This image by Nobuyoshi Araki on a denotative level depicts a woman in bondage. She is suspended and unable to move, in an utlra submissive and uncomfortable looking position. Fully naked, the viewer is given full access to her body, not only that but she has no ability to control what parts of her the viewer can witness. This is an extreme extension of traditional, patriachal gender roles within the theory of the gaze. Although the male perspective usually has the power in terms of what can and cannot be done, the female has the power over what can be done to her. Here even this choice is void.
Bondage is a common feature of Japanese pornography and therefore, presumably any culturally definable sense of sexuality. Although Araki is an acclaimed fine artist, his work has been called pornographic and incorporates many of the elements; such as to make the female subjects submissively available and to, by completely negating self expression, render them as objects. Japanese culture is however, far more sexually permissive than that of the west and therefore, when seen in cultural context, it is possible that this image is not intended to be as provocative as it appears.
Any extra or intra-diegetic gaze on the part of the subject is negated by the cloth covering her face. This focuses the attention solely on her body and in obscuring her identity as an individual completly, furthers her objectification. This however feels too far to be an unintentional fetish based wholly on sexual gratification. Regardless of the experience of the audience, it seems possible that this complete removal of power and identity is designed to make the viewer critically aware of their role as an active spectator to media texts and the responsibilities that come with this to challenge or at least be aware of power dynamics.
Bondage is a common feature of Japanese pornography and therefore, presumably any culturally definable sense of sexuality. Although Araki is an acclaimed fine artist, his work has been called pornographic and incorporates many of the elements; such as to make the female subjects submissively available and to, by completely negating self expression, render them as objects. Japanese culture is however, far more sexually permissive than that of the west and therefore, when seen in cultural context, it is possible that this image is not intended to be as provocative as it appears.
Any extra or intra-diegetic gaze on the part of the subject is negated by the cloth covering her face. This focuses the attention solely on her body and in obscuring her identity as an individual completly, furthers her objectification. This however feels too far to be an unintentional fetish based wholly on sexual gratification. Regardless of the experience of the audience, it seems possible that this complete removal of power and identity is designed to make the viewer critically aware of their role as an active spectator to media texts and the responsibilities that come with this to challenge or at least be aware of power dynamics.
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