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Foucault's Theory Of The Gaze

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With the dawn of postmodern social theory and philosophy, the concept of gaze became increasingly apparent. The main contributors who are credited with the earliest discussions of “the gaze”, include Michel Foucault and Jacques Lacan. Foucault is known for his description of the “medical gaze”, which describes the process of diagnosis, power relationships between doctors and patients, and the authority of medical knowledge in society. He is also known for his elaboration on the theory of the panopticon and surveillance. Lacan’s analysis of the gaze’s relation to the “mirror stage” became a crucial concept in visual culture, as it describes how we “gaze” upon ourselves in the mirror and the you in the mirror is the best you possible. Lacan describes the gaze “for the anxious state that comes with the awareness that one can be viewed.” (Wikipedia). In simple terms, “gaze” is defined as the manner in which a viewer looks at subjects or objects within a given text or artwork, and the effect which the text/artwork has on the viewer. The Gaze’s many forms and theories can be observed through various media, such as television, film, photos, graphic art, and other visual media. According to Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture, Oxford, 2001 (Marita Sturgeon and Lisa Cartwright), “the concept of the gaze is fundamentally about the relationship of pleasure and images.” In both past and present times, women have been represented as objects to satisfy the “Male

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