The title, “men act and women appear”, is a quote from John Berger’s Ways of Seeing. This particular quote resonated with me as, in my opinion, particularly within art and media, we predominantly see women depicted by men, through a filter of male desire. Seeing women depicted by female artists, is an unbelievably rare and refreshing experience as a viewer. I aim to depict women in a way which suggests a greater purpose than for the visual pleasure of men. I want to suggest a greater narrative for my subjects, whatever that narrative may be, to give them the ability to do more than just “appear”. I have made up parts of the composition with film photographs of women that have shaped me, with the aim of bringing value to them and creating a sense of connection between all women. Throughout this project, I have aimed to hone my painting style and have learned new skills including photo transfer. This was a valuable skill to acquire as it has allowed me to combine two of my main disciplines, painting and photography. The montage of photographs on my piece also adds an element of chaos. This, juxtaposed with the block colours, brings a complex yet balanced result and a sense that there are many dimensions to the piece, conveying that women are more than just objects onto which men can project their desire.
The title, “men act and women appear”, is a quote from John Berger’s Ways of Seeing. This particular quote resonated with me as, in my opinion, particularly within art and media, we predominantly see women depicted by men, through a filter of male desire. Seeing women depicted by female artists, is an unbelievably rare and refreshing experience as a viewer. I aim to depict women in a way which suggests a greater purpose than for the visual pleasure of men. I want to suggest a greater narrative for my subjects, whatever that narrative may be, to give them the ability to do more than just “appear”. I have made up parts of the composition with film photographs of women that have shaped me, with the aim of bringing value to them and creating a sense of connection between all women. Throughout this project, I have aimed to hone my painting style and have learned new skills including photo transfer. This was a valuable skill to acquire as it has allowed me to combine two of my main disciplines, painting and photography. The montage of photographs on my piece also adds an element of chaos. This, juxtaposed with the block colours, brings a complex yet balanced result and a sense that there are many dimensions to the piece, conveying that women are more than just objects onto which men can project their desire.