Regina Galindo's Influence On Women

Through the process of analysing these works it is apparent that there are still many unresolved gender and social issues in the world. These works provide evidence of the way in which women experience the influence of the male gaze on society’s perception, attitude and behaviour towards women. There are similarities shared in all countries such as the victimisation and objectification of women. By using unconventional methods of visual communication, the artists discussed successfully creates awareness of such issues, hoping that same will be acknowledged and addressed by people.

The fourth artwork considered is that of body artist Regina Jose Galindo’s ‘PERRA (BITCH) (2005)’. Galindo applies harmful and painful procedures to her body

Orlan uses her body and face as a canvass on which she portrays her messages via plastic surgery. In her artwork, The Reincarnation of Saint Orlan (1990 - 1993), she expressed the idea of what was once perceived to have been the ideal women, or ideal beauty, during the Renaissance period. This work draws attention to the male gaze in that it uses the works of male artists who practised during the Renaissance period as reference. The work focuses on what was perceived to have been an ideal aesthetic beauty in female form (http://academic.evergreen.edu/curricular/imagingthebody/handouts/orlanlecture2006.pdf).

Through plastic surgery Orlan furthermore criticises the Western idea of ideal female beauty and identity, addressing the fact that many women approach plastic surgery in order to improve their appearance according to Western standards. For this specific carnal art piece, Orlan had to undergo a series of nine surgeries which ran over a three year period. The surgeries took place in surgical units; however it was staged, choreographed and directed by Orlan. Records of the procedures were documented and stored on video tapes

In this day and age many artists question the concept of identity, especially the way it applies in a social context. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word ‘identity’ is defined as “the state of being very like or the same as something” (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 1996: 589).

Gender identity develops during the early childhood years of a person’s life, and is influenced by a child’s upbringing, parental influence and the social norms prescribed by its society. There are certain behaviours which are identified as being acceptable and normal for certain genders, which relates to their specific gender identity (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gender+identity).

Social identity again, is how people classify themselves according to groupings within a society. An example of this is the categorisation of people into lower, middle or upper class groups which are based on income