When creating the performative writings, I found myself referring to how women are portrayed as objects regularly. My opinions and the opinions of the women that I am retelling all have the same view that women are being objectified by Henry Matisse and other artists in the artwork and consequently by the gallery. Galleries in general are happy to exploit this perception of women and the models. I felt I needed to research deeper into what objectification means and look at women being objectified from a feminist approach.
‘Feminist Perspectives on Objectifications’ by Papadaki, enabled me to explore the social implications of women being objectified. Papadaki gives explanations to how women become objectified and the role of a man within this. It also looks at the social reasons why women are objectified.
‘In being infatuated with their bodily beings, Bartky argues that women learn to see and treat themselves as objects to be gazed at and decorated, they learn to see themselves as though from the outside.’ (Papadaki 2012). Women accept hey are seen as objects from men. ‘Women in patriarchal societies feel constantly watched by men… and they feel the need to look sensually pleasing to men.’(Papadaki,2012)
Moreover, Langton explains clearly the objectivity of women; ‘women become submissive and object like because of men’s desires and beliefs.’ The world conforms to male beliefs and understandings hence why women accept the object state and the world portrays it that way.
Works Cited
Papadaki, E. (2012) Feminist Perceptions on Objectification. [online] Stanford. Available from: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-objectification/[Accessed 20 April 2014]