The Metaphors of Spatial Merging: The Female Body as House in the Work of Mary Caponegro, Louise Bourgeois, and Francesca Woodman
Keywords:
Ecriture Féminine, gender, space, body, patriarchyAbstract
This article analyzes the metaphorical representation of the female body as a domestic space in the works of Mary Caponegro, Louise Bourgeois, and Francesca Woodman. The paper explores how these artists challenge traditional gender roles and spatial segregation by using their bodies as creative organs, a concept rooted in Hélène Cixous's theory of écriture féminine. The study examines the historical and philosophical context of women's relationship to their bodies and domestic spaces, drawing on the works of Luce Irigaray, Elizabeth Grosz, and Daphne Spain. Through an analysis of the artists' use of boxes and other spatial metaphors, the article demonstrates how they express themes of entrapment, alienation, and subversion of conventional thought. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to feminist art criticism and the broader discourse on gendered spaces.
(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)
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