Semester Award Granted

Spring 2025

Submission Date

May 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Sharon Hart

Abstract

This thesis examines the concept of the gaze and its role in shaping identity, particularly in relation to marginalized genders, including women and non-binary individuals. Rooted in feminist and psychoanalytic theories, the research interrogates the power dynamics between the viewer and the viewed, exposing the ways in which patriarchal structures influence visual representation. Drawing from personal experiences of growing up in Iran and the complexities of immigration, the project critically engages with how societal norms manipulate identities and reinforce objectification. Through experimental photography, I distort and deconstruct the human form using materials such as hair gel on plexiglass and matte Mylar paper, challenging traditional expectations of visibility and recognition. By subverting the male gaze and reclaiming agency over representation, this body of work invites viewers to reconsider their own perceptions and assumptions. Ultimately, the thesis seeks to reimagine the politics of looking, offering alternative ways of seeing that resist challenge dominant narratives and create space for marginalized bodies to exist beyond objectification.

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