Feminism 4: Examples of Postmodern Feminism

Barbara Kruger, Cindy Sherman and Margaret Atwood

Outline

• Postmodern Feminist Artistic/Literary Strategies

• Cindy Sherman

• Barbara Kruger

Postmodern Feminist Strategies Postmodern Feminist Strategies -- -- conscious use of dual languageconscious use of dual language Mimicry; ParodyMimicry; Parody; ; e.g. Cindy Sherman; Madonne.g. Cindy Sherman; Madonn

aa Revising tradition and traditional genreRevising tradition and traditional genre::姜姜嫄、嫄、”野獸派”、”野獸派”、 Atwood’s use of fairy tales anAtwood’s use of fairy tales and genresd genres

Re-Visioning History: Re-Visioning History: The Woman Warrior (novThe Woman Warrior (novel)el), , The Piano (film); The Piano (film); Collage + Open accusatCollage + Open accusationion: : Barbara KrugerBarbara Kruger

Fluid Styles mixed with linear narrative: Fluid Styles mixed with linear narrative: FilFilms by Lea Pool, poems by ms by Lea Pool, poems by 夏宇夏宇

Postmodern feminist literary Postmodern feminist literary strategies: the use of duality (2)strategies: the use of duality (2)

Themes & Meanings: Themes & Meanings:

1.1. Construction of identityConstruction of identity through relationship through relationships; blurring of gender boundaries; dual identits; blurring of gender boundaries; dual identity (y (腹語術，腹語術， The Piano).The Piano).

2.2. Alternative worldAlternative world: Fantasies, magic realism, : Fantasies, magic realism, utopia or distopiautopia or distopia

3.3. Dual language Dual language subversiveness (of binariesubversiveness (of binaries and fixed meanings),s and fixed meanings), irony and irony and ambiguityambiguity. .

Mimicry + Parody e.g. (1) Mimicry + Parody e.g. (1) Target: Jean-Aguste-Dominique Ingres' Target: Jean-Aguste-Dominique Ingres'

The Turkish BathThe Turkish Bath, 1862 , 1862 Credit:Credit: The The ArtchiveArtchive

Mimicry + Parody e.g. Mimicry + Parody e.g.

Sylvia Sleigh, The Turkish Bath, 1973Sylvia Sleigh, The Turkish Bath, 1973

Mimicry + Parody e.g. (2) Mimicry + Parody e.g. (2) Cindy ShermanCindy Sherman

1) 1) Untitled Film Stills (1977) -- using herself aUntitled Film Stills (1977) -- using herself as a model in some black-and-white film stills; s a model in some black-and-white film stills;

2) on the tradition of portraiture, she exploits2) on the tradition of portraiture, she exploits tthe grotesquerie of wealthy and powerful patrohe grotesquerie of wealthy and powerful patrons through the extensive use of prostheses, sns through the extensive use of prostheses, stage makeup, and costumestage makeup, and costumes

3) to using body fragments, dolls or some oth3) to using body fragments, dolls or some other inanimate objects. er inanimate objects.

Addresses issues of Addresses issues of femininity, sexual identity,femininity, sexual identity, voyeurism, and artificiality and oppression in voyeurism, and artificiality and oppression in cultural representationscultural representations. .

Cindy Sherman Cindy Sherman (1) (1) Untitled Film Stills (1977) Untitled Film Stills (1977)

Lois Lane in the 1950's television Lois Lane in the 1950's television program program Superman Superman 

Cindy Sherman:Cindy Sherman: (Staniszew (Staniszew

ski 281)ski 281)

Cindy Sherman Cindy Sherman Untitled Film Stills (1977) Untitled Film Stills (1977)

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe Cindy Sherman: Untitled  film sCindy Sherman: Untitled  film s

till (Staniszewski 282)till (Staniszewski 282)

Cindy Sherman Cindy Sherman (2) work in the 80’s –critique of (2) work in the 80’s –critique of

portraitsportraits

Cindy Sherman Cindy Sherman (2) work in the 80’s—(2) work in the 80’s—female victimizationfemale victimization

Cindy Sherman, Untitled No. 153, 1985. Metro Pictures, New York.

Cindy Sherman Cindy Sherman (2) work in the 80’s—(2) work in the 80’s—female grotesquefemale grotesque

Sherman, Untitled #155, 1985.

-- “gaze disembodied so that it belongs to no one.”

(source: http://www.tenverses.org/ten2.html

The article Ten Years Later Reconsidering Cindy Sherman's "Sex Pictures"

http://www.tenverses.org/ten1.html )

Cindy Sherman Cindy Sherman (2) work in the 80’s—(2) work in the 80’s—the female grotesquethe female grotesque

Cindy Sherman, Untitled #250, 1992. -- Thus, the seductive has been used to produce the grotesque. (source: http://www.tenverses.org/ten7.html

Barbara KrugerBarbara Kruger

Traditional images superimposed with somTraditional images superimposed with some strong words. e strong words.

An opposition between the pronouns "you" An opposition between the pronouns "you" and "we," which satirically refer toand "we," which satirically refer to "men" and "women,“"men" and "women,“ “ “the dominant” and “the dominated,” orthe dominant” and “the dominated,” or “ “the commercial culture” and “the consumers”the commercial culture” and “the consumers”

  

Barbara Kruger: (1) Critique ofBarbara Kruger: (1) Critique of

Male Desire in Sexual fetishism, Male Male Desire in Sexual fetishism, Male domination in Religiondomination in Religion

Barbara Kruger: (1) Critique of Barbara Kruger: (1) Critique of Male PowerMale Power

The use of hands in male rituals: The use of hands in male rituals:

Barbara Kruger: (1) Critique of Barbara Kruger: (1) Critique of Male PowerMale Power

The use of hands in male rituals: The use of hands in male rituals:

Barbara Kruger: (2) Barbara Kruger: (2) Objectification of WomenObjectification of Women

The use of The use of female images in female images in plastic arts; e.g. plastic arts; e.g. “Your gaze hits “Your gaze hits the side of my the side of my face”face”

Barbara Kruger: (2) Barbara Kruger: (2) Objectification of WomenObjectification of Women

The use of The use of female female characters in characters in narrativesnarratives

Barbara Kruger: (2) Barbara Kruger: (2) Objectification of WomenObjectification of Women

The use of female patients in The use of female patients in psychoanalysis: psychoanalysis:

Barbara Kruger: (3) Critique of Barbara Kruger: (3) Critique of Oppression Oppression

an an installationinstallation