Twarze kobiet w fotografii konceptualnej

Abstract Women’s Faces in Conceptual Photography The article analyzes the works of contemporary female photographers who engage in artistic critique of how women and their bodies, particularly their faces, are portrayed in culture, with a focus on cinema. The leading figure in this discussion is American artist Cindy Sherman, known for her rejection of female stereotypes. Central to the analysis is her photographic series Untitled Film Stills, composed of staged film stills in which Sherman embodies characters reminiscent of feature film heroines. Sherman does not adopt any fixed identity; her goal is to play with cultural clichés and create a sense of familiarity for the viewer, evoking something recognizable from the big screen. Her work clearly resists the „male gaze” a term first introduced by Laura Mulvey. Sherman’s work serves as a point of reference for subsequent generations of female artists. Polish photographer Aneta Grzeszykowska often focuses on women’s faces and has twice reinterpreted Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills in her career. Weronika Gęsicka creates narrative collages that exaggeratedly critique the idyllic image of 1950s and 1960s America. The last artist discussed, Kristina Cranfeld, in her project Ownership of the Face (2011), presents a thought experiment on the right to one’s face, suggesting that in the future, corporations may control the facial expressions of their employees.