Ways of Seeing

Dear John Berger,
The message contained in Ch. 2 and 3 of your "Ways of Seeing", I find, is relevant and very true. Likewise, the photo essay of Chapter 2 was an excellent compliment to your argument in Chapter 3. Your point that "Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves" has been true throughout time and remains the truth to this day.

As culture and society have changed throughout the years, the role of women in art has basically remained the same. It is the role and purpose of art that has changed. It is less common today to see new paintings being commissioned for display in private homes. Art is seen more in the context of advertisements in magazines, on t.v. and on billboards. However, the similarities between art from the Renaissance and art in advertisements today are striking. The image of a woman, scantily clad and typically with a seductive expression on her face continues to entice the viewer into buying whatever that woman is selling.



Confidence is constantly being pushed onto women. Women see covers of magazines like the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and we are made to believe that we have to look like that model to be attractive. We like to pretend that society as changed and that women are seen not as objects but as equal partners to men, but then magazines come out with covers like that. That model is nothing more than someone to look attractive to men. And while she may appeal to men all over the world, she continues to make normal women feel inadequate and unattractive. This is because we as women do care about what men and to that extent, what other women see when they look at us.

Artwork serves as a commentary on life. Look at almost any major magazine cover and you will see how women want to appear to men. The way we as women feel about ourselves depends on how men perceive us. And how men perceive us and want us to appear is evident in nude artwork throughout time. While we may not be considered as objects quite as much as women were a few centuries ago, women still desire to be desirable to men and this is the point of your Chs. 2 and 3 in "Ways Of Seeing".