"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus;" the two genders seem so different from one another, they may as well be from different planets! The many differences between males and females have been documented in literature, science, art, and history books for as long as they have existed. Although no one may ever know exactly why men and women think so differently at times, it is clear that men and women have dissimilar views on a variety of topics. As an Emerson scholar, Katie Poulin, '04, hopes to examine, compare and contrast the masculine versus feminine perspectives as depicted through art.
In order to uncover gender differences, how men and women express themselves differently, and why the different genders use different means of expression to convey their ideas, she will use World War I as a historical grounding. A recipient of the prestigious Emerson Grant, Poulin will work with her advisor, Professor of Art Deborah Pokinski, examining the work of German expressionist artists Kathe Kollwitz and Otto Dix. She seeks to discover the differences between the ways male and female artists portray war. By looking at images created by both of these artists during and after World War I, she will attempt to discuss the masculine versus feminine perspectives on war.
Kate Poulin is a rising senior with a double major in art history and economics at Hamilton College.
Created in 1997, the Emerson Foundation Grant program was designed to provide students with significant opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty members, researching an area of interest. The recipients, covering a range of topics, will explore fieldwork, laboratory and library research, and the development of teaching materials. The projects will be initiated this summer, and the students will make public presentations of their research throughout the 2003-2004 academic year.
