This visual project seeks to question the concept of orientalism
by
highlightig the problematic gaze in which the West views the East.
One that
percieves the "orient" as exotic and lacking of self agency.
Monkeys and leapords often appeared in orientalist paintings as a means to
exagerate the supposed exotic nature of the "orient." In the orientalist perspective,
people of the east are similar to exotic animals meant to serve the needs of the
west. These visual projects seek to question these narratives by combining
popular orientalist paintings like the "Girl With a Pearl Earing" and the
"Portrait of Wallin" with images of
a monkey and leapord, respectively.