Many are aware of how some of the classical art/Renaissance paintings that depicted women in a crude way, but has it the objectification this day and age? Some people say that women are able to express themselves more freely as there is more variety and diversity than ever seen in historical media. Women can reach into their more creative side now more than ever which is a behavior that can bring joy and satisfaction. But I say that women are absolutely objectified now and even more so nowadays. With the modern era consisting of shocking advertisements in attempts to get as much attention or publicity as possible, in many ways, the female impression is under more control by the societal/male gaze than ever. Women are expected to keep up with the high expectations set by present-day media and culture (especially in the west). A long with an array of different shapes and shades is a hike up in getting women to become more “nude” as John Beger would put it. It has becomes the new normal to have an exterior perfect “nude” version of self because you’ll get more validation and reward in our current time. If a women were to be truly naked, she would get plunged into the valley of mediocrity/lower standards.
Category Archives: Blog post #2
Blog Post #2
In today’s age, there aren’t any limitations on what a woman should be or can be. Many women have achieved great things, giving a new definition and representation to who women are. According to Berger, He exclaimed that from the visual of a nude women in European oil paintings, one could see the standard in which women were being held to and how they were being viewed by men and people, showing us that society was constantly scrutinizing the appearance of women. Although he made a good point for the past, in today’s world I do not agree entirely. As we move into an era that is more loving and open to the idea of all forms of beauty, women have more control on what standards they are being held to, whether it being their own or adopted. Berger further exclaims that in these paintings, women were being humiliated by their nakedness and the women in these paintings were aware of it. From my standpoint during the time I was brought up, sexuality is something incorporated in every platform possible but to say that it is solely based on what a man expects to see is completely inaccurate. Sexuality is still viewed the same in how society judges an image, as Berger suggested but women have more influence on what image is being portrayed of them and the message it sends to its viewer.
BLOG #2
Women were objectified in similar ways such as the sexualizing aspect of it but the way one of the woman he interviews depicts nakedness in art as “too distracting” or “too exaggerated” which in one hand I can agree with to a certain extent, it could be too distracting from the actual concept of the art piece to certain viewers but on the other hand I still insist everything is all about perspective you can look at a nude painting and easily assume sexuality but with a mature & open mind you can look at a painting and not necessarily always think sexual. In European tradition nude implies an awareness of being seen by the spectator; “they’re not named as they are but how you choose to view the painting.” perfectly describes how perspective/Interpretation plays a big role. I do believe Nowadays women have more control in how they wanna be perceived, Although they definitely do not have control in how not only men but also other women want to interpret them.
Blog Post #2
From the sexualized point of view women had been objectified by the interest and curiosity of men and that has been the same but it has changed in the way women had been portrayed as the woman from the interview said. “they are so immensely exaggerated” But nowadays they are more realistic. “…just aren’t real whereas photographs”. it’s more evident that women nowadays have more control over their image in different kind of media. sexuality does not play the same role in images of women today as the young lady stated; painting does nor give any information to the viewer, it only gets what it sees but in photographs I think the views can see more in detail of an image.
Blog post #2- Wendy Figureo
When Berger interviews the woman, she says “all the paintings you have shown are what is called idealized…very unreal” I think the same as her because in reality these images are all the same, the main objective is that a man looks at her with morbid curiosity and idealize that all women should be as they look in the paintings, that is to say; meek, completely perfect and without any pubic hair. Today’s women are not sexualized in the same way as Berger says they were in the Renaissance paintings, they have no limitations in their physique and they are very clear that they do not need to attract the attention of a man because now they have more important objectives than just getting married. They have control of their images in the media, they upload what they want regardless of who looks at them or the way they are looked at. And sexuality does not play the same role in women’s images nowadays, this can only change if they want it to.
Blog #2
Berger argued that Renaissance paintings objectified women. Representation of women today is different. Some representation of women are objectified in the same way as Renaissance paintings, however immense amount of representations of women today are not objectified. Women are in almost every industry, magazine production, media, etc. Women also speak up against something they do not like as a large group over social media, etc. Berger argued that sexuality played a role in Renaissance paintings of women. However, today, while sexuality does play a role in some representations of women, sexuality does not play a role in a vast amount of representations of women.
Blog # 2 Prompt
- Do representations of women today objectify them in the same or similar ways as what Berger argues about women depicted in Renaissance paintings? Do women have control over their images in the media or are they still determined by the male gaze? Does sexuality play the same role in images of women today as what Berger describes? (As you think about your answer think of specific places in the episode to respond to, and try to use techniques from They Say/I Say to formulate your response. In other words, use Berger’s analysis as a “they say.”)
