Everything I Do Is For The Gaze
An artist and her gallerist clash over a proposed exhibition of male nudes.
Roisin and I, frequent collaborators, wanted to explore how the female gaze contrasts with the male gaze, which led us to imagine a story about two women drawing a nude male model and examining desire and objectification. As we talked further, we recognised that our desire wasn’t so literal, prompting research into how the male form has been represented in art history and revealing that most fragmented depictions of the male body were created by men, with little from female-identifying artists. Studying the male nude over time exposed shifting layers of eroticism, shame, and censorship, and both the film and drawings probe these themes, lifting shame through a childlike, high-key palette. Creating the illustrations became such an enjoyable habit that I almost forgot they were originally intended only as set material for the film.
An artist and her gallerist clash over a proposed exhibition of male nudes.
Roisin and I, frequent collaborators, wanted to explore how the female gaze contrasts with the male gaze, which led us to imagine a story about two women drawing a nude male model and examining desire and objectification. As we talked further, we recognised that our desire wasn’t so literal, prompting research into how the male form has been represented in art history and revealing that most fragmented depictions of the male body were created by men, with little from female-identifying artists. Studying the male nude over time exposed shifting layers of eroticism, shame, and censorship, and both the film and drawings probe these themes, lifting shame through a childlike, high-key palette. Creating the illustrations became such an enjoyable habit that I almost forgot they were originally intended only as set material for the film.
CREDITS:
Director : Vasilisa Forbes
Producer & Co-Writer: Roisin Monaghan
DOP: Kevin Lawrence
Editor: Vasilisa Forbes
Sound: Geoffrey Papin
Grade: Michael Pearce
Starring Vasilisa and Roisin
Shot on location in Margate, Kent and exhibited at Salon Gallery in Margate at the Margate Film Festival 27th - 30th November 2025. Film available to watch on request after the festival showing.
Director : Vasilisa Forbes
Producer & Co-Writer: Roisin Monaghan
DOP: Kevin Lawrence
Editor: Vasilisa Forbes
Sound: Geoffrey Papin
Grade: Michael Pearce
Starring Vasilisa and Roisin
Shot on location in Margate, Kent and exhibited at Salon Gallery in Margate at the Margate Film Festival 27th - 30th November 2025. Film available to watch on request after the festival showing.
