For Sally Mann, feminism is not the first thing that comes to mind when viewing her images. While very controversial, her images are not strikingly feminist like others I have dissected. Mann has a unique way of capturing innocence at the hand of her children. Through these photos, Mann has a way of capturing another side of her children that has often been teetering on the edge of feminism.
Although Sally Mann captures her children often in the nude, she has a unique way of challenging the beautiful ideals we place on young women. It may be a stretch for most, but the images of her daughters, dirty faces, and unbrushed hair are, in my opinion, extremely feminist. Today we place such high value on this norm that girls of all ages are to be pretty and well kept above all.
As described before, Mann's undeniable sense of realism when depicting her children show her feminist nature. For instance, the first image "Damage" shows her seemingly sexless, short haired daughter with a massively swollen eye. An image like this evokes such emotion in not the child but the viewer. To see a damaged child is not the way a mother, or a woman should be looking at her children. This also brings to life the very real idea that a mother is supposed to nurture her child, as opposed to document its damages.
Another images is titled "The New Mothers" shows Sally's two young daughters carrying their babies. The sexual stance of these two girls tends to cause a lot of tension among viewers. However, this image shows this same idea of very static, emotionless, children. This is something that isn't supposed to be highly idealized, when you see pictures of peoples children the norm is to show their absolute best sides. This is a construct that Sally Mann ignores.
Another rather famous image is titled "Candy Cigarette". This reason is something people either love or hate. I think it is a strong depiction of the world we place on young children. The adult ideas such as having children in "The New Mothers" is replicated here through depiction of children smoking.
There's no doubt that Sally Mann gives a different look at feminist art work, however some critiques do comment that the nude pictures of her children are not morally right as a mother. Many people say that because the children do not have a say in whether their picture is taken, these images boarder on the line of child pornography. This, to me, is just another layer of the ideas that Mann is trying to express. Now days a mother cannot even take pictures, beautiful pictures showing her children in their natural form without being called on it.
Do you believe that these images are feminist? How could you challenge against the feminist argument of these images?