Sumários
The Male Gaze and the Oppositional Gaze
14 Março 2025, 11:00 • Marzia D'Amico
The lesson initially revisited the content of the previous one, focusing on the medium of photography and analysing its cultural and emotional aspects according to the definitions of "memory" and "spectacle" provided by the critic Susan Sontag, as summarised in the slides dedicated to the topic for convenient review in preparation for the written exam. The example of feminist photography discussed in class was that of Carrie Mae Weems.
The discussion then progressed to the cinematic medium, with a distinctly feminist approach, through the reading and analysis of Laura Mulvey's essay available on the e-learning platform (Visual Pleasure), which offers a psychological and cultural investigation into the phenomenon of gender representation in Hollywood. The limitations of Mulvey’s analysis were then addressed through the contribution of bell hooks (1992), particularly focusing on the concept of the 'oppositional gaze' as a form of active resistance against assimilation and/or erasure. A lively student discussion ensued to explore the concept of intersectionality as it applies in both artistic and cultural contexts.
Guidelines for the Research Project
13 Março 2025, 15:30 • Paula Alexandra Carvalho Alves Rodrigues Horta
Samples of students’ research projects.
The Documentary Debate: Aesthetic or Anaesthetic?
11 Março 2025, 15:30 • Paula Alexandra Carvalho Alves Rodrigues Horta
— The relationship between photographer and the suffering subject.
— Discussion of David Levi Strauss’ “The Documentary Debate: Aesthetic or Anaesthetic?” and Susan Sontag’s Regarding the Pain of Others.
— Analyses of the aestheticization of suffering in Sebastião Salgado and Steve McCurry’s work.