MAN AS OBJECT: REVERSING THE GAZE
SOMArts Cultural Center 934 Brannan St San Francisco California
The exhibition ‘Man as Object: Reversing the Gaze’ examines the visibility of men and masculinity from female/feminist/transgender perspectives. In the context of this exhibition, the male figure assumes the historically 'female' role with the male body and its gender expression shown as spectacle for a woman's viewing and contemplation. This truly feminist stance positions the surveyor as critic of traditional gender roles, problematizing notions of 'men,' 'male,' 'masculinity,' 'women' and 'female.’ This is an inclusive show for women and transgender artists to challenge what it means for 'women' to look at 'men.'
‘Man as Object: Reversing the Gaze’ was exhibited at the SOMArts Cultural Center Gallery, 934 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA from November 4 - 30, 2011. It was also exhibited at the Kinsey Institute Gallery at Indiana University from April 13 - June 29, 2012.
JUROR'S STATEMENT: DR. TANYA AUGSBURG
The goal of this exhibition Man as Object - Reversing the Gaze is to turn the tables and to exhibit works that put the male in the position of art subject and spectacle. What does it mean to objectify men? What does it mean to reverse the (male) gaze? What are the visible signs of maleness and masculinity? How are feminist artists challenging societal views regarding men and masculinity?
The exhibition will examine the visibility of men and masculinity from female/feminist/transgender perspectives. In so doing it necessarily problematizes notions of 'men,' 'male,' 'masculinity,' 'women' and 'female' while exploring new possibilities for the gaze. This is an inclusive show, and we welcome women and transgender artists to challenge what it means for 'women' to look at 'men.'
Not only will the male figure be taking on the historically 'female' or passive role as object of the gaze, but the surveyor is now positioned as active and critical of traditional gender roles, thus creating a truly feminist stance. The male body and its gender expression become spectacle for a woman's viewing and contemplation. Surveying the ways men are represented in contemporary art by women, this exhibition will open new dialogues regarding the myriad of ways how women view men in today's culture and society.
This exhibition will explore women's responses to a male dominated world in a different way than an exhibition of women's images of themselves. It will mark an important development in Feminist Art, which has long concentrated on images of women meant to challenge stereotypical notions of womanhood. A gallery filled with works depicting men, created by women, actively resists the prevalence of the male gaze in art as well as the continued domination of male artists exhibiting in galleries and museums.
ARTISTS
Roberta Ahrens, Olga Alexander, Juana Alicia, Zina Al-Shukri, Juliane Backmann, Hazel Bartram-Birchenough, Nancy Buchanan, Joanne Beaule Ruggles, Jasmine Begeske, Tracy Brown, Della Calfee, Brie Castell, Christine Cianci, Katie Commodore, Nicole Craine, Tristan Crane, Arabella Decker, Liz Dodson, Betsyann Duval, Merrilyn Duzy, Lynn Friedman, Linda Friedman Schmidt, Margaret 'Margo' Garces, Michal Gavish, Judy Gelles, Lynn Hershman, Ingeborg Gerdes, Christine Giancola, Lisolette Gilcrest, Rosemary Giusti Dillon, Pallavi Govindnathan, Chanel Matsunami Govreau, Corinne Greenberg, Guerrilla Girls On Tour!, Gail Gurman, Karen Gutfreund, Tania Hammidi, Laura Hartford, Trudi Chamoff Hauptman, Marlene Hawthrone Thomas, Katty Ryan Hoover, Hedda Hope, Aisjah Hopkins, Annette Isham, Patricia Izzo, Lahib Jaddo, Judy Johnson-Williams, Christy Kelly-Bentgen, Ellen Kieffer, Tammy Kinsey & Jean Kusina, Karen Lance Klaber, Susan Kraft, Allison Leach, Evie Leder, Lee Lee, Sharon Leong, Lynn Letterman, Amelia Lewis, Lory Lockwood, Michelle Lopez, Jacalyn Lopez Garcia, So Yoon Lym, Sita Mae, Kristina Martino, Karen Mathews, Jeanette May, Cat Lynch, Kristine Mays, Shilo McCabe, Erika Meriaux, Carol Morris, Janice Nesser, Molly Marie Nuzzo, Jill O'Bryan, Colleen O'Donnell, Brenda Oelbaum, Beth Olds, ORLAN, Priscilla Otani, Arla Patch, Heather Pilapil, Karen Purdy, Xian Mei QIu, Nora Raggio, Lynda A. N. Reyes, Judith Roth, Clara Saprasa, Carolee Schneemann, Judith Segall, Shizue Seigel, Sal Sidner, Sylvia Sleigh, Bonnie J. Smith, Priscilla Smith, Madelyn Smoak, Annie Sprinkle, Colette Standish, Elizabeth Stephens, Erika Swinson, Yuriko Takata, Patricia Terrell-O'Neal, Lynne Todaro, J Toffic, Cristina Velazquez, Christina Renfer Vogel, Susan von Gries, Theresa Walloga, Ruth Waters, Jennifer Weigel, Corinne Whitaker, Tamara White, May Wilson, Sheila Winner, Melissa P. Wolf, Nanette Wylde, Emily Yost, and Karen Zack.
