F*ck the male gaze

Kateryna Vodolazka

Painting

60 x 60 cm

This painting represents a deeply personal journey—a transformation through years of creative silence and self-discovery. Initially started in 2020 as an attempt at realistic painting, this piece marked the end of one artistic chapter and the beginning of a five-year creative crisis. For years, it traveled with me to every new apartment, serving as a bittersweet reminder of the person I used to be: focused on perfection, validation, and comparison. In 2024, I revisited this work, not to erase the past but to confront it. The delicate flowers—painted with the intention of achieving beauty and technical realism—symbolize my former self: someone deeply influenced by societal standards and the ever-present “male gaze.” But I’m not that person anymore. I’ve grown, shaped by feminist literature and personal realizations, and I no longer seek external approval. The bold text overlay, “F*ck the Male Gaze,” isn’t an act of rebellion—it’s a declaration of liberation. It’s a reminder for myself and for women everywhere: we are enough as we are. We don’t need to seek validation, nor should we compromise our paths or compare ourselves to others. This painting is especially timely in light of ongoing global challenges to women’s rights and autonomy, standing as both a personal and universal call to action. Ultimately, Fck the Male Gaze* bridges the past and present, capturing the transformation from striving to be “perfect” in the eyes of others to unapologetically embracing authenticity and independence. It’s not just a painting—it’s a statement of resilience and self-empowerment.