Nakeisha Bauer Tradition and femininity: the series

‘Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.’ – John Berger

Inspired by traditional portraiture, this photographic series explores the natural beauty of women, using ‘the gaze’ as a motif for strength and empowerment. The portraits offer a sense of untouchability to illuminate society’s double standards when it comes to the aesthetics of women versus men. It challenges the notion that women ‘must be – rather than, simply being’. By appropriating the works of male artists such as Manet, Fragonard and Vermeer, I am eliminating the masculine brushstroke that has defined femininity, giving the individuals control and abolishing traditions.

Influencing artists:
Jean-Honoré Fragonard
Leonardo da Vinci
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun
Edouard Manet
John Berger
Johannes Vermeer