they feel about the world around them they will consciously and unconsciously create dynamics which show how they have observed their worlds and in what context they place importance. This is always very clear where gender is concerned. I found that the comments from Guerrilla Girls that state that only 5% of the artists in modern art sections are women but 85% of the nudes are women. Whether art gallery owners and museum curators have understood their ability in this representation, this conflict between what women contribute and how they are exploited is in itself a reflection of gender dynamics. It is interesting that the way in which women are often allowed to express their artistic beliefs and experiences is through what men often termed as craft. The American art of quilting is often marginalized, but the development of many of these quilts is justice poignant as an oil painting or sculpture. I was fascinated by learning about the meaning of quilting and what it represented in American society. Their social aspects to it that are woven into the development of the art form. As well, there are symbols and meanings that not everyone will understand when you look at quilts but thats our past within cultures as specific messages. One example of this is the ‘eye of God’ which is in many traditional American quilts. This comes from purposely making sure that one section, no matter how small, is in perfect. The message is that nothing on earth is perfect and only God can make something that is perfect (Manairdi 340). I do think that its humorous because its just that everything else in the quilt is perfect and there is a certain tongue-in-cheek arrogance to that idea. Discussions on the human body also relate to a reflection of the feminine. It is not that male bodies are not represented in art, but that they are not exploited in quite the same way that womens bodies are exploited. This is a great deal to do with the fact that artists who are accepted as ‘great’ are mostly men. It is the male gaze from which male and female gender differences are most often defined. Walters discusses the idea that there are three ‘looks’ that represent the male gaze. The first is that as men gaze at women, women become the object of the gaze. The second is that the male gaze acts as spectator and women are just fight on the screen. The third is that the active filming as an example becomes an extension of the male eye (Walters 57). This translates all forms of arts as the paint brush, photographer’s lens, or the tools of the sculptor all become an extension of the male eye. This plays into the idea of shaping and forming culture and putting it into context as the male perspective dominates the artistic dimension. Where males act is the creator, women become the created. The idea of what a woman means in society is often defined by how male-dominated culture represents woman. The female role has been created by mail constructions rather than by representations of the female experience. There is something to be said for the idea that the male experience is also exploited in any form of entertainment value to art creation, but since the male perspective is at the core this is not necessarily the case. What is usually seen in art is that the male stands and female performs. Culture is shaped as representations become realities. The artist creates perspective, expresses that perspective, and in the public finds new meaning in that it expression that theyve been placed back into social structures. The reflection then becomes the informant. There is a desperation in the lack of diverse perspectives and the world becomes one dimensional as it only sees the male experience. There is sadness in this revelation. Representative Voices When a strong effort is made to go looking for art from diverse voices, it can be found. I learned in this class that despite a very limited number of voices that one can find in most modern art museums, there are diverse voices available that show different sides of social reflection. Representation means a wide number of things. One of the things that I find actually disturbing is that museums will survey collections. While it is important for there to the aesthetically pleasing cases placed into a museum setting, in some ways there is a certain amount of bias that goes along with this type of division of art. Im not suggesting the curating shouldnt happen, but I am suggesting that there is a sociological phenomenon in the active curating. As we look at different types of art that come from various demographics such is gender, age, and race, specific perspectives begin to emerge. The one thing that I started to think is that when you walk into a curated space or even if youre looking online and find a curated section which has a certain representation, the viewer is only getting one perspective or multiple perspectives along the same line. As we discussed all of the ways in which art does not necessarily have fairness in terms of enough female artists being represented or enough of a diversity and racial heritage being representative, said thinking about curated spaces and how those choices affect the way in which society is shaped and formed. Groys discusses the idea of authorship and curation as a form of selection. He also goes on to explain that art is defined with an identity that includes a connection between creation and selection. Selection of an artwork is almost the same as creating an artwork. The representation of the selection Groys places the time period in which this became most relevant since Duchamp. He writes that “since Duchamp, producing object is no longer sufficient for its producer to be considered an artist one must also select the object one has made oneself and declared and artwork” (92). This also meant that there is not a difference since this point in time between who produces the object and who selects the object. Both have made a selection in the use of the object. An author authorizes the selection and it becomes representational (Groys 92). I began thinking about this in relationship to what was learned over the course about the diversity in artists. When an image becomes political