Portrayal of women in Video games

Learning about the male gaze has really opened my eyes to the way that women are viewed as, not only in the art world but in general as well. I wanted to take this idea further and investigate the portrayal of women in video games in relation to the male gaze. I am a total gamer but never really payed much attention to the sexism, discrimination, and unrealistic depictions of women in games until now. We all know how unfair the gaming industry can be when it comes to women, considering the fact that this field is a male dominant area. I wanted to create a gamer magazine to inform the public about the gender roles typically found in video games.

Upon doing my research I came across Anita Sarkeesian, creator of Feminist Frequency, little did I know we had the same idea. She is a gamer girl who wanted to look at tropes in video games vs women. She was my starting point and structure when it came to this project. She states in her video that a Trope is "a common pattern in a story or a recognizable attribute in a character that conveys information to the audience. A trope becomes a cliche when its overused." I started to look at the same concepts that she wanted to make her videos on, such as the Damsel in Distress, The fighting F@#k toy, the sexy sidekick, the sexy villianess, and women as background decorations. This topic has been discussed year after year and with new video games constantly coming out, there is a never ending amount of research to be done. What I found through my research was surprising.

From the beginning of time Women have always had a bad portrayal when it came to video games and now years later, there hasn't been that much of a change, which is a sad truth. I came to understand that women are constantly being objectified and its all because of the male gaze. Just like Berger stated at the beginning of this course, "Men act and women appear." This is the idea that fuels most video game female characters. Most of the characters I look at are highly sexualized for the male spectator. These female characters have minimal clothing, act helpless, and appear in need of a male hero. When reading gamer blogs a high number of men gamers admitted that the reason they like certain female characters are because of their sexual appearance. Lets look at for example, a very popular character, Lara Croft. For many female gamers, she is a tough chick who knows how to kick butt but for male gamers she is viewed as a piece of meat. Gaming artists have given her minial clothing, a huge set of boobs and a big butt to match. Was all this necessary? probably not, but we live in a male world and so their gaze influences what women should look like. Along with her I came across other almost "naked" female characters, such as the girls from street fighter, Dead or Alive or the Final Fantasy series, to name a few. 

Overall, I explore the influences of the male gaze within the video game realm. Here is my Magazine :) Enjoy

http://www.scribd.com/doc/115412761/Portrayal-of-women-in-video-games

Sybolism of the Hijab

                       

My final semester project is based on the symbolism of the hijab           

(headscarf). The hijab can symbolize many different things to different people. In my video, I focused on what the hijab symbolizes to the those who wear it.

                                       

Sources:

The Economist

S.B. "Challenging the Norm." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2012/08/qa-boushra-almutawakel>.

Nafas Art Magazine

Marino, Anahi. "Boushra Almutawakel. Nafas Art Magazine." Boushra Almutawakel. Nafas Art Magazine. Nafas Art Magazine, Oct. 2010. Web. 04 Dec. 2012. <http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/articles/2010/boushra_almutawakel>.

Pieter Wisse

Wisse, Piete. "500 Photographers: Photographer #250: Boushra Almutawakel." 500 Photographers: Photographer #250: Boushra Almutawakel. Blogger, 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 04 Dec. 2012. <http://500photographers.blogspot.com/2011/03/photographer-250-boushra-almutawakel.html>.

StealThisHijab

Mokhtareizadeh, Farah. "The Hijab as Symbol In Islam." Steal This Hijab. WordPress, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2012. <http://stealthishijab.com/the-hijab-as-symbol-in-islam/>.

Pictures - www.Tumblr.com

Final Project Summary

The Muted Guerrilla Girls. (To get to video through youtube click on the LINK.)

When I first saw the syllabus for the course I was excited to see that the class included Guerrilla Girl artwork.  I was shocked to know that these girls were able to create art during such hard times. Guerrilla Girls, as I had come to know them were, girls who were coerced into wars that were being fought in their countries. Then, I bought the book and learned about THE "Guerrilla Girls," Women who were speaking out for those who were lost through the ages, and pages of history; women who were unappreciated due to their gender rather than talent.  Women who shocked, mystified, and reeled in a whole crowd of listeners through their artwork.  The Guerrilla Girls did not only address problems throughout Art History but the problems women artists face today.  Then I began to think about how wonderful it would be if the Guerrilla Girls I had first thought of were to obtain such a voice in society. I began to wonder why people were not trying as hard to give THESE Guerrilla Girls a voice.  For my semester project I began creating a voice for the Guerrilla Girls who have not been able to give voice to their outrage, emotions, and opinions.  I do not say I gave them The voice because no one can do that except the girls themselves.  I combined the artwork the Artist Guerrilla Girls made and added text that would, I hope, inspire people to help create a movement like the one the Artist Guerrilla Girls have created for the Fighting Guerrilla Girls.  The purpose of this short film was to bring attention to the fact that girls as well as boys are being used as soldiers around the world.  Girls need to have a voice in order for relief efforts to begin, programs targeting girls rehabilitation to form, and most importantly so that girls can help other girls.  The male version of war and how it affects people is not the same as it would be if a female voiced her opinions.

