Watch Me, I Dare You: 3 Female Artists who Shifted the Gaze

I’m constantly drawn to the nude female body depicted in art – not so much the Picasso nude or the Renoir nude, we all know how problematic they are – but the female nude depicted by women. There’s something grotesquely beautiful about these subjects – and perhaps it’s simply that, it’s because they are the subjects, not the objects.

When I look at these paintings, I have no desire to focus my attention on their perfectly curved hips, supple breasts, or long strawberry blonde hair (as centuries of male-centric paintings have shown me). Rather I’m confronted by women who dare you to watch on. Whether seated or standing, walking or running, these subjects force you to look at them and acknowledge their existence. The paintings say to onlookers: No more is this about form and aesthetic, this is about us. You like to look at us, well look at us at our worst, our best, our happiest, our saddest, our most horrifying.

It’s time we focus more on the female artists who helped shift the male gaze in the art scene. These women showcased real women, human beings. And while I wish I could list every artist that has contributed to achieving this, I’ve decided to narrow it down to three artists whose works I’m currently obsessed with.

Suzanne Valadon

French painter Suzanne Valadon (1865 – 1938) was the first woman to be admitted to the Society National des Beaux-Arts (which was basically a super fancy art exhibition at the time and mostly a boys club). Go Suzanne! She spent most of her artistic career painting female nudes, portraits of women, still life and landscapes. Most notably, her nudes were said to have shocked the artistic world since they were not ‘familiar’ AKA were not of the Renoir-style of nude that men at the time were accustomed to (the supple nipple type).

One of her most notable pieces, The Blue Room (see below) is a self-portrait and depicts herself lying relaxed a top a bed in a room adorned with blue fabrications. As she lounges in what looks like her pyjamas and smoking a cigaratte, Valadon has nothing to hide, she showcases a rather content, fully bodied figure and in a way mocks the previous depictions of women who have all lounged in such a way and often with less clothes.

‘The Blue Room’ by Suzanne Valadon (1923)

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo’s (1907-1954) artistic legacy continues to be revered in Mexico for its vibrant portrayal of Mexican and Indigenous cultures, as well as its candid exploration of the female experience and form. Despite enduring a lifetime of physical challenges stemming from a devastating bus accident at the age of eighteen – which caused around 35 additional surgeries throughout her life – Kahlo’s spirit found solace and expression in painting, a skill she honed while recovering.

The majority of her 200 works are self-portraits that serve as poignant narratives of her personal tribulations. These works are remarkable for their unflinching representation of features society deemed ‘masculine,’ such as her prominent eyebrows and facial hair, and for their fearless examination of intimate subjects, including menstruation and sexuality. Kahlo was a defiant iconoclast, embracing her bisexuality with pride and challenging the gender norms and domestic expectations prevalent during her era. Her art and life remain a testament to her revolutionary spirit and her commitment to authenticity.

‘The Two Fridas’ by Frida Kahlo (1939)

Marina Abramović

If you haven’t heard of Marina Abramović, have you been living under a rock! Joking, but seriously, she is amazing and it’s about time you discovered her. Marina Abramović is a Serbian conceptual artist and performer who has shifted the gaze in performance art by altering how the audience perceives and interacts with the artist. Her approach challenges the traditional passive consumption of art, making the audience an active participant in the experience.

Abramović is known to use her own body as a medium throughout performances, confronting societal norms and expectations regarding female physicality, vulnerability, and strength. This focus on the female body aligns with feminist art traditions that seek to reclaim and recontextualise the representation of women in art. By putting herself in situations that test physical and emotional limits, she also challenges traditional gender roles and stereotypes, emphasising women's resilience and agency. Her performances often highlight the strength and endurance of women, countering narratives of female passivity or fragility.

Marina Abramovic, left, during her performance ‘The Artist is Present’ (Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Do you have a favourite artist who has shifted the gaze with their craft? Let us know who and why below.