In this lecture we explored the ways in which society makes and consumes video, film and media through a critical feminist lens. Who has been privileged to be the spectator, who has been subjected to the viewed and how does that impact how the viewer sees the world around them?
Rebecca Watson focused mainly on Laura Mulvey’s (feminist film theorist) theory of the “Male Gaze” which describes the ways in which the female body is often represented as the passive object for the active view and consumption. We discussed how the “Male Gaze” has been the default setting through which most modern media has been experienced and consumed by all viewers through analyzing a range of historic films as well as the responses from female film makers to this theory. We also discussed the impact and legacies of the “Male Gaze” still felt today and how we can consciously apply this theory to the content we create.
REBECCA WATSON
Rebecca Watson is an artist and art history student using a feminist and queer perspective to explore the intersection of themes such as sexuality, surveillance, religion, and digital realities. Watson’s work — both written and in within her arts practice — aims to challenge oppressive, patriarchal systems through education and awareness. Rebecca is currently a Masters of Art History candidate at Carleton University and is a graduate from Nipissing University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts.
This was a free event for DARC members and members of the arts community at large.
