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Across time and space, artists have depicted the human form in ways that reflect and shape how society views gender. From ancient civilizations to contemporary art, gender has been represented in numerous ways. While some artists have reinforced traditional roles, at other times, artists have challenged the norms and offered alternative visions of identity. Through this selection of works, you will explore the evolving representations of masculinity, femininity, and gender fluidity.

This theme invites you to consider the ways in which art reflects social and cultural constructs around gender. Throughout history, many cultures have utilized art as a way to reinforce stereotypical, traditional gender roles. However, art also became a space for reinterpretation and resistance. For example, artists like Frida Kahlo used self-portraiture to explore identity and gender by challenging conventional notions of femininity. Likewise, Classical art often celebrated the idealized forms of the human body, but also conveyed complex societal values, such as power and beauty.

In this tour you will journey through different time periods and styles, observing how artists navigated the roles of power, identity, and gender. Through close examination you will see how art can both reinforce and subvert traditional gender roles. This offers insight into the societal and political landscapes at that time.

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1. Understand how gender roles have been represented in art across different time periods and cultures.

2. Recognize the ways in which contemporary art reinterprets traditional gender roles and offers new understandings of identity.

3. Explore how artists have used gender in their work to reflect or challenge societal norms.

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Alexandros of Antioch, Venus de Milo, Marble, 204cm, c. 150-125 BC, Louvre, Paris

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Alexandros of Antioch, Venus de Milo, Marble, 204cm, c. 150-125 BC, Louvre, Paris

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Leonardo da Vinci, Lady with an Ermine, 1489-1490, Oil on wood, 16.25 x 11.75 inches, Czartoryski Museum, Krakow

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Leonardo da Vinci, Lady with an Ermine, 1489-1490, Oil on wood, 16.25 x 11.75 inches, Czartoryski Museum, Krakow

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Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1974-1979, mixed media, 48x48x48 inches (table), Brooklyn Museum, New York

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Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1974-1979, mixed media, 48x48x48 inches (table), Brooklyn Museum, New York

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Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair, 1940, Oil on Masonite, 12 1/4 x 9 1/2 inches, Museum of Modern Art, New York 

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Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair, 1940, Oil on Masonite, 12 1/4 x 9 1/2 inches, Museum of Modern Art, New York 

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Kahlo depicted herself with short hair which was a bold act of defiance against gender norms and societal expectations of women’s appearance. By also depicting herself in a traditionally masculine attire, she is making a statement about gender identity and the freedom to express oneself beyond rigid categories of masculinity and femininity. It underscores her commitment to portraying her authentic self, rejecting societal expectations and conventional representations of female beauty.

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Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #21, 1978, gelatin silver print, 18.7 x 23.9 cm, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #21, 1978, gelatin silver print, 18.7 x 23.9 cm, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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Sherman presents herself as a generic Hollywood-style female character which suggests a generic femininity defined by the cinematic tropes of the time. By presenting herself as the subject and the creator, she calls attention to the performative nature of gender. She critiques how women are represented in media and art, revealing gender as a constructed role. Her work questions traditional notions of female identity and the authenticity of gender itself.