This thesis examines how women’s bodies and sexuality have been represented and controlled through visual culture and artistic mediums, beginning with the historical dominance of the “male gaze” and exploring how the “female gaze”–specifically, in contemporary photography–offers an empowering alternative. Positioned within feminist art theory and philosophical ideology, it asks how visual narratives can shift from commodification and objectification toward authenticity and agency.
Combining historical research, visual analysis, and creative practice, the thesis analyzes nineteenth-century European painting, twentieth-century media, and the work of photographers such as Deborah Turbeville, Cindy Sherman, Petra Collins, and more. Using self-portraiture, conceptual shoots, and boudoir photography as case studies, the thesis demonstrates how imagery created through the female gaze can challenge patriarchal norms and contribute to healing internalized objectification.
This research argues that reframing how women are seen within imagery has the power to reshape cultural understandings of womanhood and inspire more inclusive, equitable visual narratives.
Produced for Masters of Fine Arts in Photography & Image-making at Paris College of Art, 2026
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