ARTWORK IN THE SHOW
http://manasobject.weebly.com/catalog.html
WEBSITE
http://manasobject.weebly.com/
EXHIBITION
November 4 - 30, 2011
OPENING RECEPTION FRIDAY, NOV 4, 2011 6-9 PM
Meet the Artists, dedication of Sylvia Sleigh's Lawrence and Susana Delgado to Mills College, performance by Chanel Matsunami Govreau
PEEPSHOW DRAWING CIRCLE SUNDAY, NOV 13, 2011 12-3 PM
Live nude male model sketching and repeat performance by Chanel Matsunami Govreau
CLOSING, SCREENING, PANEL WEDNESDAY, NOV 30, 2011 6-9 PM
Closing reception, screening of Carolee Schneemann's Fuses, and other video submissions, panel with Annie Sprinkle, Carolee Schneemann and other guests, moderated by Dr. Tanya Augsburg
‘Man as Object: Reversing the Gaze’ was exhibited at the SOMArts Cultural Center Gallery, 934 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA from November 4 - 30, 2011. It was also exhibited at the Kinsey Institute Gallery at Indiana University from April 13 - June 29, 2012.
JUROR'S STATEMENT: DR. TANYA AUGSBURG
The goal of this exhibition Man as Object - Reversing the Gaze is to turn the tables and to exhibit works that put the male in the position of art subject and spectacle. What does it mean to objectify men? What does it mean to reverse the (male) gaze? What are the visible signs of maleness and masculinity? How are feminist artists challenging societal views regarding men and masculinity?
The exhibition will examine the visibility of men and masculinity from female/feminist/transgender perspectives. In so doing it necessarily problematizes notions of 'men,' 'male,' 'masculinity,' 'women' and 'female' while exploring new possibilities for the gaze. This is an inclusive show, and we welcome women and transgender artists to challenge what it means for 'women' to look at 'men.'
Not only will the male figure be taking on the historically 'female' or passive role as object of the gaze, but the surveyor is now positioned as active and critical of traditional gender roles, thus creating a truly feminist stance. The male body and its gender expression become spectacle for a woman's viewing and contemplation. Surveying the ways men are represented in contemporary art by women, this exhibition will open new dialogues regarding the myriad of ways how women view men in today's culture and society.
This exhibition will explore women's responses to a male dominated world in a different way than an exhibition of women's images of themselves. It will mark an important development in Feminist Art, which has long concentrated on images of women meant to challenge stereotypical notions of womanhood. A gallery filled with works depicting men, created by women, actively resists the prevalence of the male gaze in art as well as the continued domination of male artists exhibiting in galleries and museums.
