Modelling Dior and Givenchy
These are two of the images from my presentation at Konstfack on Saturday. We did our own modelling to experience the power perspective of the images. No subliminal messages here. :-)
The Dior woman is turned into something wild (an animal) with such sexual hypnotic power over men, that she needs to be controlled and held back, to keep the viewer (male gaze) safe.
The Givency woman is turned into a powerless object (meat or pray: a rabbit) to be consumed by a male sexual fantasy.
Just as in pornography, the Givenchy woman has been cropped out of full proportion, to instead draw attention to certain body parts: her open lips, her naked back and bottom and drawn up shoulder – exposing her left breast. These body parts are in focus to serve a male desire. In doing so, the model becomes an object without power. She is turned into a body to be consumed, in this case: by the viewer. Her mask represents a male sexual fantasy that perhaps the woman is both an angel and a demon? The steps in the background only lead one way and confirm: “there is no return for the whore”. (www.reklamfabriken.kov.se/start.html)
In all visual communication: in advertising, Hollywood, etc. these are very common portraits of women: the sensual goddess or cat-eyed dangerous woman.
None of the women in the above ads are powerful, and none give a fair image of what 'woman' actually is. In fact, how women are still portrayed today build on a long tradition of art; created by men – for men. Traditionally woman has been linked to nature, to represent the un-intelligent and wild. Man’s fear of the wild has created a need to dominate and control.
Traditionally, men have always represented culture, civilization and order. No news there, but why does images in advertising still build on this tradition? I guess it takes a long time to break long-standing traditions. But isn’t it about time that someone takes a fresh approach and portrayed more women from a woman’s perspective? And not a 200 year-old male!?
Having said that, in some countries, women are still treated on the same low level as animals.
