Mirrors and the Gaze
It’s London Design Week 2020, and due to COVID, there’s loads of online content we can discover from home. Originating from Sweden is the feminist Mirror Mirror Off the Wall virtual exhibit, which addresses the mirror as male gaze, set to the backdrop of the mystical Swedish forest.
For centuries, women have looked at themselves through mirrors, as a lens for they might be seen by others, or viewed by men. Who are we trying to please? The topic sets off discussions on relations between genders, and emphasises the importance of finding an equilibrium. Hear the curator Paola Bjäringer talk about it in the exhibit’s virtual tour.
Mirror Mirror Off the Wall via Adorno.
On the virtual tour I discovered the series of “Piss off” puddle mirrors by female Swedish artist Frida Fjellman, which reflect exactly a contemporary reaction to the theme of pleasing the male gaze.
Frida Fjellman, “Piss Off”, via Adorno.