The “male” section portrays men engaged in active pursuits within industrial and affluent settings, in stark contrast to the passive depiction of women amidst natural surroundings. For example, Elvis Presley is depicted completely dressed and shown in a close-up of his face. This implies that he is also admired for his musical talent and not solely for his physical appearance. Boty acknowledges a nuanced dimension to this issue, noting that while these men may possess admirable qualities, they function within a societal framework that perpetuates a “man’s world,” further reinforcing gender divides and limitations.
On the contrary, the second painting in this series portrays women as flat representations, devoid of complexity. Boty questions whether these women are depicted as sexually empowered, attractive, and self-assured in their nakedness, or rather as objectified and anonymized with their faces or feet cropped out. Instead of being portrayed as real individuals with multifaceted identities and sexual autonomy, their sexuality is appropriated for the gratification of a male audience, while their other qualities remain unrecognized.
Tragic End
Pauline Boty’s narrative is often recounted with a specific emphasis on the tragic circumstances of her passing. In 1965, Boty received the devastating diagnosis of cancer during a routine medical examination while pregnant. Opting against treatment that would necessitate an abortion, she chose to carry her child to term. Just four months after giving birth to her daughter, she tragically succumbed to the illness at the age of 28. Following her passing, her artistic oeuvre remained largely unseen from the public eye. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that some of her work resurfaced at her brother’s estate in Kent.
Pauline Boty: A Forgotten Femme of British Pop Art
Pauline Boty delivered social critique and irony with her remarkable artistic oeuvre. She engaged in a varied artistic practice, spanning from creating stained glass pieces to crafting playful paintings and collages featuring cultural icons like Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. Nonetheless, she delved into important subjects such as the American race riots and the Cuban missile crisis. Boty defied conventions and empowered her female subjects with sexual agency, challenging traditional gender roles through her bold and provocative works and lifestyle.
