A Mutable Mirror: Claude Cahun, Cat Boyce

While reading Therese Lichtenstein’s “A Mutable Mirror: Claude Cahun” from “ Illuminations” I was intrigued to learn about Claude Cahun life as a photographer. I previously, had never heard of her or her work, which surprised me since she was compared to contemporary photographer, Cindy Sherman (and her work embodied surrealism and identity, 2 things that influence me in my own work).  Although Sherman does photograph similar themes that Cahun did, she has been well known during her photography career. (I believe her photograph, Untitled #96, is the third most expensive photograph ever sold that has been recorded to date at over $3.5 million.) I seem to have looked at her work or learned about Sherman, throughout my college career photography courses, yet not once do I remember anyone comparing her work to the surrealist, Cahun. This is almost ironic since Lichtenstein goes on about how no one really knew anything about Cahun when she was alive. That couldn’t be more opposite for Sherman, which could also be saying something of the highly technological era as well as, the continually growing support for gender, and sexuality equality and freedom to express yourself. People had known so little of Cahuns life that they believed that she died in a concentration camp, when in fact she did not. In addition, many old photography books would refer to her as a man, granted many of her self-portraits prompted that assumption.

            “A women who represents herself as a man may express a desire for access to the kind of power that is part of male privilege in Western Culture – or may not” (93, Lichtenstein). I’m not sure what Chaun’s intentions were in her self exploration in identity but I have a feeling it was much more than her own desire to have the power of man. Reading about her, along side her step sister, Suzanne Malherbe and their prominent involvement in resistance activities towards the Holocaust including distrusting out anti-Nazi leaflets, gives me the impression that she is a go getter and fighter.  Not only that, but she was creating controversial work during a time when women in surrealism were merely used as a muse, and French Surrealist photographers were homosexual. One would therefore, presume that her work was not only a desire to have the power of man, but a potential desire for equality on all levels for all people, women, men, gays, lesbians, and straight individuals.  I can’t help but think what her work would be like if she lived in the 21^st century, where it is much more acceptable to be who you are, and showcase your sexuality. Personally, I think she would be just as controversial and driven by sexuality.

Another point that Lichtenstein made about Cahun’s work is that her work pushes the self to become ever new. However, she poses the question, “there is also a sad feeling of a soul wandering in limbo from one mask to another. Is this sexually indeterminate presence a liberated self or a self in crisis?”  I think any artist dealing with issues of identity is in somewhat interested in exploring self-discovery through pursuing their own identity or else they probably wouldn’t be so intrigued by it.  I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as a “self in crisis,” however; I also wouldn’t necessarily consider it a “liberated self.” Personally, I certainly think Cahun was trying to express herself through exploring her identity through her artwork. I also think Cahun was obsessed with exploring the boundaries of identity and gender, not only for herself, but also as a study based on identity as a concept.