Process of the Workshop
A total of 22 people participated in this intervention, without any gender or age limitation. The aim of the intervention is to find jewellery designs that are applicable to all stakeholders and have a positive impact to help women improve their image and reduce the impact of the objectification of the male gaze.
Participants could make directly with coloured clay, or use white clay to make then paint. Moulding tools were also provided to help participants with their creations and I was on hand to help with the technical aspects. After completing their creations, participants can write down their inspiration/reasoning on a blank A1 sheet of paper.
Works of the Participants
Below I have listed a few of the participants’ works and the inspiration/reason behind them, still using personal pronouns to protect the privacy of the participants (SHE+Number, HE+Number, THEY+Number).
SHE1: I made the fingers and the mouth to form the silent sign. I anthropomorphised the mouth with two eyes, so you can imagine that the mouth is the woman and the fingers are the male reproductive organs.
SHE2: This is a ring. The inspiration is a woman’s leg. When you wear this ring, it is as if a woman’s leg has wrapped around your body in a flattering way. But beware, I made spikes on the inner ring. I wanted to express that each of the women we have our own individuality and not be sexualised into one part.
SHE3: I made a shield. I wanted to give strength to other women. Girls to help girls.
SHE4: I was inspired by the Garden of Eden. Both Adam and Eve stole the forbidden fruit, but only Eve was punished. Women have always been the first to be condemned and punished from ancient.
SHE5: I mixed and twisted the two colours’ clay together to make this ring. On top I added four yellow spikes to represent the male genitalia. The two colours represent a man and a woman. Only women have wombs, but the reproductive rights are in the hands of men.
THEY1: This is the female breast. But I added eyes and eyebrows, which you can also see as the eyes of a man. I think the woman’s breasts are the most gazed upon part of the male gaze, so I combined the two.
Summary and Reflections
Through this intervention, I found that the majority of the participants’ work continued to focus on female body parts, using breasts, lips and other sexually related parts in their work. Male genitalia was also added as an element by three participants. This section of the participants they are protesting more against the male gaze through their work. Images of the parts of the body that are most often gazed at by men are enlarged and recreated. Other participants chose to work with more conscious figurative elements such as shields, the ‘X’ symbol, nails, snakes and so on. They were more trying to pass on an idea, such as girls helping girls, I have my own individuality and so on. I prefer not to consider the female body as the main element, but to focus more on the individuality, talents and abilities of women. Find a jewellery design that allows women to communicate these thoughts. I wanted to show the unique personality and charm of the women themselves rather than the traditional patriarchal perspective.Find a jewellery design that allows women to communicate these thoughts.