Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Art Research, Faculty of Art and Entrepreneurship, Isfahan University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Research from psychology, archaeology, and evolution suggests that most prehistoric human societies were relatively egalitarian. However, the arrival of nomadic invaders, who conquered early agricultural cultures in Europe and the ancient Near East, appears to have established a male hierarchy. Since then, the history of human society has been marked by the appropriation of women and girls. This includes abduction, assault, and rape by men, ranging from victors of wars to close relatives, the legal trading of women as slaves, forced marriages, the selling of young girls, the deprivation of women’s capital and social rights, and the imprisonment or killing of learned or rebellious women. Additionally, any attempts by women to achieve their rightful rights and social status have often been suppressed. This oppressive structure has been reinforced over millennia by art, literature, philosophy, history, customary laws, mythology, and religions.
In the twentieth century, scientific achievements and egalitarian movements have successfully challenged much of this old dogma, at least in developed societies, leading to the establishment of anti-misogynistic laws as the norm. However, in many countries, women still suffer from domestic violence, assault, rape, traditional customs, forced marriages, child marriages, honor killings, and human trafficking.
Material & Methods
This article is a descriptive-analytical case study that utilizes qualitative data collected through documentary methods. The primary aim of this research is to explore the symbolic layers embedded in the visual practices of Birgit Jürgenssen, a contemporary Austrian artist. Many of her works critique the objectification of women by the patriarchal system prevalent in human culture. To better understand the social context surrounding her and to grasp the attitudes, beliefs, and motivations that inform her work, we will first analyze this concept and trace the historical background of related issues. Following this, several of her works - including paintings, photographs, installations, and body art - will be examined and interpreted, using purposive sampling (criterion-based selection). The selected examples aim to narrate and challenge the ways in which women are objectified.
Discussion of Results
Mass media, advertising, and the television and film industries constantly emphasize the aesthetic evaluation of women's bodies, promoting objectification. To sell more goods and services, these media often present stereotypical forms of beauty, instilling the idea that anyone who does not conform to these artificial standards is somehow deficient. Such advertisements can lead individuals to feel inadequate about their bodies, creating a perceived need to purchase the promoted products.
When women attempt to conform to these standards of the "perfect woman," which are largely defined through the male gaze, self-objectification occurs. Over time, women may internalize the external perceptions of others regarding their bodies, viewing themselves primarily through this lens, ultimately seeing their bodies as separate objects rather than as an integral part of who they are.
Historically, one of the most pervasive methods of objectification in art has been the portrayal of women as objects for male enjoyment. This trend is evident across the visual arts of various cultures, particularly in European painting. Birgit Jürgenssen, a renowned Austrian artist and a key figure in feminist art during the 20th century, served as a professor at the University of Applied Arts Vienna and the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. She began her artistic career in the 1970s, a time when women faced significant barriers to acceptance in the professional art world, encountering both overt and subtle discrimination.
In art, women were often depicted as objects, models, or sources of inspiration for male artists, rather than being recognized as artists themselves. The societal position of women and the existence of unequal gender roles have significantly shaped the fundamental concerns of Jürgenssen's work from the outset.
Before her death at the age of 54 in 2003, Jürgenssen left behind a diverse body of work, including photographs, drawings, paintings, and graphic works, installations, and body art. Through these mediums, she explored the lived experiences of women, their fears and suffering, and the patriarchal prejudices they face. Jürgenssen’s art critiques social conventions, gender roles, beauty standards, and the dynamics between the sexes, often employing a surrealist style with ironic undertones.
She questioned the dominance of male desire and deconstructed the myth of power. Among the many works that have challenged misogyny, this article highlights twelve pieces that represent her thoughts and concerns over three decades of artistic activism. These works are categorized into four groups, each illustrating a common form of objectification of women.
Conclusions
Birgit Jürgenssen, a prominent Austrian feminist artist, has critiqued the objectification of women in many of her works. This article examines four distinct types of her critiques:
Stereotyping Women as Housewives: Jürgenssen portrays the lived experiences of women relegated to the role of housewives through nightmarish scenes filled with despair. Despite their talents, abilities, and aspirations, these women are trapped in a restrictive gender role.
Fetishistic Representation of High Heels: Jürgenssen uses a collection of shoes she designed to symbolically express the objectification and fetishization of the female body. High heels, which often cause muscular and skeletal pain for women, are nonetheless marketed and celebrated as a masculine fashion statement.
Women as Reproductive Tools: Equating women with nature serves as a method of exerting control over their bodies. This reductive view ignores women's feelings, independence, and personal desires, contributing to their objectification.
Masks Concealing Women's True Selves: Jürgenssen’s masks symbolize transformation, collapse, and disintegration, as well as retreat and refuge. While she confronts the viewer, the mask obstructs her ability to speak or even breathe.
Through her art, Jürgenssen exposes the cultural codes accepted in society that impose oppressive and limiting boundaries on women's lives and challenges the justifications for inequality.
Keywords
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