How does Hannah Höch explore a global issue in her artwork ‘Beautiful Girls’?

Hannah Höch’s artwork, “Beautiful Girls,” serves as a poignant representation of the prevailing gender inequalities present in society, and offers insights into the transformation of women’s lifestyles during the era of industrialization. The pervasive global issue of gender inequality within cultural spheres restricts the full spectrum of identities and communities from being authentically portrayed and celebrated, impeding the exploration of diverse cultural expressions. Gender inequality remains restricting the authentic representation of diverse identities and communities. Höch’s “Beautiful Girls” challenges the societal norms and gender roles that perpetuate such inequality, emphasising the need for inclusive cultural expressions. This essay delves into the global issue of gender inequality within cultural contexts, analysing Höch’s artwork in relation to the restrictions faced by women and the subsequent changes that emerged during the industrialization period, through comparisons of women’s lifestyles in the era of industrialization, liberation and constraints, and cultural expression in women’s empowerment.

Höch utilises a photomontage structure in her artwork to deconstruct and reimagine societal notions of femininity. By juxtaposing disparate images sourced from popular media, she critiques the objectification and limited representations of women. This critique aligns with the broader discourse on the need for gender equality and the dismantling of gender stereotypes, and further depicts how their lifestyles changed over the course of the industrialisation period. Hannah Höch includes the beauty standards of traditional women at that time through the use of the cutouts, for example the giant cutout of women’s hair yet excluding the face, displaying conventional women’s hairstyles at the time. This further emphasises how women were objectified more through these direct beauty standards and expectations as one of the main defining features seems to have been their hair with their faces rendered less important, which is how they were portrayed in magazines and to society. The use of cutouts from day-to-day magazines and newspapers further portrays the ‘now’ nature of her piece, as it showcases the immediate/current state of society through these physical sources that were distributed countrywide and viewed by many. The stereotypes cut out from the magazine and placed in her artwork emphasise the immediate effects of how women are portrayed, and how their values and beliefs still remained restricted in that society.

Industrialization brought about significant changes in women’s lifestyles. As urbanisation and technological advancements progressed, women’s roles expanded beyond the domestic sphere. Höch’s artwork reflects the shifting societal expectations and the evolving opportunities available to women during this transformative era. While industrialization opened up new avenues for women, it also introduced constraints. The artwork depicts the struggle for liberation from traditional gender roles, highlighting the tension between societal expectations and individual aspirations. Höch’s use of fragmented and disjointed compositions in the artwork symbolises the fragmentation of women’s identities within a patriarchal society. By cutting and reassembling images, she emphasises the restrictive and arbitrary nature of societal expectations placed on women. This technique can be observed in her other works as well, such as “Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch of Germany,” where she criticises political and cultural figures of the time, including the limited representation of women in those spheres. Through dismembering men of high political power by placing their heads on varying bodies including a baby, a ballerina, and a range of animals, Hannah Höch challenges traditional power structures and exposes the absurdity and inherent inequality within them. This technique serves as a subversive critique of the male-dominated political and cultural spheres which have been represented in ‘Beautiful Girls’. Through her artistic choices, Höch highlights the oppressive nature of patriarchal systems and questions the legitimacy and authority of those in power. It also reinforces her commitment to dismantling traditional gender roles and promoting inclusivity and equality in society throughout the wider text.

Furthermore, Hannah Höch emphasises the liberation and constraints on women after industrialisation, and their ongoing difficulty in expressing their ideas and beliefs during this era. Hannah Höch uses symbols that serve as powerful visual representations to convey the complexities and challenges faced by women in expressing their identities within the confines of societal expectations. One example is the lightbulb placed on top of a seated woman, representing enlightenment and progress.  Höch suggests that industrialization and technological advancements brought new opportunities for women, expanding their roles beyond traditional domesticity. The lightbulb serves as a visual metaphor for the illumination and empowerment of women, highlighting their potential for intellectual and creative contributions in a changing world. However, this is juxtaposed as the lightbulb is seemingly placed upon a poised woman, wearing traditionally revealing clothing, and missing one hand. This portrays how though women are intellectually able to take on new roles in society, the expectations and societal norms still objectify them, assuming them to take up roles more traditionally done by women. This portrays how Höch believes gender roles in society had still not been eradicated through industrialisation, and instead the focus shifted to women as an object or statue, to be looked at, but with no significant ability to make an impact in society. This is further emphasised by the symbols of the wheel and lever, which highlight the constraints and limitations imposed on women’s cultural expression during the era of industrialization. These symbols are associated with mechanisation and the dehumanisation of labour. By incorporating them into her montages, Höch critiques the reduction of women to mere components within the societal machinery. It signifies the societal expectations that confined women to specific roles and restricted their creative expression within the rigid structures of the time.

In Höch’s artwork “Movement I,” she explores the impact of industrialization on society and the shifting gender roles that emerged during that time. The artwork features mechanical elements, gears, and industrial motifs, representing the mechanistic nature of industrialization. This aligns with the symbolism of the wheel and lever in “Beautiful Girls,” which similarly convey the dehumanising aspects of the industrial era and the confinement of women within societal structures. The dehumanising aspect of women is an overarching theme in many of Höch’s pieces, and this piece centres around this theme through the illusion of cohesive wholeness, drawing attention to specific parts of the artwork. The use of cutouts allowed Höch to utilise aspects from many different areas, further objectifying women in society. The bent female arm and hand which she utilised as a leg portrays this statue of a kind of dismembered corpse, showing the uncomfortable nature of women’s role in society post industrialisation. Additionally, the use of continuity throughout the piece portrays how women are viewed in society as only existing to look perfect, only for the male gaze, showing the unnatural aspect of magazine appearances of women, and the unrealistic beauty standards and body images that arise out of this. Additionally, the placement on top of a plinth exaggerates how women are displayed in society, and how public images of femininity are desired without women’s interference in society, dehumanising women and even taking away their humanity and individuality as they’re shown as figures created for the male gaze. 

Hannah Höch’s “Beautiful Girls” serves as a compelling commentary on gender inequality, cultural expression, and the evolving lifestyles of women during the era of industrialization. Through her artistic vision, Höch challenges restrictive norms, advocates for women’s empowerment, and encourages a more inclusive representation of diverse identities and communities. By analysing this artwork in relation to the global issue of gender inequality, valuable insights are gained into the transformations and struggles faced by women, both then and now. This portrays the ongoing journey towards gender equality and the necessity of embracing cultural expressions to celebrate the richness of diverse identities.