Through Her Eyes

1. Mulvey, Laura. Visual and Other Pleasures. Palgrave Macmillan, 1989.

In this text, Mulvey introduces the concept of the "male gaze" in visual culture, which critiques the objectification of women in film and art through a patriarchal lens. This source will be crucial in framing my exhibition's theme of challenging the traditional portrayal of women in art and shifting the focus to the female gaze. Mulvey’s arguments about the objectification of women and the male gaze will help contextualize the works I am presenting that subvert these historical portrayals.

2. Nochlin, Linda. Women, Art, and Power and Other Essays. Harper & Row, 1988.

In this collection of essays, Nochlin critically examines the historical and institutional barriers that have hindered women's participation in the art world. In her essay, "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" Nochlin argues that the lack of women in the canon of great artists is not due to a lack of talent, but rather the result of systemic oppression.

3. Pollock, Griselda. Vision and Difference: Feminism, Femininity, and Histories of Art. Routledge, 1988.

In the text, Pollock critically analyzes the intersection of feminism, femininity, and art history. Pollock challenges traditional art historical narratives that have often marginalized or misrepresented women, and she introduces a feminist lens to examine the role of women in visual culture. She explores how art has been historically gendered and how women’s experiences and contributions to art have been overlooked or distorted.

4. Oliveira, Má. "Is this Desire?: Power, Politics and Sexuality in Paula Rego's Extreme Bodies." Journal of Romance Studies, vol. 15, no. 2, 2015, pp. 22-39. ProQuest, https://login.miad.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/is-this-desire-power-politics-sexuality-paula/docview/1765639211/se-2, doi:https://doi.org/10.3167/jrs.2015.150202

In this article, Má Oliveira examines Paula Rego's portrayal of the human body, particularly focusing on Rego's extreme and often grotesque depictions of women. Oliveira argues that Rego’s work explores the tensions between power, politics, and sexuality, challenging traditional representations of the female body.

5. Brown, DeNeen. “Lalla Essaydi: Revisions.” Washington Post, 6 May 2012, web.archive.org/web/20150402155455/www.washingtonpost.com/gog/exhibits/lalla-essaydi-revisions,1222308.html.

In this article, DeNeen Brown explores Lalla Essaydi’s photographic work, particularly her Revisions series. This article will assist in contextualizing Essaydi’s work within broader conversations on gender, power, and cultural identity.

6. Saketopoulou, Avgi. “Catherine Opie: American Photographer, American Pervert.” Studies in Gender & Sexuality, vol. 14, no. 3, July 2013, pp. 245–52. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.miad.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/15240657.2013.818873.

The article critically examines the work of Catherine Opie, focusing on her role in challenging conventional representations of American sexuality, particularly through her self-portraits. This article will contribute to my analysis of Opie’s Self-Portrait / Nursing, especially in terms of how her unidealized portrayal of motherhood subverts both the sexualization of the female body and conventional representations of maternal identity.

7. “Faith Ringgold’s American Story.” YouTube, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, 23 Aug. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7aZrHyQWyM&t=2s.

This video from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco provides an insightful overview of Faith Ringgold's work, focusing on her unique blend of narrative storytelling, political engagement, and the use of quilting in her art.

8. A whole lotta woman: Mickalene Thomas. (2012, Nov 30). The Economist (Online), Retrieved from https://login.miad.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/whole-lotta-woman/docview/1221058960/se-2

This article provides a detailed overview of Mickalene Thomas’s artistic practice, focusing on her distinctive approach to portraiture and how she challenges traditional representations of Black women. This resource will be useful in understanding how Thomas’s work engages with issues of race, gender, and self-representation, contributing to the broader discourse on the female gaze in contemporary art.

9. Bauer, Denise. "Alice Neel's Feminist and Leftist Portraits of Women." Feminist Studies, vol. 28, no. 2, 2002, pp. 374-395. ProQuest, https://login.miad.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/alice-neels-feminist-leftist-portraits-women/docview/233179710/se-2, doi:https://doi.org/10.2307/3178749.

The article explores Alice Neel’s feminist and leftist approach to portraiture, especially her representations of women. This resource will be valuable for contextualizing Neel's work within feminist art history, especially regarding her role in shifting the portrayal of women from passive subjects to empowered individuals.