ARTISTS
Roberta Ahrens, Olga Alexander, Juana Alicia, Zina Al-Shukri, Juliane Backmann, Hazel Bartram-Birchenough, Nancy Buchanan, Joanne Beaule Ruggles, Jasmine Begeske, Tracy Brown, Della Calfee, Brie Castell, Christine Cianci, Katie Commodore, Nicole Craine, Tristan Crane, Arabella Decker, Liz Dodson, Betsyann Duval, Merrilyn Duzy, Lynn Friedman, Linda Friedman Schmidt, Margaret 'Margo' Garces, Michal Gavish, Judy Gelles, Lynn Hershman, Ingeborg Gerdes, Christine Giancola, Lisolette Gilcrest, Rosemary Giusti Dillon, Pallavi Govindnathan, Chanel Matsunami Govreau, Corinne Greenberg, Guerrilla Girls On Tour!, Gail Gurman, Karen Gutfreund, Tania Hammidi, Laura Hartford, Trudi Chamoff Hauptman, Marlene Hawthrone Thomas, Katty Ryan Hoover, Hedda Hope, Aisjah Hopkins, Annette Isham, Patricia Izzo, Lahib Jaddo, Judy Johnson-Williams, Christy Kelly-Bentgen, Ellen Kieffer, Tammy Kinsey & Jean Kusina, Karen Lance Klaber, Susan Kraft, Allison Leach, Evie Leder, Lee Lee, Sharon Leong, Lynn Letterman, Amelia Lewis, Lory Lockwood, Michelle Lopez, Jacalyn Lopez Garcia, So Yoon Lym, Sita Mae, Kristina Martino, Karen Mathews, Jeanette May, Cat Lynch, Kristine Mays, Shilo McCabe, Erika Meriaux, Carol Morris, Janice Nesser, Molly Marie Nuzzo, Jill O'Bryan, Colleen O'Donnell, Brenda Oelbaum, Beth Olds, ORLAN, Priscilla Otani, Arla Patch, Heather Pilapil, Karen Purdy, Xian Mei QIu, Nora Raggio, Lynda A. N. Reyes, Judith Roth, Clara Saprasa, Carolee Schneemann, Judith Segall, Shizue Seigel, Sal Sidner, Sylvia Sleigh, Bonnie J. Smith, Priscilla Smith, Madelyn Smoak, Annie Sprinkle, Colette Standish, Elizabeth Stephens, Erika Swinson, Yuriko Takata, Patricia Terrell-O'Neal, Lynne Todaro, J Toffic, Cristina Velazquez, Christina Renfer Vogel, Susan von Gries, Theresa Walloga, Ruth Waters, Jennifer Weigel, Corinne Whitaker, Tamara White, May Wilson, Sheila Winner, Melissa P. Wolf, Nanette Wylde, Emily Yost, and Karen Zack.
ARTWORK IN THE SHOW
http://manasobject.weebly.com/catalog.html
WEBSITE
http://manasobject.weebly.com/
EXHIBITION
November 4 - 30, 2011
OPENING RECEPTION FRIDAY, NOV 4, 2011 6-9 PM
Meet the Artists, dedication of Sylvia Sleigh's Lawrence and Susana Delgado to Mills College, performance by Chanel Matsunami Govreau
PEEPSHOW DRAWING CIRCLE SUNDAY, NOV 13, 2011 12-3 PM
Live nude male model sketching and repeat performance by Chanel Matsunami Govreau
CLOSING, SCREENING, PANEL WEDNESDAY, NOV 30, 2011 6-9 PM
Closing reception, screening of Carolee Schneemann's Fuses, and other video submissions, panel with Annie Sprinkle, Carolee Schneemann and other guests, moderated by Dr. Tanya Augsburg
PUBLICITY VIDEO
OPENING RECEPTION
November 4, 2011
EXHIBITION CATALOG
Order the catalog by clicking here: MAO
PEEPSHOW DRAWING CIRCLE AND PERFORMANCE
November 13, 2011
SCREENING OF "FUSES" AND PANEL DISCUSSION
November 30, 2011
REVERSING THE GAZE CLOSING RECEPTION
November 30, 2011

Above: Annie Sprinkle, Carolee Schneemann, Melissa P. Wolf and Tanya Augsburg. Click image above for more photos.
On Nov 30, we had a standing room only turn-out for the closing reception, screening of Fuses, and panel discussion. Thank you Tanya Augsburg for inviting the speakers, facilitiating the discussion and arranging for the rental of the Fuses video. A large volunteer crew from several chapters turned out the next day to help take down and pack up the exhibition. Thank you NCWCA members April Hankins, Shizue Seigel, Riko Takata, and Gaia Toscano for volunteering! A selection of Reversing the Gaze will travel to the Kinsey Institute in the spring and National WCA will seek additional venues for this show.