Sources:

http://www.quno.org/newyork/Resources/QUNOchildsoldiers.pdf

http://www.unicef.org/emerg/files/childsoldiers.pdf

http://www.hrw.org/news/2008/12/03/facts-about-child-soldiers

http://www.peacedirect.org/landing-page/child-soldiers/?gclid=CLOEv4-s_LMCFU-d4Aod7nYABw

Visual Art & Media Representation of Rape and Violence

   

       Initially, when we first started the semester and we learned a little about Art and Women, the theme that stood out to me was RAPE. I was not inspired by one particular artist but by many artist such as Frida Kahlo, Ana Mendieta, Judy Chicago, Kathe Kollwitz, Artemisia Gentileschi, Sue Williams, Janine, Antoni, Nan Goldin, Suzanne Lacy, Kiki Smith, and many others. 
      I had so many different ideas, I did not know exactly what to go with, so finally I decided to do a media project, using the above mentioned artist work, as well as current media. 

Please click the link and check out my video**

Viewer Discretion is Advised**                                    

Link to References:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6up_0LWrkF7Q19zUUFVRzU0em8

The Finale: Art Project Summary

By: Jennifer Ezeuka

Artist: Thelma Johnson

Way back in history, women were denied rights that men on the other hand were given.  It wasn’t until later that women were also given these same rights, but they all still faced a lot of discrimination.  In terms of the art world, women in general weren’t taken serious.  The only way women were taken “serious” was if the she was born into a wealthy, art inclined family, or in most cases if she was she was willing to be over shadowed by her husband.  The 19th century began with the emergence of female African American Artist, which was very rare at the time.  People such as Edmonia Lewis and Harriet Powers paved the way for future African American female artist. Basically this blog will showcase the art from the early 19th century to present of many African American female artists.  I did this by showcasing the progress, change, style, and mediums throughout history.  What shaped my idea honestly was this class and the scarcity of African American artist in general.  So as a result, I felt that I wanted to draw more light on them.  I began by first researching African American women artist throughout history.  Chadwick’s book definitely helped get me started, from here I than made a list of artist whom I found interest in.  After this, I searched the artist along with their works and decided which pieces I wanted to incorporate into my blog.  As you may or may not know, a blog is a continuing thing, it doesn’t just end after this.  My blog is also open to the public, which leaves any and everyone to leave feedback and share art.

-below is the link to my Tumblr page!! 

http://yoriyorigurrl.tumblr.com/ 

Sources

Women, Art, and Society. New York: Thames & Hudson Ltd, London, 2007. Print

The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art. New York: Penguin, 1998. Print.

Cora Marshall: African American Women Artist, Last updated: 2004, http://www.art.ccsu.edu/marshallc/Research/AAWomenList/AAWomenThumb

“Women of Color as” Artist, Belton Val-Jean, 2012 by the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute

Kara Walker, Art 21, 2012, http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/kara-walker

Marilyn Nance, Prints & Photographs Reading Room, April, 2011

http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/coll/womphotoj/nanceessay.html

Ann Hall, Art Facts, 2012

http://www.artfact.com/artist/hall-ann-pu3eb7xs5l

Kara Walker, Art21, PBS, 2011

http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/kara-walker

Black, Female, and an Inspirational Modern Artist, NPR, PBS, 2012

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/12/146603768/black-female-and-an-inspirational-modern-artist

Can you name 5 women artists?

Before one can answer such a question, a few things have to be defined. At least from my perspective.
Can i name 5 artists in general? What do i define as an artist? Is music included?

Some would say thats irrelevant, and i agree with them, but for all the wrong reasons. I am critical of art. I know what art is and what it should do, as i wrote in my previous post. So if i was to create a list of my top five preffered artists, one, it would change depending on my current mood and my overall state in that moment in my life.

I mentioned music, since many art courses segredate music from all the other arts. Perhaps to the envy of painters, sculptors, thespians, music has an inherit ability that transcends any other art-form giving the listener the choice to interpret, to focus on each lead, each rhythm, each intonation and note.

Plus, music has the benefit of no words. Excluding modern music for the most part, it pushes the listener to generate his or her own emotional context. Any other art cannot do that.

Or can it? If art takes on the role of a loudspeaker at a rally or protest, it gives up that role. Its message is one and clear. It might have artistic value, but i do not see it as art. Of course that puts me at odds with most current artists, and critics since modern art is rife with political and social messages.

The image to the left is Gertude Kasebier's "Blessed art though among women" and below Cecilia Beaux's "Little Girl-fanny Travis Cochran". These are two examples that would fit into the topic of the question of naming 5 such artists.

