Gaze

male, female and oppositional

What I understood from a readings and discussion in the class, the male gaze is something like male point of view. Most of visual art and media are done to satisfy men’s eyes, not women. For centuries men had power, they were the decision makers. Mostly men used to have money.

In popular culture art (it’s hard to decide what art is and what not) needs to be sold. Straightway sold or sold as a metaphor. Usually men are buyers. In these times everything is changing, but still the most is designed for men.

One of examples is whole “art” of advertising. Whole fashion business is based on male gaze. If you want to advertise bra, you take a “hot” women model, make pictures, movies… and give to men. And men (males) need to find it attractive. If even women will see the commercial, go to the store and buy whatever they’d choose, they will always look at the product thru men’s point of view.

A little different story is with film. In film business, the producer (who is usually man) wants to have as big as possible audience. So he needs to make movie attractive for different king of audience. First movies were done for white males only. Then they started doing movies for white females to. In second half of 20^th century there were movies done for “black” audience, but done usually with men in mind. No one thought about “black” women. That’s why Bell Hooks came out with the idea of oppositional gaze.