Photographer Research- Marianna Rothen

About

Marianna is a Canadian photographer whose work largely used vintage aesthetics in order to focus on outdated gender roles.

Photography

Denotation- A woman posed behind a washing line.

Connotation- The sexualised pose plays into the male gaze and sexualises the idea of house work an ideal which is linked with feminine ideology.

Social, Cultural, Historical and Political meaning- Cultural connotations of this image are the fact that the woman is presented as sexual as well as a house worker these are both key ideas related to societies views of women.

Denotation- A woman in a wedding dress with a veil.

Connotation- Shows the fact that women are presented as the wife to men and nothing else.

Social, Cultural, Historical and Political meaning- Historically women were presented as objects whom could be owned by men.  Weddings were once a ceremony which transferred the owner ship of a woman from her father to her husband.

Denotation- A woman posed sexually.

Connotation- The fact that women are viewed as sex objects in media outlets as well as by people the rose adds romantic connotation to this image.

Social, Cultural, Historical and Political meaning- This image also perpetuates traditional standards of beauty such as blonde hair and a physique similar to that of Marilyn Monroe.

Denotation- A woman holding a gun.

Connotation- The image portrays a woman partaking in an activity which would usually be associated with men the white dress also represents the purity of women and the woman again represents the traditional ideals of beauty.

Social, Cultural, Historical and Political meaning-

Denotation- A woman sat at a kitchen table.

Connotation- Implies that women belong in the kitchen and that that is where their worth is derived from.

Social, Cultural, Historical and Political meaning- The vintage aspects of this image highlights the fact that this ideology stems from the past.

Marianna Rothen employs intriguing lighting and props to question the way in which outdated gender roles are still present in our lives today.  An example of this would be the way in which her image of the women posed sexually whilst hanging up the washing perpetuates the male gaze through her pose which shows the outdated view of the objectification of women.  The idea that the views which she expresses are outdated can be inferred through her use of vintage makeup, costuming and props which are designed to alarm the the viewers as the majority of the outdated practices which are seen in Rothen's work are still practised today for example many still hold the view that women should stay at home and cook opposed to work and be independent.