Art Direction + Publication Design + Design Fabrication +
Furniture Design | May 2024
"Evolving Fantasy" is a visual exploration of how women have been portrayed in media throughout history and how this portrayal manifests in today's society. The project's inspiration comes from a quote by Margaret Atwood in her 1993 book "The Robber Bride":
"Male fantasies, male fantasies, is everything run by male fantasies? Up on a pedestal or down on your knees, it's all a male fantasy: that you're strong enough to take what they dish out, or else too weak to do anything about it. Even pretending you aren't catering to male fantasies is a male fantasy: pretending you're unseen, pretending you have a life of your own, that you can wash your feet and comb your hair unconscious of the ever-present watcher peering through the keyhole, peering through the keyhole in your own head, if nowhere else. You are a woman with a man inside watching a woman. You are your own voyeur."
The depiction of women's bodies has evolved over the years, and with the advent of social media, which provides more opportunities for women to be observed, there is a growing concern that despite women seemingly taking control of their image, they may still be conforming to the male gaze, which has become more pervasive than ever.
"Evolving Fantasy" is a visual exploration of how women have been portrayed in media throughout history and how this portrayal manifests in today's society. The project's inspiration comes from a quote by Margaret Atwood in her 1993 book "The Robber Bride":
"Male fantasies, male fantasies, is everything run by male fantasies? Up on a pedestal or down on your knees, it's all a male fantasy: that you're strong enough to take what they dish out, or else too weak to do anything about it. Even pretending you aren't catering to male fantasies is a male fantasy: pretending you're unseen, pretending you have a life of your own, that you can wash your feet and comb your hair unconscious of the ever-present watcher peering through the keyhole, peering through the keyhole in your own head, if nowhere else. You are a woman with a man inside watching a woman. You are your own voyeur."
The depiction of women's bodies has evolved over the years, and with the advent of social media, which provides more opportunities for women to be observed, there is a growing concern that despite women seemingly taking control of their image, they may still be conforming to the male gaze, which has become more pervasive than ever.
Installation
This collection features advertisements and images of women and starlets from the 1950s to the present, presented in black and white to emphasize the continuity across decades and highlight the minimal changes in the portrayal of women. The eyes peering out of each panel symbolize the male gaze, suggesting that as you observe this media objectifying women, you too are being watched and objectified. This space is acting as if you are inside of Margret Atwood’s quote. To sit on a stool with many eyes watching you just exist, and take in the content and expectations that have been placed upon women.
Rug
Woven Jacquard, 5x3 ft
Textiles and tapestry making, historically linked to femininity and once viewed as one of the few acceptable occupations for women, inspired me to create a piece symbolizing how these crafts, like women, can be relegated to being used as a doormat. This rug features John Berger's "Ways of Seeing" quote in the margins and a center collage of women watched over by eyes crafted from ASCII art and SMS characters, blending traditional and modern elements. This juxtaposition aims to confront and revisit the harms of objectification perpetuated through online platforms, emphasizing that the rug serves as a literal and symbolic space where women's figures are both stepped on and observed.
Book
5x9 Lasercut Mirror
The book features quotes sourced from magazines and books across decades that instruct women on how to act to appeal to the male gaze. As we approach the present day, these quotes evolve to show how these now normalized teachings have manifested in women's insecurities. Alongside these quotes are images of starlets shown in window-like shapes, who have been sexualized by society, perpetuating ideal beauty standards aligned with the male gaze. As the book progresses, these images transition into interfaces, shifting focus from starlets to ordinary women, illustrating the heightened sexualization perpetuated through social media. The book is typeset to mirror the curves of women's bodies, departing from the conventional grid layout to also suggest breaking free from the patriarchal system often enforced upon women.The book's cover, designed as a mirror, symbolizes the strong association between vanity and womanhood—a space where individuals often prepare to present themselves to society. When you look at yourself in this mirror, you are placed in a window like the sexualized women depicted in the book, symbolizing that you too are objectified in society and, as the Atwood quote suggests, potentially objectifying yourself.
Stool
Ash and Oak Wood
Wood is one of the most used materials, with its organic form being shaped by human desires, similar to how the ideal woman has been constructed in different eras. In this context, this stool represents women, with the carved eye symbolizing the gaze forcefully imposed on them, molded by the creator without consent. The stool, with its aluminum pegs, signifies the imposition of artificial societal expectations, aligning perfectly with the eyes on the rug to illustrate that the stool, like women in media, is constantly being watched and shaped by the male gaze. Big Thanks to TimBrandt for creating the stool and bringing our vision to life.
