Social Change: Abstractions of the Female Nude

Social Change: Abstractions of the Female Nude
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Introduction
           Traditional representations of women in art follow the misrepresented norms of the patriarchal culture. Before the massive social revolutions of the feminist artist in the 1960s like Judy Chicago and Nancy Spero, women as the subject of art are often limited to the female nude and female stereotypes (Akdemir, 2017). Female stereotypes in the art are a depiction of women about their limited ability which are inferior to men in different institutions such as politics, businesses and art. Women are only expected to handle household chores like cleaning the house, cooking for diner, tend to their husbands and taking care of the children (Akdemir, 2017).
The female nude was regarded as the status symbol of gender dominance of a male-dominated social hierarchy (Nead, 1990). Traditional art treated women subjects as models for arousing aesthetic sexual pleasure that satisfies the "male gaze" (Eaton, 2008). In the male gaze, the aesthetic representation of an object focuses on the perspective of a man. Many famous collections in museums include traditional women subjects with intense realism of female nude installations that concur to the male gaze (Brockes, 2015).  
As traditional artists stick with the status quo of society, women are often painted with their social stereotypes that devalue women's contribution to human civilization. The different artists emphasized the need for social change and tell the story of women's gender oppression under the values of male authority. In the following artworks, including Nude Figure–Woman on the Beach (1963) by Willem de Kooning, Zambezia, Zambezia (1950) by Wifredo Lam, On the Beach (1937) by Pablo Picasso, The Break of Day (1937) by Paul Delvaux, and Scissors and Butterflies (1999) by Francesco Clemente, the artist used abstractions of the female nude to tell the story of the oppressive male gaze towards the female nude and the women’s liberation from the undervaluation of patriarchal values.
Nude Figure–Woman on the Beach (1963) by Willem de Kooning
           In the painting Nude Figure – Woman on the Beach (1963) by Willem de Kooning (see appendix, fig. 1), he presented an abstraction of the female nude where de Kooning removes the physical objectification of the subjects but still retain the sexual stimuli that accentuate the attributes of the female form. 
           Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) is a talented traditional painter of modern arts in the Netherlands. He then migrated to the US in 1926 where he began exploring the beauty of abstract art and expressionism (Reif, 2001). In the 1940s, he focused on the abstract imagery of women without their physical attributes and only use free-flowing colors and impulsive brushstrokes to capture and express the essence of femininity within his art without the solid object of a woman (Reif, 2001). This was the basis of his distinguished art style known as abstract expressionism to produce a spontaneous creation of overlaying colors and mashed-up figures.
           Because he was fascinated with the abstract expressionism of the female body, he created an art installation that focuses on abstract women paintings called the Woman series where he focused on expressing the range of the woman's emotions (Smith, 2011). His artwork in the woman series includes Woman III (1953) and Woman VI (1953).
           According to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (2012), the Nude Figure – Woman on the Beach was inspired in the middle of summer in 1963 at one of the usual tourist destinations of Long Island beaches. De Kooning was preoccupied at a beach where he usually does his favorite clam digging activities. Out of inspiration while he was gazing on the female figures on the beach. The reflection of saltwater to the sandy shores where ladies are bathing under the sun distorted the women's figures that triggered the initial reference for the creation of this abstract expressionist painting (Peggy Guggenheim Collection, 2012).
           In painting Nude Figure – Woman on the Beach (1963), although the painting abstract, he managed to point out that the male gaze is focused not only on the physical qualities of the woman but also to the perception towards a woman. He only used vivid colors and disgruntled brushstrokes to emphasize the general placement and abstract form of the female nude together with a generic color palette for the beach setting. Based on the general feel while looking at the painting, his work reveals man's perception that expects the subject as an object of desire regardless of the form. So, he showed that a man's desire for a woman transcends beyond the flesh using abstract expressionism
On the Beach (La baignade ) (1937) by Pablo Picasso
           In the painting On the Beach (1937) by Pablo Picasso (see appendix, fig. 2), he presented a sexual tension within the image even though the figures are portrayed in cubism and surrealism elements. Also, Picasso reversed the point of view of the viewers of the painting to what it feels like being looked at by the “male gaze.” 
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is a Spanish artist that is famous for contributions in founding cubism. He is one of the most famous artists of the 20th century because of his talent and radical technique with approaching his craft. He often mixes different artistic elements and creates new interpretations about the fine arts (McCully, 2020). In his cubist movement, he challenged the traditional Renaissance approach in painting. He used differences in perspective and used an illusion to convey more information into the painting (McCully, 2020).
In the image we can see two humanoid figures that have exaggerated body parts including the oversized necks, huge bottoms, and multi-shaped breasts. The appendages of the two humanoid figures are also inconsistently shaped. Based on the general appearance and behavior of the humanoid figures at the foreground of the painting, we can deduce that the figures are female children. The overbulking breast and body curvatures prove that the figures are women. Because they are playing with a boat at the seashore, the female figures are most likely children at the onset of puberty (Flint, 2018). 
However, there is a third figure on the background that creates a sinister tension inside the canvas. The third figure is observing the girls at a distance while showing a typical gaze that is sexual. Based on these observations, Picasso is trying to show the perspective of the male gaze from a different point of view. Usually, the male gaze views the female nude in a one-sided direction to increase the sexual desire of the male viewer; however, in this painting, Picasso tries to change the perspective where instead of the male gaze is looking at the sexualized object, Picasso gave the viewer the feeling of what the male gaze feel if the viewer is the subject. Using the surrealist elements, Picasso successfully presented the looming effect of the male gaze to another person regardless of gender.
           One painting of Picasso before his exploration of the cubist movement is the Three Bathers (1920) which is believed to be the reference subject for the painting On the Beach (1937). The Three Bathers have two female figures on the foreground and another female figure on the background (Flint, 2018). However, Picasso presented the female nude in the Three Bathers for the satisfaction of the male gaze.
The Break of Day (L’aurore) (1937) by Paul Delvaux
           In the painting The Break of Day (L’aurore) (1937) by Paul Delvaux (see appendix, fig. 3), he presented a surrealist image that fuses the female nudes with tree trunks. Delvaux presented the limitations of women’s ability because of men's dominance and authority in different institutions (Flint, 2018).
           Paul Delvaux (1897-1994) is a Belgian painter famous for his surrealist artworks. He usually portrays skeletons and nudes to convey mysteriousness in his craft (Paul Delvaux, 2020). Although his early artworks are influenced by impressionism and expressionism movements, Delvaux likes to put high details in his crafts but with obscure scenes from an unsettling dream setting (Paul Delvaux, 2020). He paints immobile nudes and seminude women to focus on their returning gaze to the audience (Flint, 2018).
           In the painting The Break of Day (L’aurore) (1937), the four seminude females are having an unsettling conversation. However, a deeper analysis of the paintings details adds ...