Masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili
The paper analyzes the painting Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili in the context of anthropology, fine arts and feminist studies. Phantasmic figures in the painting are discussed as symbols of transformation, gender and sexual identity tittuping, and their scenic “masking” as a platform for fi...
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Institute of Ethnography, SASA, Belgrade
2015-01-01
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Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-0861/2015/0350-08611502395J.pdf |
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doaj-ea59bb8b32bf46fdb5832a784cafa8982021-01-02T14:07:31ZengInstitute of Ethnography, SASA, BelgradeGlasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU0350-08612334-82592015-01-0163239541010.2298/GEI1502395J0350-08611502395JMasks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović BariliJovičić Petrija0Bašić Ivana1Etnografski institut SANU, BeogradEtnografski institut SANU, BeogradThe paper analyzes the painting Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili in the context of anthropology, fine arts and feminist studies. Phantasmic figures in the painting are discussed as symbols of transformation, gender and sexual identity tittuping, and their scenic “masking” as a platform for finding comprehensive creative personality, ironizing biological “specialization of females”. The name Doll suggests pondering about gender roles, because a doll is a must toy for girls, thus preparing them for motherhood and housework; in addition, it also carries a status of (beautiful) an object manipulated in men's world. Attaching a male head onto the ”Doll’s” body can be seen as a form of revolt and struggle to overcome inferior position. On one hand, the male head, with its size and audacity pushes into the background body /object doll-girl, while on the other hand, the head as a symbol of "men’s intelligence" provides subjectivity to the "doll" and the desired superiority in the world of male dominance. The Doll, with the characteristics of male power, simultaneously conceals and highlights the vulnerability and social marginalization of femininity. At the same time, in the desire for self-realization, the doll can fall into the trap of imitating men-- the struggle to gain power, but also could mean a recognition of one’s own/ female inadequacy and inferior position. However, the male’s naked body, deprived of the face and hands - and hence subjectivity and activity -is turned into a (beautiful) object and pushed into the background, emphasizing the ambiguity of the relationship of "male" and "female" position and hence opening up the possibility of various interpretations of the painting within the theory of gender, sexuality and creativity. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 47016: Interdisciplinarno istraživanje kulturnog i jezičkog nasleđa Srbije. Izrada multimedijalnog internet-portala Pojmovnik srpske kulture]http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-0861/2015/0350-08611502395J.pdfanthropology of fine artsfeminist theoryvisual narrativemaskgender identitysubjectivityMilena Pavlovic Barili |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jovičić Petrija Bašić Ivana |
spellingShingle |
Jovičić Petrija Bašić Ivana Masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU anthropology of fine arts feminist theory visual narrative mask gender identity subjectivity Milena Pavlovic Barili |
author_facet |
Jovičić Petrija Bašić Ivana |
author_sort |
Jovičić Petrija |
title |
Masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili |
title_short |
Masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili |
title_full |
Masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili |
title_fullStr |
Masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili |
title_full_unstemmed |
Masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili |
title_sort |
masks and metamorphosis of female creativity - doll by milena pavlović barili |
publisher |
Institute of Ethnography, SASA, Belgrade |
series |
Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU |
issn |
0350-0861 2334-8259 |
publishDate |
2015-01-01 |
description |
The paper analyzes the painting Doll by Milena Pavlović Barili in the context
of anthropology, fine arts and feminist studies. Phantasmic figures in the
painting are discussed as symbols of transformation, gender and sexual
identity tittuping, and their scenic “masking” as a platform for finding
comprehensive creative personality, ironizing biological “specialization of
females”. The name Doll suggests pondering about gender roles, because a doll
is a must toy for girls, thus preparing them for motherhood and housework; in
addition, it also carries a status of (beautiful) an object manipulated in
men's world. Attaching a male head onto the ”Doll’s” body can be seen as a
form of revolt and struggle to overcome inferior position. On one hand, the
male head, with its size and audacity pushes into the background body /object
doll-girl, while on the other hand, the head as a symbol of "men’s
intelligence" provides subjectivity to the "doll" and the desired superiority
in the world of male dominance. The Doll, with the characteristics of male
power, simultaneously conceals and highlights the vulnerability and social
marginalization of femininity. At the same time, in the desire for
self-realization, the doll can fall into the trap of imitating men-- the
struggle to gain power, but also could mean a recognition of one’s own/
female inadequacy and inferior position. However, the male’s naked body,
deprived of the face and hands - and hence subjectivity and activity -is
turned into a (beautiful) object and pushed into the background, emphasizing
the ambiguity of the relationship of "male" and "female" position and hence
opening up the possibility of various interpretations of the painting within
the theory of gender, sexuality and creativity. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke
Republike Srbije, br. 47016: Interdisciplinarno istraživanje kulturnog i
jezičkog nasleđa Srbije. Izrada multimedijalnog internet-portala Pojmovnik
srpske kulture] |
topic |
anthropology of fine arts feminist theory visual narrative mask gender identity subjectivity Milena Pavlovic Barili |
url |
http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-0861/2015/0350-08611502395J.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT jovicicpetrija masksandmetamorphosisoffemalecreativitydollbymilenapavlovicbarili AT basicivana masksandmetamorphosisoffemalecreativitydollbymilenapavlovicbarili |
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