But one could argue that could be the greatest insult to an artist, just being named based on gender, and not for the art itself that they produced.

I can freely admit that these examples dont resonate much with me. For one, i have never been a little girl, i didnt have sisters, so its like me trying to study Latvian poetry. Surely i can study the structure, the techniques, what meter is used and so on, but i would be missing the main point.



So all i can do is study the veneer of these pieces. Of course i can and do feel something, but it is detached and incoherent.

As i mentioned in my previous post, Georgia O'Keeffe does speak to me, and as opposed to the two previous ones, is not unknown to me. I have known her work for quite some time. My land lady even has a reproduction hanging in her living room.

But humor aside, the question i have, is this. Does naming five female artists mean anything to the artist herself or is it a political or social push? And that makes one ponder, how many artists visions have been corrupted due to a social movement, claiming to know the meaning behind a piece? We cant ask many of them for a simple reason. Like Victor Borge said once on stage "We cant ask Beethoven, because he's dead".

This brings me to the topic of my final assignment, one that not only has an artistic resonance within me, but also a profound personal connection. A woman that has taught my mother, and years later myself, a doer in life, but above all, an artist.

Did Surdu-Stanescu is the most well known sculptor hailing from Romania today, and one of the most well known and involved artists in Europe and the world. But that is besides the point right now. The question is the art. Woman is not displayed in a way that antagonizes man, but both complement each other.

I still recall now, looking at her works, and thinking any range of thoughts, from "i love it", to "i just dont get it". But the beauty of it is always there, its alive, grows and changes, as any good work of art, it should express itself, it should have a mood of its own, that can mean one thing today and another years later.

So can i name 5 women artists? I can, but if the question is can i name 5 women artists that move and inspire me,then i cannot. I cannot name 5 artists in general that can achieve this.And i dont want to change that, it is part of the mystique of art, and part of who i am at any given point in time

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2006684246/
http://www.polyvore.com/cecilia_beaux_little_girl_fanny/thing?id=6412014
http://liftingshadows.wordpress.com/tag/elena-surdu-stanescu/

Georgia O'Keeffe (post 3)

The 20th century is one filled with war, civil unrest and perhaps unlike any other century, its one that stands out, because still most of us have spent most of our lives in it. We have seen for ourselves history develop, we've heard stories passed down from parents, seen family pictures and have our own idea of the world outside of what some textbook might claim.
This of course has seeped into art as well, and while personally i believe art should should stimulate the individual in thought, many artists have adopted political and social messages to blend with their works.
So what art and what artist can impact somebody that decided to turn away from all the social rights and wrongs, that is tired of hearing rhetoric and propaganda?
The first answer would be to find such an artist and then to find a female artist, no? After all, gender is one of those topics that is a source of dissension.

 But after thinking about such an artist the only one of the 20th century two artists came to mind, that fit "would i hang their work in my house" question. One is Salvador Dali the other is Georgia O'Keeffe.
The two are rather different, so comparing is difficult, and rather a moot point. Its like comparing Beethoven to Judas Priest. I love both but cant say which is better.
The epiphany i had regarding O'Keeffe was watching an interview, since we have video interviews of her. The interview was taken in the 80s, and she was disusing her use of animal bones and skulls for her paintings.
I decided to challenge the nature of my own preconceptions, and closed my eyes and imagined her to be a "George". How would i think of her if she would have been a male artist?

Oddly enough i came to the same answer, even if simplistic. "a weird artist collecting bones and living alone" is what i thought. Probably not somebody i would be sitting down with and talking about what i find intriguing in life. Male or female it didnt matter. However im more pragmatic, i dont claim to be an artist, which is why i dont get along with many.

But that doesnt mean i dont LIKE art. It doesnt mean i cannot critique it, to my own personal judgement. So yes, the skulls i found to be less impressive to me, although not lacking any interest, but it wasnt until i looked though some of her other works.
Many of the images you see now are from the Georgia O'Keefe museum's website. And ive chosen the ones that speak to me.
After all, thats what i think art should do, it should speak to me and each time i look at a piece its a different dialogue. I can see one aspect, one detail that changes the whole feel, not of the painting, but of myself as i look at the painting.

So you may wonder where does the fact that she is a woman come in play? It doesnt, and thats the very point. Just like Georgia herself said, that she would want to be known as a great astist rather that the best female artist. That is how i see her, and not because of honoring her wishes. Its because there is something to her work that fits my criteria. Each time i see the work, its different, a new idea surfaces and floats and catches my eyes, inspiring new thoughts and wonders.



As a future mathematician, i take very seriously the ability art has, i even envy it. Not for the beauty, since there is beauty in mathematics as well, but in the emotional response it generates. Perhaps it is self centered to think what a painting means, and change that meaning with each viewing, but that is art, that is what i WANT art to be, to stimulate, entertain, and afford me the luxury of free thought.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/geok/hd_geok.htm
http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/abstraction.html