Get Lost, 2019
Custom Kicks, 2023
Bullet Proof Vest, 2024
5 Ways to Deflect the Male Gaze
We all love movies, TV shows and artworks, but do you ever feel like all the images youโre bombarded with are for the male gaze. What is the male gaze you ask? Coined by Laura Mulvey in her influential 1975 essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” the male gaze refers to the way visual arts are structured around a masculine viewer1. Mulvey argues that this perspective objectifies women, reducing them to mere spectacles for male consumption. Seems familiar?
I’m intrigued by the male gazeโit’s repulsive yet familiar, I feel like itโs embedded within me, as a way I read the world. As I wrestle with it, I realize it rarely operates solo. Iโm especially interested in how it operates alongside some ruthless allies, capitalism and patriarchy. Combined they form a sinister trio, working in unison to maintain their hold. You see, capitalism leverages patriarchal norms to sell products that cater to the male gaze, and to spot them at work you have to remain vigilant and aware at every peep, click, swipe and sound, it can get exhausting!
When we do have the energy for it, we may seek to disarm these oppressive systems. How? I donโt claim to have all the answers, and I thank you dear reader for coming to my humble blog to explore these ideas further with me. I want to share five examples of deflecting the male gaze, mocking the patriarchy and challenging capitalism through my own artistic attempts. Through highlighting the ridiculous, repeating cultural signifiers, calling out problematic depictions, coming to terms with internalized norms, and reflecting on these influences, I hope to inspire you with ideas on how to combat these deeply rooted systems of oppression and inequality in our society.
1. Highlight the Ridiculous
Capitalism thrives on flaunting the unattainable, and uses familiar cultural symbols to communicate with us. The male gaze, though pervasive, can be blatant, obvious, and absurd. Take my piece “Get Lost” for example. It features a hot pink sports car on an island paradise. To the untrained eye, this might look like an appealing advertisement, but it’s a critique. By combining these bold cultural symbols, I highlight the absurdity of ideals like fancy cars and the promise of a sexy, wealthy life, with the watermarks of a generic stock image paradise left intact. The text “Get Lost” invites viewers to both indulge in the dream and recognize its stupidity, directly challenging these superficial values.
2. Repeat, Repeat…Repeat
Repetition is a powerful tool in advertising and product placement, used to burn branding into our brains. Just as logos are plastered everywhere, we can mimic this aesthetic to try to subvert it. In my artwork “Buy Dreams” I repeat familiar and nostalgic images in a pattern reminiscent of designer wares. The two stripes across the artwork symbolize luxury brands. On closer inspection, the familiar cartoon characters are slightly off, suggesting they might be fakes. This juxtaposition keeps the luxury brand indicator intact while altering its perceived value. By pairing these elements, Iโm trying to question the value of brand commodification.
3. Call It Out!
Sometimes, subtlety isn’t enough. Capitalism and the patriarchy are crafty and we can even get tricked into participating in their campaigns of nonsense. So, when cleverness and humor fail, it’s time to call it for what it is. A massive “Dumb Cunt” written across a Coca-Cola can appears in this piece. Here, I aim to weaponize Coca-Cola’s own campaign of customizing cans with slang that is both confrontational and toxic. This piece highlights how casual misogyny and corporate greed intersect, making it impossible to ignore the harmful messages and stereotypes they perpetuate.
4. Reclaim
It’s challenging to confront the male gaze, capitalism and patriarchy all at once, especially when it feels so ingrained in our lives. But familiarity can be a powerful tool. When we acknowledge that we’re partaking in these oppressive systems, we can at the very least be aware. My journey of recognizing and facing my own role within these systems led me to create “Custom Kicks” where I explored my fascination with the allure of buying new customized sneakers. By sitting with my need to desire and obtain these products, I began to play with the idea of radical customization, turning a consumerist impulse into a creative act of defiance.
5. Reflection
Reflection can also be a powerful act of deflection. A mirror becomes a tool to reveal the true nature of the male gaze, capitalism and patriarchy. In my artwork “Bullet Proof Vest” I incorporate footage from manufacturers mass-producing stab-proof and bullet-proof vests, and combat gear. These videos are edited and accompanied by a seductive modern soundtrack. This piece exposes how patriarchal values, entrenched in capitalist norms, perpetuate a culture of violence. Through this artwork, Iโm asking viewers to question the normalization of violence and to recognize the underlying systems of capital and production that sustain it.
Navigating the tangled web of the the male gaze, capitalism and patriarchy requires sharp awareness. While I explore these ideas through my art, I question the impact. Am I merely using the tools of the oppressor? As Audre Lorde famously said, “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.”2 This paradox challenges me to reflect even more deeply on my methods and their effectiveness as these giants seem unstoppable. I do believe that through art, we can poke holes in their facade, challenge their rules, reclaim our power and voices and provide ourselves with some relief. For me itโs important to try to dismantle the hold on our lives.
Thank you for joining me on this exploration, dear reader. Let me know how you question, challenge, and deflect these systems in the comments, I would love to hear from you.
I love you dearly,
jda ๐งโค๏ธ
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References
- Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Screen, vol. 16, no. 3, 1975, pp. 6-18.
- Lorde, Audre. “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House.” Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches, Crossing Press, 1984, pp. 110-114.
