General Discussion

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)

14. Within "popular culture" there is the concept of "The Gaze", she's apparently trying to mine that

Thu Apr 25, 2013, 08:25 AM

Apr 2013

idea as part of an art project.

This is the SOs area of study, not mine, but as I understand it, the idea is that "the gaze" which is often described as predatory or exploitative of women can be 'reclaimed' and used to a woman's purpose.

It's been suggested that with that repurposing by the object of the gaze comes a sense of control and empowerment. It's a notion that's been discussed over a range of issues from anorexic models to strippers and porn stars.

This 'project' seems to be about controlling the gaze with images of what seem out of synch with popular standards for what the object of a camera lens should be.

I'm not sure how well it works, but I think I see the intellectual issue that is behind her 'project"

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Woman Takes Self-Portraits Of The Strange Looks She Receives In Public [View all] Pelican Apr 2013 OP

Tough to say that the people photographed are staring at her. trumad Apr 2013 #1

agreed. there could be a lot of selective editing going on. TalkingDog Apr 2013 #27

I've seen this happen. But here, not so sure. The blue top outfit may be what some are Honeycombe8 Apr 2013 #112

Fascinating treestar Apr 2013 #2

Here is something my skinny husband tells me. It may be neat to be petite but inorder southernyankeebelle Apr 2013 #69

Good for him treestar Apr 2013 #70

Exactly. HappyMe Apr 2013 #82

Well you know it took me years to finally realize I was worth living. Been married southernyankeebelle Apr 2013 #84

Some of her photos are in foreign countries BainsBane Apr 2013 #118

the photo with the cops is one I find disgusting lunatica Apr 2013 #3

yea I think she's seeing some sneers where there are none TroglodyteScholar Apr 2013 #5

I'm with here... Skinny people find fat people... Agschmid Apr 2013 #23

I'm not saying skinny people are never cruel or disdainful towards the overweight... TroglodyteScholar Apr 2013 #42

This is true. HappyMe Apr 2013 #43

Same here - those cops are jerks wicket Apr 2013 #8

So am I lunatica Apr 2013 #19

I do not think the cops were staring at her. RebelOne Apr 2013 #37

He's holding his hat over her head, behind her back, and making a gross face. Sheldon Cooper Apr 2013 #44

There's no possible way that she HappyMe Apr 2013 #45

Of course she knew they were there. Sheldon Cooper Apr 2013 #48

It's all about perspective MrBig Apr 2013 #50

Yeah, I think maybe 'gross' was the wrong word choice. Sheldon Cooper Apr 2013 #67

Yeah - considering the cop's no stick figure, either. n/t cigsandcoffee Apr 2013 #68

I didn't read the article, but is it not possible she set up the cop photo? cigsandcoffee Apr 2013 #21

Sorry, but this is really stupid. vi5 Apr 2013 #4

She could go on the "Girls" HBO show... kentuck Apr 2013 #6

a lot of.. sendero Apr 2013 #7

+1 (Great way to put it!) nt Poll_Blind Apr 2013 #24

and it could be just glances and no stares. the camera gets a frozen moment in time. nt seabeyond Apr 2013 #10

When you change the channels on TV, whoever is on it gets frozen for like .2 seconds AngryAmish Apr 2013 #65

right. the problem with that example is she had those stupid ass expressions thru so much of her seabeyond Apr 2013 #79

Whoa!! Lookit that!!! That pic is crazy lol!! Inkfreak Apr 2013 #121

project? wet.hen88 Apr 2013 #9

I agree with everyone else. Sheldon Cooper Apr 2013 #11

The only thing the project highlights is this woman's grandiose ego. Doremus Apr 2013 #12

My wife's peeve pipoman Apr 2013 #17

I know plenty of women her size that look fabulous all the time, like Adele (who I don't know) Exultant Democracy Apr 2013 #26

A lot of people think Adele is just one more fat woman...who can sing. nt Honeycombe8 Apr 2013 #113

and perhaps that flatter your shape without empohasizing what's not so great SoCalDem Apr 2013 #123

Agreed, plus, a smile and an attempt at decent posture goes a long way. Butterbean Apr 2013 #29

MTV reality show "true life" featured guy with horns imbedded in this head - Liberal_in_LA Apr 2013 #104

So which is it? BainsBane Apr 2013 #52

No, they're not contradictory. opiate69 Apr 2013 #56

May be a little paranoid? pipoman Apr 2013 #13

Within "popular culture" there is the concept of "The Gaze", she's apparently trying to mine that HereSince1628 Apr 2013 #14

I'm glad someone gets it BainsBane Apr 2013 #54

I can't be sure that I do.. HereSince1628 Apr 2013 #60

Your argument makes sense to me BainsBane Apr 2013 #63

That's a valid interpretation Orrex Apr 2013 #73

There isn't just one interpretation BainsBane Apr 2013 #85

Where did you get any of that from my post? Orrex Apr 2013 #93

Just so you know what kind of person you're dealing with here Orrex... opiate69 Apr 2013 #96

