Deconstruction of the Colonial Gaze - "Another Country" explores the mechanisms of the colonial gaze, which transforms the observed into an object through projections – exotic, foreign, and at the same time aesthetically appealing. The series places focus on perception, power, projection, and subjectivity.
Generative Photography
„Deconstruction of the Colonial Gaze“
Another Country / # 01
Color Print / 40 x 50 cm
The title of the series takes inspiration from James Baldwin’s Another Country, a work that examines the tension between otherness and intimacy, identity and power. By adopting these themes, the series reframes them to interrogate the construction of “otherness” and the role beauty plays within the colonial gaze.
The visual language is characterized by an aesthetic of elevation. Through perfect lighting, precise composition, and intentional use of color, the series creates a sense of distance that compels the viewer to reflect on their own positionality. This heightened aesthetic mirrors the colonial gaze, which idealizes the “other” without ever seeking genuine understanding.
Another Country / # 02 – 05
Color Print / 40 x 50 cm
Another Country / #06 – 15
Color Print / 40 x 50 cm
A recurring motif in the series is the flower, symbolizing beauty, fragility, transformation, and concealment. It acts as a projection surface for the viewer’s desires and fantasies. Simultaneously, it partially obscures the subjects, underscoring how the colonial gaze often conceals and distorts, robbing the observed of their authenticity.
The subjects’ direct gaze into the camera—and into the eyes of the viewer—creates a dynamic tension. Their expressions blend strength with vulnerability, highlighting the interplay between objectification and subjectivity. This gaze becomes a confrontation, an invitation, and ultimately a critique, forcing the question: who is truly observing whom?
The series reveals how beauty within the colonial gaze is always a construct of the observer. Through heightened stylization, it amplifies these projections, overemphasizing the typical attributes assigned to the „other“—exoticism, mystery, and foreignness.
At the same time, the series highlights the subjectivity of the portrayed individuals. Their presence, physicality, and direct gaze challenge the dominant perspective, asserting themselves not merely as objects but as agents questioning the power dynamics of observation.
Subtle irregularities in the staging—whether through shadows, reflections, or compositional choices—destabilize the visual perfection and create space for critical reflection. These fractures symbolize the vulnerability and fluidity concealed beneath the veneer of idealization.
Another Country , Joerg Alexander