Susan Meiselas - Carnival Strippers

I was told and advised to look at Susan Meiselas's, work after my feedback tutorial.  My research base ideas have changed away from the body and mind as such and have moved onto the way men and women look at the perspectives of a 'strip dancer' or a sexual type of dancing.  Susan Meiselas, has taken photographs of 'Carnival Strippers'.

Susan Meiselas says on her website for this series; 

"The recognition of this world is not the invention of it.  I wanted to present and account of the girl show that portrayed what I saw and revealed how the people involved felt about what there were doing." 

This could be very interesting in the fact that she asked the actual strippers to speak to her about how they think about what they are doing, this would be perfect if I had used this idea when I had my original ideas of having s short dance film as well as voice recordings of what the dancer thinks about during dancing and what she think about dance itself.

"Being a stripper is as close to being in a mans world as you can be, its a tough life, you need strength and character, the men depend on you, to entertain them, bring in money for them, but when they come in, its up to the girl" 

As mentioned on Susan Meiselas, audio statement on her website.
"I think that the multiplicity of users had been whats always fascinates me also, and that pretty consistent in all the work, its from the various vantage points, including my own, maybe thats what ties all of this work together, the notion of the fascination of the multiplicity as well as my own entry point,  you are in a kind of collaboration of your subject, they have to want you to be there, want you to know them, and you have to want to also."

I love this series of work and was so happy that I had been shown this photographer and her work.  I was originally told to look at this series and interpret it and use it towards my work. I personally am trying to not show a sexual side to my film and think that this is the complete opposite and in contrast, would show the ultimately huge side of sexuality that the male see in images like this. The Female Gaze and Male Gaze show exactly how my film can be looked at differently but a male's perspective.  I haven't actually had many responses from the males perceptive but as far as know from the mixed media female gaze is that we complement and do not really look at the fact the model / dancer is wearing underwear.