Perspective is an intriguing concept. One that many of us take for granted. But then again, should we be surprised by this? After all, we can only see the world from our own eyes. Perhaps this is the reason why were so obsessed with stories: were desperate to see the world in another light; to see what we cant see; to experience something new.
However, a quick look back through the history of the Arts and its plain to see that were often (if not always!) looking through the eyes of men. In 1975, Laura Mulvey authored an essay called that developed the term the male gaze to shine a light on this very issue. She argued that there are three perspectives in play here: the person behind the camera; the characters within the representation; and the spectator. When you see that men occupy all three spaces, its not hard to notice that cinematic discourse is so male dominated leading to countless scenes of scopophilia and voyeurism.
So, are we really that obsessed with different perspectives after all? Or has that desire simply been repressed by men throughout history. When wrote Good morning, midnight an experimental modernist novel about a disenfranchised woman living at a time of uncertainty between the two World Wars it was technically well-received based on the writing but criticised for being too depressing. Is the female perspective not relevant unless its positive?
Thirty-seven years later, Susan Meiselas released a book called . The photographic journal represented the lives of women in an environment that indulges the male gaze; there are no women at all in the audience. Theres no doubt its a fascinating series and brings a fresh (but fresh only through lack of representation) perspective that was previously unseen in photography. But what word was used to describe it? Depressing.
Fortunately, strides of progress have now been made which has given rise to a wonderfully noble agency called . They grew at a rapid pace after starting a new hashtag. #Girlgaze was a movement for young, aspiring photographers to have a platform to grow, develop and to represent other girls in a way thats authentic and accurate. Girlgaze was so successful that the movements remit has broadened out to the wider creative community.
However, the existence of Girlgaze says a lot about the current state of the world. You may be surprised to hear that women only represent about 5% of the photography industry. Every time we see one of these great causes crop up, its a reminder that we still have progress to make, a reminder that equal opportunities is still a dream for many, a reminder that certain voices are still being suppressed. And the work that theyve helped get off the ground is a reflection of that too. One of my favourite projects they supported tries to break all those barriers:
is a wonderfully heart-warming project headed by Mona Tavakoli who empowers young girls to own their space and express themselves without fear of judgement. In her words, Mona proclaims: imagine being a young girl where you can walk into a space and the intention is for you to feel good about yourself.
But whats most poignant about this project is the freedom for expression. At the end of the day, thats what Art is all about: expressing a feeling, a moment in time or simply, yourself. And its when that freedom is taken away that we feel most oppressed. The problem is that this level of oppression is so indoctrinated in modern society that were now blind to it. This deceptively simple film by Molly Fisher highlights this very issue.
With so little dialogue, here is a film that practically relies solely on the visual language Molly employs culminating with a beautifully poetic frame at 03:41 where the no entry and one-way sign symbolise the gender stereotypes that oppress us all. Just imagine, who would I have been if all of lifes presuppositions and social conditioning were wiped away.
One of the most exciting things to come out of the Girlgaze platform is the whole new raft of talent bringing a fresh take on storytelling that should inspire us all. And its important to note that when a movement starts gaining traction, as this one has, then other artists need to take note and realise that the representation of women in media is changing. Its a moment to pause and ask yourself: is this image reflective of todays society?
But if you have a project that shows how girls see the world, check outand maybe they can help.