and intends to sway the audience, it has been subject to the selection of the artist and the creator, depending on how the image was created. Augaitis discusses the concept of the political in art and describes that the selection of any subject that is intended to sway has a political agenda (324). Looking at work by Annie Sprinkle and Barbara Kruger both show that the selection and the representation of the selection become and are turned into an artistic process (Augaitis 336-337). The artist has found images that make statement from their perspective and use those to selection in order to create the representation is intended. The biggest problem in representation, selection, and the perspective of the artist, however, is that art is a commodity. Artist created for the consumption of eyes and sometimes the consumption of money. An artist needs eat just like anyone else. Therefore, theyre going to do work that is commercially relevant in the sense that it fulfills a purpose that gives them an extrinsic reward. If an artist does work but no one wants to see or buy, it is likely going to change what theyre doing it they need financials support. Therefore, what is being represented is tempered by commodification. Women are not seen as often because unfortunately they are not selected. Some of the reasons are not selected may be attached to the financial problem. The same is true for some ethnically relevant material. Selection and representation become tied to the desires of the public and the way in which they will be consumers of the product. The Cultural Border Overcoming cultural bias is one of the most difficult acts that person will try to commit. Cultural biases are part of the overall belief system in which we all live. Very rarely do two people experience it in exactly the same way, but communities will have biases that are passed in subtle forms from one person to the next. The point is that overcoming biases in looking at images can be very difficult. The concept of what is appropriate and what is not appropriate always come from the shadows of past experiences and belief systems about what should and should not be seen. Some of the best art challenges those belief systems and that creates shock value. Let me amend that by saying some of the art that has the most power in terms of being seen comes from shock value. This does not necessarily mean that it is good art; it may just mean that because it has a shocking message is getting more attention. Overcoming the feelings that some things should not be seen takes a great deal of focus. Whenever I see piece of art that I dont understand why dont appreciate merely by viewing it, the first thing that I need to ask is why it was created. When I understand the purpose of the art, sometimes I have more appreciation for it. Augaitis writes about British artists Helen Chadwick who believes that the historical imbalance of the feminine identity can be put back into balance by revealing universal human conditions. Seeing is the result of the manipulation of symbols and signs. In trying to re-create equality through visual means, the correct manipulation of these indicators will result in the viewer getting an appropriate message. Augaitis further writes that the common ground that feminist artists and photographers find is that “there is no pre-existing, absolute sexuality, no given masculinity or femininity, only cultural constructs, and that in the patriarchal system these constructs must inevitably operate to the disadvantage of women” (Augaitis 334). The symbols and signs that are used to create the female experience are defined by how they are interpreted. After having mentioned that we do live in a patriarchal system it is likely understood that signs and symbols will always turn towards the dominant/submissive dynamics between masculine/feminine. As I look at the work thats been presented, this particular bias has been the most difficult for me to get over. Naidus describe something that she calls socially engaged art. She defines this as art that creates a connection through connecting to people and emotions, history, dreams, and other aspects of human experience. Socially engaged art is usually created by someone who has aligned themselves with a cause or movement. The purpose of this type of art documents something important about the cause, offers questions or solutions, fosters dialogue between groups that are polarized, and might compensate for what she termed social amnesia where society forget the truth of their own history. Socially engaged art will heal, make something invisible or visible, outraged, stretch the mind, and help to find others who have like minds. I would suggest, however, that most artists are engaged whether it is obvious or not. Looking at the art of history shows that even though some of the topics were assigned to them or they were doing something that was publicly acceptable, almost all art shows the mind of the artist and is engaged with society and its problems. A good example of this can be seen in the Sistine Chapel. Although this is outside of what we really discussed, this piece of art that was done specifically for a social purpose, which was to adorn the inside of a Chapel, and yet you shows the tension of the period through the horrors and the struggles that the characters on the walls portray. When I think about the meanings of art, I believe that the artists and their social struggles are always evident and always engaged. In the role of the arts in social change is to document and comment, as well as sway opinion. Works Cited Augaitis, Daina. Politic. In (please put the rest of the info in – thanks!) Groys, B. Art Power. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2008. Print. Manairdi, P. Quilts: The Great American Art. In Broude, N. & Garrard, M. (Eds.). Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany. (pp.331-345). New York: Harper and Row, 1982. Print. Naidus, Beverly. Arts for Change: Teaching Outside the Frame. Oakland, CA: New Village Press, 2009. Print. Walters, S. D. Material girls: Making sense of feminist cultural theory. Berkeley, CA: Univ. of California Press, 2000. Print. Read More