Cate White’s exhibition ‘Men’ at Small Works Projects in San Francisco is a thought-provoking exploration of masculinity, humanity, and the complexities of male identity.
Cate White‘s recent exhibition ‘Men‘ at Small Works Projects in San Francisco is a thought-provoking exploration of masculinity, humanity, and the complexities of male identity. ‘Men’ is a show that both channel the ’70s vibe of objectifying male bodies while also dodging simple objectification.
White‘s polymorphous style revels in rough, often unfinished qualities within dazzling crazy quilts of formal choices. This punkish energy communicates White‘s intelligence and wit, which seeks to make connections between viewers, subjects, and the artist herself through a sustained array of striking techniques. The paintings of male bodies posed for would-be lusty consumption range far from any single ideal body type or any ideal at all.
Rather than making these portraits into a parade of grotesqueries, White‘s sympathetic appreciation of each subject’s humanity returns the direct gaze of the subjects themselves while maintaining human connection. She portrays them in a light that is open to befriending and treating them as worthy of respect. These are working-class bodies, caught up in moments of pleasure, leisure, and showing off.
The figures in White‘s portraits are mostly doing the best with what they’ve got – laid out on humble bedspreads in small domestic spaces, holding low-cost party drinks and sporting low-fashion, mass-produced clothing. This challenges traditional notions of beauty and desire, which often objectify male bodies as objects of lust.
Male identity is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses an individual's sense of self, masculinity, and role within society.
It is shaped by a combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors.
Research suggests that traditional masculine norms can have both positive and negative effects on males, influencing their behavior, relationships, and mental health.
Studies also indicate that societal expectations around masculinity can lead to restrictive emotional expression, aggression, and risk-taking behaviors in men.
White‘s formal interventions in painting-as-usual are a divergent set of techniques that indicate things rather than attempting to smoothly create some illusion of realism. These include deliberate sketchiness, sprays of carefully applied mica and glitter, drips and flares of paint, textual tags boldly superimposed on painting surfaces, and cheap collage elements.
The show’s subject is clearly ‘Men,’ but there are several other non-human presences, including more than one fish and collage-like animal elements. These elements jar the viewer like exegetic music in a film, momentarily reminding us of the artifice behind the media they’re immersed in.
The play on markers for ‘female’ attributes that aren’t simply desired by the central male human figures but also latently coexistent within those figures hints at a compositing of binary ideas of gender. This is further complicated by the depiction of cats as avatars for other emotions underlying those expressed on the human figures’ faces.
Gender is a complex and multifaceted concept that refers to the social, cultural, and psychological characteristics associated with being male or female.
It is distinct from biological sex, which is determined by chromosomal and anatomical differences.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , there are over 100 recognized gender identities worldwide, including cisgender, transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals.
Research suggests that approximately 0.6% of the global population identifies as transgender or non-binary.
Understanding and respecting individual gender identities is crucial for promoting inclusivity and reducing stigma.
The show points to free love’s runoff from and its feints to cross-gender equality, at least as far as ideas of equality trickled down to and were embraced by varied levels of class. White‘s work is indeed worthy of attention in how such ideas might be diffused throughout contemporary society – if still controversially so – but also because of the insightful, extraordinarily dynamic and empathetic good humor with which White renders a complex matrix of human relationships via a highly entertaining set of paintings.
Equality refers to the state of being equal in rights, status, and opportunities.
It involves treating individuals or groups fairly and without bias, regardless of their background, culture, or characteristics.
The concept of equality is often associated with human rights and social justice.
In many countries, laws and policies are put in place to promote equality, such as anti-discrimination laws and affirmative action programs.
According to a report by the World Bank, 85% of countries have laws that prohibit discrimination at work.
The exhibition ‘Men‘ at Small Works Projects in San Francisco runs through March 4, 2025.
