Reporter: Ahmad Hadid
Umah Ramah once more hosted the 4th series discussions of Keprapag Maskulinitas, with the theme “Photography and Masculinity” on Friday, June 21, 2024. Numerous young individuals from diverse backgrounds in Cirebon participated in the event held in the Umah Ramah office.
Kurnia Ngayuga Wibowo, most often known as Yuga, a young photography artist from Cirebon, was the resource person in this discussion. He argued that the practice of photography is not just a technique of photographing, but also involves power dynamics which often harm the object being photographed.
“Photographers often have complete control over the images they produce without asking for consent from the objects being photographed,” he explained firmly.
In terms of history, Yuga discussed the colonial era, when photography was employed to document racial stereotypes and disparage indigenous people.
“Particularly in the context of colonialism, photography has turned into an instrument of power by presenting images staged to tell specific stories, including pictures of local rulers and British generals that might not accurately represent the circumstances,” he explained while showing photos on the slide he was presenting.
Terms in the world of photography such as ‘hunting’ and ‘shooting’ were also highlighted by Yuga as part of a culture that subtly reinforces the dominance of masculinity.
The resource person continued the discussion by stressing that cameras can be used for exploitation, particularly in the fashion sector, which frequently promotes the objectification of women’s bodies.
“This practice of objectification not only causes discomfort, but also increases the risk of sexual violence,” he said seriously. []
This article was translated by Napol Riel.