Sumários
Urban Landscape and Ana Mendieta's Art
8 Abril 2025, 11:00 • Marzia D'Amico
In today's lecture, an urban analysis was presented facing the internationally devaluation in the representation of the feminine through the very few statues and monuments dedicated to women. After an introduction to Jeannette Rankin, an analysis was developed of the figure and sculptural visual representation of Molly Malone, with a discussion on the hyper-sexualisation of the feminine in the historical-urban context, both from a practical perspective and a folkloric-cultural one, on a symbolic level. The second half of the lecture focused on the works of Ana Mendieta, with examples from the Silueta Series, providing an informed feminist ecocritical reflection through the artistic practice of engaging the female body in communication and relationship with the natural world.
Visual Poetry (The Italian case of Lamberto Pignotti)
4 Abril 2025, 11:00 • Marzia D'Amico
A special guest lecture by Valerio Cuccaroni on visual poetry, with particular focus on the internationally renowned Italian case of Lamberto Pignotti. The lecture included an introduction to Gruppo 70 and a critical analysis of a series of works by the poet and artist, specifically exploring the use of the female silhouette in his expression. Ultimately, we collectively worked on a diverse close reading of two visual poems by Pignotti.
The lecture slides can be accessed in the relevant e-learning section (e.g. Invited Speakers), along with additional material such as the videopoem "Tacete O Maschi" and its English translation by the Italian-American poet Allison Grimaldi Donahue, for better understanding of the text.
The interaction between portrait photographer, portraitee, and spectator
3 Abril 2025, 15:30 • Paula Alexandra Carvalho Alves Rodrigues Horta
— Screening and discussion of the documentary Henri-Cartier Bresson: The Impassioned Eye, 200
— Analysis of Richard Avedon and Cindy Sherman’s photography.
— The performative nature of portraiture
First Written Test
1 Abril 2025, 15:30 • Paula Alexandra Carvalho Alves Rodrigues Horta
First written Test.
Women and Advertisement
1 Abril 2025, 11:00 • Marzia D'Amico
In today's lecture, we examined the depiction of women in advertisements, focusing on the ideologies that underpin these representations and their impact on societal perceptions of gender, beauty, and identity. The discussion progressed from "Stereotypical Representations of Women" (S. J. Douglas) to "The Beauty Myth" (N. Wolf), before considering, through the lens of bell hooks, the hypersexualisation of femininity, particularly for racialised women. This led to a critical exploration of whether the current trend towards 'diversity' in advertising serves to empower or commodify such empowerment, as discussed by Rosalind Gill. The lecture concluded with an example of the intersection between women, visual advertising, and veganism/nonhuman animal rights. Further examples and references from the readings are available in the lecture slides on the e-learning platform.