Classy! Orrex Apr 2013 #99

Welcome... opiate69 Apr 2013 #105

3-3 to leave. What's up with the edit though? cherokeeprogressive Apr 2013 #111

So much fail in the alert and comments opiate69 Apr 2013 #116

Regardless... Orrex Apr 2013 #120

Thete is that too lol... opiate69 Apr 2013 #122

Also, have I ever mentioned how delicious irony can be? opiate69 Apr 2013 #117

I know you didn't say there was just one interpretation BainsBane Apr 2013 #108

It IS art. It IS NOT reality, even though it plays with reality HereSince1628 Apr 2013 #92

"Eliciting emotion" is easy. Art should be about more than that. Orrex Apr 2013 #94

whether or not you like her work BainsBane Apr 2013 #110

No, it's not art.. it's a piss-poor attempt at social "science" opiate69 Apr 2013 #98

Her resume makes clear she is a practicing artist BainsBane Apr 2013 #109

She should keep practicing. Orrex Apr 2013 #124

I didn't tell you to do anything BainsBane Apr 2013 #129

This is staged...the cops were not jerks HipChick Apr 2013 #15

+1 frogmarch Apr 2013 #72

She should move down here to San Antonio, she is not That big. sammytko Apr 2013 #16

It's obvious she's cutting a sorefeet Apr 2013 #18

The project says a lot more about her..... NCTraveler Apr 2013 #20

Setting up a camera to take a self-portrait MineralMan Apr 2013 #22

Yes, seeing someone photographing in public always draws my attenton sylvi Apr 2013 #30

remember her next time you laugh at the walmart people website dembotoz Apr 2013 #25

Well... pipi_k Apr 2013 #32

lol, oh yes it is redqueen Apr 2013 #88

Your conclusion is a fallacy. bluestate10 Apr 2013 #114

There is significant evidence BainsBane Apr 2013 #119

Couple of things... Poll_Blind Apr 2013 #28

I'm always amazed at how cruel people can be. polly7 Apr 2013 #31

except they are not being cruel hfojvt Apr 2013 #62

Except there is a camera pointed at them on a tripod ProudToBeBlueInRhody Apr 2013 #83

Self centered paranoia pipi_k Apr 2013 #33

I think you're right about her reading stuff into HappyMe Apr 2013 #38

I am not so sure about some of those photos -- Hell Hath No Fury Apr 2013 #34

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Apr 2013 #35

What do you call an NYPD cop who isn't an idiot? Dash87 Apr 2013 #36

That first photo of the blonde supposedly taking a snapshot of her RebelOne Apr 2013 #39

She did admit pipi_k Apr 2013 #46

lol I have the same issue, hence I try for non facial shots whenever I can. loli phabay Apr 2013 #53

I saw this on Salon ellie Apr 2013 #40

I don't see anyone looking at her in the first and fifth pics... Blue_Tires Apr 2013 #41

Ummm... the guy in the 1st, the girl and her mom in the 5th? Recursion Apr 2013 #125

Which guy in the first photo? Blue_Tires Apr 2013 #128

It seems to me like she's seeing what she wants to see. Marr Apr 2013 #47

Fishing...exactly pipi_k Apr 2013 #51

With the exception of the cop holding the hat, Quantess Apr 2013 #49

These comments would be an interesting addition to her work BainsBane Apr 2013 #55

Not really. kwassa Apr 2013 #115

Everyone's staring at her from behind B2G Apr 2013 #57

Part of the issue I'm seeing is that she's standing in the middle of a walkway in NYC justiceischeap Apr 2013 #58

So... lumberjack_jeff Apr 2013 #59

Everyone in this thread is looking at her Capt. Obvious Apr 2013 #61

I was just saying that BainsBane Apr 2013 #64

What... pipi_k Apr 2013 #71

If you want to understand BainsBane Apr 2013 #87

This is a brilliant experiment LittleBlue Apr 2013 #66

I'm just gonna fix that headline real quick... opiate69 Apr 2013 #74

How does she know when to trigger the camera? bunnies Apr 2013 #75

It seems more likely that the camera takes a ton of photos Orrex Apr 2013 #76

Yeah. I spose that makes sense. But... bunnies Apr 2013 #81

I think that people are looking at her because... murray hill farm Apr 2013 #80

People always look when other people take pictures of others or themselves darkangel218 Apr 2013 #77

People look at the person who is being photographed. Liberal_in_LA Apr 2013 #78

Also, Obama is a male gaze asshole ProudToBeBlueInRhody Apr 2013 #86

"... is a male gaze asshole" redqueen Apr 2013 #89

Sophia Loren is a female gaze asshole, while we're at it. Orrex Apr 2013 #95

lmao!!!!!!! darkangel218 Apr 2013 #101

Obviously the latter. JTFrog Apr 2013 #106

Should I have included sarcasm tags? ProudToBeBlueInRhody Apr 2013 #107

When you hold an object or strike a pose in public Rex Apr 2013 #90

You can't assume people are thinking nasty things ecstatic Apr 2013 #91

This message was self-deleted by its author TimberValley Apr 2013 #97

My daughter was much larger than her, RebelOne Apr 2013 #100

+1 darkangel218 Apr 2013 #102

Where is the cop's right hand in that pic? Ash_F Apr 2013 #103

What Not to Wear. tavernier Apr 2013 #126

I certainly wouldn't make fun of her, but... tridim Apr 2013 #127