Initial Gaze Ideas

My work has always focused on feminist theory, I am a feminist and I believe in the constructs of a male patriarch especially within film. I was introduced the Mulvey years ago and her writings on the male gaze, it is only recently I realise that there are some gaps in in her theory. Although I believe her statements are accurate and not only make sense but seem to provide some clarity when watching a film and comfort to me as a woman I also believe she has avoided a rather important aspect when looking at the gaze. A male on male gaze, I think it's easy to create the assumptions that we live in a male dominated society and the image of a woman is not only constructed to provide, what is believed, a 'perfect' specimen but at the same time as a female film artist I too are creating works under what I believe is a 'perfect' example of my ideas. I do not wish to control women upon my screen, but at the same time I do control them and act as a dominant controller, I am not male I understand the constraints of a male patriarch. However I create as an artist an example of film and enjoy doing so. My work addresses issues of the male gaze, however I do not wish to disregard this gaze (as we all gaze) I wish to obtain and some how using my work transport the viewer. The work of Pipilotti Rist comes to mind and my dissertation for my BA Hons degree posed the question, Is Pipilotti Rist a Feminist Artist? Initially Rist's work followed a highly critiqued look and confronted look at the male gaze, where she literally obstructed the male gaze. However recent works do not follow the same feministic statement, perhaps Rist believes her work to be more than statement, the affect of Rist's work is the heart of her creation and I too do not want my work to solely revolve around a statement against the male gaze. It's been done, I hope to create a work that allows a gaze to occur and the control of the subjects gazed upon to be my control.

I'm living in my own patriarch.