Muscles, metrosexuals and male tears: the 39 pictures that changed the way we see men (for good and for bad)
From a body-building Arnie to a weeping Frenchman, these 39 groundbreaking images have upended assumptions about how men behave, dress and project power. Introduction by Luke KennardI have an image...
By Captions by Gabrielle Schwarz and Felix Bazalgette · The Guardian Culture
From a body-building Arnie to a weeping Frenchman, these 39 groundbreaking images have upended assumptions about how men behave, dress and project power. Introduction by Luke Kennard I have an image of myself in 2011, pushing my newborn son in a big red buggy because he would only nap when in motion. As I traversed the streets of suburban Birmingham, I felt observed, glanced at, commented on in a manner that ranged from pity to reproach to disproportionate admiration. Daft that it should be a remarkable sight, I thought, but there we go. Probably I’d have felt less self-conscious if I’d followed David Bowie’s example and – as in one of the images showcased here – worn what looks like a dress. On depictions of men and women in art history, John Berger famously stated that “men act, women appear”. Men were portrayed demonstrating their physical power and readiness for action; to assert their dominance. Just turning that gaze around and using the lens to capture masculinity feels subversive, maybe even a little undermining. Continue reading...