Applying a reading as a lens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Applying a reading as a lens - strive ExampleForty years on in todays world, men can be viewed through the same lens once considered except for women todays ideal spectator may be female, looking at the nudity or semi-nudity of a man. The term nudity rather than devastation is intentionally used here in light of Bergers reference to the dichotomy between newness and nudity (), wherein if a person is naked they obligate self but to be nude that person becomes an object on display for the satisfaction of others. The depiction of the male in (Fig.1) is nude not naked and is an object for the desire of women and men. I consecrate men, because much(prenominal) an image would also appeal to men whose sexual preference is for other men I say men because the same image would appeal to hegemonic men who desire the same muscled physique as that paraded in the photograph. The author of this advertisement has considered his audience, his spectators, through a truly wide lens and has been able to present an image that is exhibited in such a route as to allure the largest possible number of voyeurs. He has glum a man rather than a women into and object and most particularly an object of vision a sight (Berger ). His visual representation provides evidence of his way of agreeing what his intended audience wants to see in other words, in his mind, through his lens he has defined his audience. Through his lens he sees cardinal primary audience one that is driven by sexual desires, which by definition transgresses all boundaries of gender. While the creator of this image has determined an image of his audience, the smasher can at the same time determine a date of the creator. As a viewer looking at this photographic advertisement, I see it as having been created by somebody that understands how human nature is driven by sexuality and that in todays world of equality and desire for perfection, such sexuality can be enticed by a male body. If the same advertisement presented a female body the creator would more likely recur a percentage of his spectators homosexual males. I see a creator who is astute in selection of person for the image because it is that of the famous footballer and metrosexual David Beckham, which provides superfluous fodder for enticement. Fig.1 Calvin Klein What is particularly worthy of mention in this advertisement is the way in which the eyes of the image are looking directly at his spectators, as if to talk without speaking, knowing they are there looking at him in the same way that for Berger men look at women. In paintings discussed by Berger as well as the women rarely looked out to their audience but instead looked away or down (). Another difference between this photograph and the portrayal of women in European nude paintings is that women were exposed as submissive (Berger )wherein here the connotations are far from submissive instead we get a sense of brazen assertiveness, a assortment of come and get me if you dare impression. There seems to be a fine line between this advertisement in fact, and soft pornography and the creator is inviting his spectators to a voyeuristic screening. While the body is displayed for its audience and to appeal to the sexuality of that audience, it still has much to do with the mans own sexuality, unlike the same picture of a female displayed in the same way. There is no attempt to provide the spectator with a sense of ownership (as was the intent of female nudes) by minimizing the man