HOW MEN FEEL WHEN TALKING ABOUT WOMEN’S ISSUES

‘How Men Feel When Talking About Women’s Issues’ serves as a visual response to the indignant and offended reactions I received following the initial presentation of ‘The Woman as a Kitchentable’ (2018). The title itself is self-explanatory, yet the work conveys a range of nuanced messages.

The juxtaposition of a male figure in this context may initially appear disconcerting, harsh, or even provocatively stimulating to some viewers. In contrast, depicting a woman in a similar role, as portrayed in ‘The Woman as a Kitchentable’, may evoke a sense of familiarity and normalization. This disparity underscores the entrenched societal perceptions of gender roles and the varying emotional responses elicited by these roles when assigned to different genders.

‘How Men Feel When Talking About Women’s Issues’ and ‘The Woman as a Kitchentable’ together constitute a diptych that critically examines the intersections of gender and societal expectations. This paired presentation highlights the contrasting reactions to gendered representations, offering a reflection on the discourse surrounding the portrayal of women and men in culturally and historically charged roles.