The Gender Eye

The readings this week bring up good points on the subjectivity of gender and the autistic role. It seems that there are always conscious and unconscious decisions that are instilled by the artist in regards to gender. As Adrian Piper questioned herself - How might I be different if the history i chronicled in my journal had happened to be a man? I guess the unconscious decisions are what i find to be more fascinating because honestly when I take pictures, I don't think there are any overt Male-like decisions that cross my mind. I feel that the decisions I make when taking a photograph is rather textbook in framing, lighting, subject matter, balance, focus, etc. The more interesting half is the unconscious decisions in the message of the pictures and what they are telling. Gender finds its home here as unconscious (and sometimes made conscious by artists such as Eleanor Antin) motifs are expressed through the lens. To think of some examples the 'Kissing on VJ Day'. Here male dominance is framed dearly with the passive loyal female. The reason it was so popular is because it upheld the general characteristics of either genders, which audiences can grasp upon. American gothic as well comes to mind as the both characters appease the 'classic midwest Americans.' Reaching back to figure photography in the early 1970's, feminism was a growing topic in art. Artists such as Kate Craig looked at these characteristics and pointed out the "absurdity, puns, and pranks" and had a "Warholian fascination with Mass culture." In doing so, they invented aliases and used gender based symbolism in their performances and photographs. The thing that i find interesting is that these artists are putting themselves out there fulfilling their gendered 'role' while still having the "art consciousness." Going back to Adrian Piper, shes describes "the work has no meaning of independent existence outside of its function as a medium of change...the catalytic agent between myself and the viewer." I feel for my next photo project I would like to adapt these concepts of change into my work. I feel I can accomplish both feministic and masculine insight on photos regardless of what gender the subject is. Just looking at mass culture is enough to grasp the general publics view on sexuality and gender roles.