Feminism and the representation of gender in American avant-garde film

Feminism and the Representation of Gender in the American Avant-Garde Film

Feminism and gender roles in Avant-garde film

The American Avant Garde Cinema is particularly important when considering abstract tendencies and subliminal messages, as most directors engaged in producing motion pictures for the genre intended to depict certain issues regarding society as seen from their perspective. Some of the most renowned directors who created films concerning the field, such as Maya Deren, Carolee Schneeman, Martha Rosler, and Dara Birnbaum focused on the feminism movement and on gender as a whole in some of their works. They were influenced by a series of factors in doing this, ranging from their personal convictions to society's views on the matter that they related to. In spite of the fact that the films that this paper discusses are all connected by the fact that they deal with gender roles, some of the directors preferred to take on a more abstract or grave position while others expressed a somewhat jokey character.

Although an amateur film enthusiast is likely to feel confused as a result of watching Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon (1944), a more experienced individual would identify a series of concepts meant to tackle feminism. In wanting her audiences to understand the protagonist's feelings, Deren chose to have viewers see things and events exactly as she saw them. While the film initially seems to present a rather ordinary event, the action gradually progresses and it is revealed that there is much more emotionality to it.

The woman in the motion picture appears to be consumed by society's trends and by the fact that she wants people to see things from her own perspective. Her condition in more severe than one might believe at first, given that she eventually wants to commit suicide and that she apparently informs the audience regarding her motives. The male individual in the film is essential in understanding gender representation as Deren did, as he appears to be responsible for the fact that the woman wants to die. Moreover, he apparently encourages her to accept her fate and to proceed with committing suicide. Meditation on Violence seems to be concerned with controlled aggressiveness, as the character in the film puts across serenity in performing the Wu Tang ritual. It appears that Deren wanted to demonstrate that violence does not necessarily have to be violent and incontrollable, as it can also involve calmness and it can be kept under control. Unlike Meshes of the Afternoon, Meditation on Violence feels less dynamic and has the audience focus on the tranquility present in a man and in the Wu Tang ritual.

In relating to gender roles, Carolee Schneeman took on a more sexual approach, even with the fact that she also wanted the audience to witness an event that should only be available to the protagonists. In contrast to Deren, Schneeman apparently wants the world to see women and men as they are, in their rawest nature possible. The sexuality in the film puts across concepts like equality and exhibitionism.

It is very probable that Deren was influenced by the way that people contemporary to her thought, making it virtually impossible for her to show women and men as being equal. Schneeman wanted her role to be clearly visible and distinguishable, most probably for the reason of having audiences focus on each individual in the film separately.

Martha Rosler's 1975 film Semiotics of the Kitchen is even more casual when concerning the role of women, given that the director decided to have the protagonist in her motion picture express mostly everything that women were at the time. The female character in the film is nothing like the characteristic woman, as she is inexperienced in performing activities that are stereotypical for women.

Even with the fact that the film presents women as controlling and the overall situation concerning gender roles as being comical, it actually puts across a powerful message, one that is less amusing. Consequent to seeing this film, people are likely to acknowledge the fact that society is dominated by stereotypes and by discriminatory attitudes concerning gender.

Dara Birnbaum's Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman is meant to discuss gender roles from society's perspective. The Wonder Woman character in the film constantly changes from a secretary into a super hero and has audiences concentrate on a few particular issues. Birnbaum emphasizes the fact that television is meant to trick people in ignoring several otherwise obvious things. Instead of focusing on the matters that they usually considered when seeing Wonder Woman-related films, viewers observed the superficiality in the film and the fact that it put across a biased perspective regarding women.

2. Society had been accustomed to discriminating women freely at the time when Maya Deren produced Meshes of the Afternoon and it was thus more difficult for her to express her feminist convictions. Even with that, one can sense the frustration in the film's protagonist, especially given that she has trouble understanding society and how it works. The interference of the male individual in the film makes matters even more complex, as the protagonist vainly tries to exercise control over him. The male character actually goes further and apparently wants her to understand that it is impossible for her to succeed and that she either has to accept her fate or to commit suicide. As she has several personalities, the woman in the motion picture expresses complexity and the ability to regard matters from several perspectives.

Although Carolee Schneeman appears to want to focus on art in producing films, her feminist character is revealed throughout Fuses. One can easily come to believe that an erotic film is directed at a male public, as women are normally less supportive toward the genre. However, this is exactly what Schneeman does not want from her viewers, as she wants them to understand that women and men are equal and that it would be wrong to think otherwise. Through employing nudity in wanting to relate to feminist topics Schneeman practically disarms her audiences, having them focus on the central principle of the film while they struggle to refrain from feeling uncomfortable. Feminist issues are normally believed to be suppressed by society's most important values and one is likely to have difficulty going through Schneeman's work. It appears that the director wants to break away from archetypal feminists, as she involves some of the most debatable concepts in her film.