Feminism- A Man's World.

It is an undeniable fact that the art world is still largely dominated by men. Whether documentary, fashion etc, it is the names David Bailey, Bresson, McCullin that are remembered peppered with mentions of Sherman's and Goldin's. Yet the Female body is perhaps the most celebrated and photographed object of all. Women like Tracey Emin and Cindy Sherman have certainly contributed to the strength of women within this world. Take for example Sherman's self portraits, a woman who has managed to embody man, woman, young, old and even dead, in doing so she has on some level 'owned' these personas. She becomes the character of man therefore en capturing his power, thus monoplising it as her own. In contrast Emin's work is entirely focused on the representation of her own power, angry, sometimes vulgar For example; "I wish i was fucking in Hyde park" or "My Bed" both works which show an upfront intimacy and frank exposure not expected from women. Emin paved the way for the empowerment of within art showing the female body through her sketched and text and something other than beautiful.

Yet it would seem that Mapplethorpe's image "Lisa Lyon with Gun" that really embodies the power of women. The veins protruding from the arm as she grips the gun and the strong taut thigh and bum suggest power and control. The model owns the image and is not manipulated by the photographer. Again in his images of Patsy Cline he manages to capture an assurance and strength completely resonant of Cline's personality, again giving is protagonist ownership of the image. Could it be that despite womens best efforts mens still hold the true ability to capture the power of women better than we can ourselves? Are we perhaps still to emotionally involved with our work to photograph power being power, strength for strength?

http://www.tracey-emin.co.uk
http://www.mapplethorpe.org
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feminism