Task 5... The Gaze

‘according to usage and conventions which are at last being questioned but have by no means been overcome - men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at’ (Berger 1972, 45, 47)

Discuss this quote with reference to one work of art and one work from the contemporary media.




The quote that is provided above by Berger is often misquoted, misinterpreted and misunderstood. The common misunderstanding is that women are being vain; however, what he is describing is the proliferation of women. 
Women cannot get away from the idea of being looked at, and there is almost a built in sense that they are always the subject of a males gaze.

In Hans Memling's 'Vanity' (1485) we are presented with naked female who is somewhat criticised by the title. It makes it seem as though it is the woman who is putting on the display, when in fact it is the painter and his portrayal of the woman who creates this connotation. The mirror that the woman is holding in the image is used as a device to make her appear vain. By appearing 'lost in thought' and distracted by her own beauty, the figure seems to be unaware of any other presence, thus allowing herself to be fully on display to the viewer.
In contrast to this is Manet's 'Olympia' (1863). The woman in this painting stares back at the viewer, partially covering herself, this suggests a challenging nature towards the male gaze.

A contemporary example of the male gaze in the media could be the Wonderbra campaigns of 1994, where once again we can see how "women watch themselves being looked at". The adverts feature Eva Herzigova, her image combined with the message being created through the advertisement, such as 'Hello Boys' communicates a sexual invitation, as well as the light and humorous nature created by the image. By looking down at her body and the effects of the Wonderbra the advertisement again creates a portrayal of vanity and sexual confidence towards the audience. By diverting her eyes down towards herself, it allows the viewer to once again look at the female subject without having their gaze challenged. Other slogans such as 'I can't cook, who cares?' create almost a derogatory idea similar to Memling's 'Vanity'; that women are vain in their own appearance and sexuality, when in fact, it is how they are being portrayed by the advertiser or painter.