Houseboat Illinois by Gertrude Bass Warner - Essay Example

Houseboat Illinois by Gertrude Bass Warner Introduction Study of gender and sexuality is no longer a queer hobby but reality in academic circles. Itsimplications and application however still remain to be argued. Academics like Campbell (1998) attribute the change in American perception of gender and sexuality as the age of Exposition, a term borrowed from Alan Trachtenbergs explanation of the transition of the official view of women and their emancipation during the 19th century (Campbell 189). The Exposition age had a great impact on the women population in America not only because it liberated them from their class, culture and traditions only but enabled male members of society to realize their potentials. Women have become the cornerstone to cultural construction and one such edifice was Gertrude Bass Warner (1863- 1951). Warners works have been considered evolutionary and pioneering in the field of Asian studies. What has attracted this authors attention to Warners work was her valuable input on the females view of the world. In the following sections, the author shall study one of her photos, and enumerate on this view. Houseboat Illinois H.B. (Photo Number PH014_53-14) Houseboat Illinois (see below) is one of Warners photographic works which the author has found among the Gertrude Bass Warner Lantern Slides, first bequest collection at the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History (known as the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art). Warner had dedicated the collection in memory of her late husband Murray Warner. Houseboat Illinois, like most of Warners photographic work, is a work of art; a hand tinted photo taken during one of her voyages. The image depicts of Gertrude and Murray Warner sitting on their houseboat named Illinois with an Asian guide sitting at the bow of the boat. Both Gertrude and Murray are sitting on wicker chairs with a wooden table in the middle. On the table there is a cup, a smoking pipe and a note book. Gertrude is dressed in a long sleeved shirt and skirt with a hat covered with a pink scarf while her husband is dressed in a stripe pants and coat, and wearing a brown hat. The Asian guide, dressed in pants, long sleeved shirt, jacket and cap, is navigating the boat. At the outset the background comprises of blue river water, dark green trees, and some form of yellow and green vegetation that resemble a farm. Photo: Houseboat Illinois Analysis Warners work is a representation of feminist view of the world. A feminist view, according to Perry (8) "studies, exposes and challenges womens cultural, political and social positions and disadvantages." But more importantly, a feminist approach is one which is different in understanding representation of imagery, characteristics of female and male roles in society, and how the gender role of the viewer affects the creator of the art work. Warner throughout her career as an art collector, and Asian art and culture enthusiast has opposed the masculine perception and cultural construction of the world. The majority of her works capture the essence of Asia, a culture that is considered foreign to the Americans at the time, by depicting them as "humans" and as eccentric in their traditions, beliefs, norms and behaviours as Americans. This is clearly depicted in the above photograph, in which the Asian guide is dressed in western outfits with as much ease as his American counterparts. In fact, by placing him at the steer, Warner depicts him in control of his environment as much as the Warners. This shift of culture power from the American to the Asian is a new phenomenon, but congruent to the Exposition ideology at the time Warner had taken this photo. In contrast, Warner presented herself and her husband as restricted in their gendered roles, one dressed in feminine gears in pink and long sleeves while the other is the emblem of a typical male in pin-striped suit. According to Stern (3), "...power and strength...are not necessarily masculine qualities. They belong to whoever has them..." Warner has successfully incorporated this patriarchal ideology in contrast with the feminine one in the picture for the benefit of the viewer to understand the difference and similarity between the two cultures. After all, as Berger maintains (52), the viewer is the ultimate judge of the art work. Warner understands this, and wants to convey the message that even though her role is confined by American traditions, the rest of the world is not conventional or averse to foreign cultures. Personal Opinion In the authors opinion, Warner has cleverly utilized the viewer-creator relationship effectively (Berger 51) to convey her message in a feminine imagery. These are clearly seen in the use of tints in her photograph of highlighted blue, pink, green and red. Moreover, she has also captured the moods at that moment, evident in the brooding look of herself, contemplation of her husband, and the guides shy avoidance of the camera. These aspects betray Warners very feminine outlook. It also shows that Warner, though is considered to be one of the most liberated females of her time, had not broken free from her gendered role. This is clearly shown in her lowered placement in the picture as compared to her husband and the guide. She is very much confined within her cultural role, but she is not afraid to show her audience an alternative angle to her situation. This is perhaps why she has included the Asian guide in the picture. Conclusion Nevertheless, Warner is a pioneer in her field. She has contributed greatly to the cause of Asian studies, who has opened the eyes of Europeans and Americans alike in understanding Asians. This has clearly been depicted in the above photograph taken during one of voyages. The photograph demonstrates the change in American culture, attitudes, and behaviours towards the unknown. It is a study of gendered roles, and their influence on American society. Moreover, it is a depiction of how the world outside America existed. The image provide grounds for understanding other cultures, and accepting them, which is why it is considered one of the most revolutionary collections in American art history. References Campbell. "Gender and Sexuality: To break the old circuits" from American Cultural Studies. Routledge, 1998. Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. BBC and Penguin Books, 1972. Perry, Gill. Art and its histories: Gender and Art. The Open University, 1999. Stern, William. How men look. Art Journal. Summer 1997. Read More