Catherine Smet
Van Nhi Nguyen
Catherine:
"I started writing my email a few days ago but i got stuck because of different ideas. I think it's a very important subject and i want to honour it.
You showed two sides in a very subtle way in your image. I like that you made it more suggestive than transforming yourself in a very obvious way.
The theme of this week made me think of Cindy Sherman's work. She transforms herself into all kinds of stereotypes, men and women, and plays with gender and gender roles.
"I started writing my email a few days ago but i got stuck because of different ideas. I think it's a very important subject and i want to honour it.
You showed two sides in a very subtle way in your image. I like that you made it more suggestive than transforming yourself in a very obvious way.
The theme of this week made me think of Cindy Sherman's work. She transforms herself into all kinds of stereotypes, men and women, and plays with gender and gender roles.
I started writing this email a few days ago because i kept thinking of what i should do for this one. It's good to read what your perspective is. Just to talk about the theme in general. I also think there's a very broad spectrum when it comes to gender identity, just like sexual orientation. I identify as being queer, gay by the way.
As a kid I was a bit confused about my gender. Growing up with a bunch of brothers and cousins I often questioned if i really fit in. As i grew up i realised it wasn't my gender but the gender roles that are assigned to girls early on that made me uncomfortable. I didn't want to be a boy but i wanted to do all the things boys are allowed to do.
The photo i took made me feel very weird about my body as i tried to make it look as masculine as i could. This project is making me push some boundaries i haven't explored before."
As a kid I was a bit confused about my gender. Growing up with a bunch of brothers and cousins I often questioned if i really fit in. As i grew up i realised it wasn't my gender but the gender roles that are assigned to girls early on that made me uncomfortable. I didn't want to be a boy but i wanted to do all the things boys are allowed to do.
The photo i took made me feel very weird about my body as i tried to make it look as masculine as i could. This project is making me push some boundaries i haven't explored before."
Van:
"Gender to me is such a broad spectrum, there’s no binary that could describe it. However I’ll include a diptych of my self portraits I’ve taken, that a lot of people thought was 2 people of different genders, but it’s just me.
I am still very much stuck at this topic, even as a bisexual woman of colour. To me it’s a topic that should always be inclusive and intersectional, as a caucasian person would have a different social lever to a BIPOC because of historical systemic issues. Until I’ve further educated myself on these subjects I wouldn’t be too confident speaking on something I am not equipped to talk about.
Looking within the context of a single, personal image would be a better and lighthearted way to tackle this topic, as personally it feels like it wouldn’t affect anyone else outside of the discussion. For my image, the diptych is an interesting way to see how a person is portrayed, free of the bound of gender norms therefore expressing themselves in a nonconformist way.
Looking forward to your response on this!"
"Gender to me is such a broad spectrum, there’s no binary that could describe it. However I’ll include a diptych of my self portraits I’ve taken, that a lot of people thought was 2 people of different genders, but it’s just me.
I am still very much stuck at this topic, even as a bisexual woman of colour. To me it’s a topic that should always be inclusive and intersectional, as a caucasian person would have a different social lever to a BIPOC because of historical systemic issues. Until I’ve further educated myself on these subjects I wouldn’t be too confident speaking on something I am not equipped to talk about.
Looking within the context of a single, personal image would be a better and lighthearted way to tackle this topic, as personally it feels like it wouldn’t affect anyone else outside of the discussion. For my image, the diptych is an interesting way to see how a person is portrayed, free of the bound of gender norms therefore expressing themselves in a nonconformist way.
Looking forward to your response on this!"