Claude Cahun

images by Claude Cahun

Claude Cahun was a French surrealist photographer, sculptor and writer. Cahun was widely known for her self portraits where she crosses the gender boundary’s between male and female, which challenged the strict gender roles at the time. Cahun had a rather androgynous look which she used to help her switch between the gender, which was new for the time as there were stereotypical gender roles, and the thought for people being gender fluid or transgender or anything like that was not thought of. Cahun writes: “Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me. However, Cahun mainly referred to herself using grammatically feminine words however described her gender as gender fluid.

She was born 25th of October 1894 in Nantes to a well-off Jewish family. When Cahun was four years old her mother unfortunately was suffering of a mental illness which led to her mother being put into a permanent place at a psychiatric facility. Cahun attended the University Of Paris, Sorbonne. During this time is when he started her self-portrait photography which was as early as 1912 (which means she was 18) and continued to take photographs of herself through the 1930’s.However, Cahun passed on 8th of December 1954

Many of Cahun’s self-portraits show her with her head shaven and only from the shoulders up eliminating her body which blurs the gender indicators. Which shows that her identity and gender is allowed to be seen, however should not be objectified.

WW2 Activism

Cahun settled in Jersey in 1937, after the fall of France and the German occupation of Jersey and the Channel Islands . Where Cahun became an activist and propagandists and worked producing anti-German fliers. In 1944 Cahun was sentenced to death however it was not carried out as the Island was liberated in 1945, however throughout her time in jail Cahun’s health declined and unfortunately never recovered after being let out and Cahun passed on 8th of December 1954.

Cahun Analysis

This is image is taken using a film camera and the genre of this photography is portraiture.

The mise-en-scene presents the self-portrait photo of Claude Cahun sat on a chair, with a t-shirt that says don’t kiss me, I’m in training, with a black background. The tone of this image is pretty dark, dues to the background and her hair and makeup being dark as well. The use of light in this image is quite soft warm looking lighting, however, it is still artificial light so this may have been taken in her home or where ever she used as a studio. The focus distance is short as it is a close up photo and the depth of field is large as everything is in focus. The  leading lines of the images would be the lightness of her white outfit against the dark black background, as well as the black accessories she is wearing also bring your eyes across the image.

I believe the ISO is 100 as everything is in focus and not grainy. I believe that the shutter speed is 1000 as everything is clear.

Claude Cahun states: “The abstraction, the dream, are as limited for me as the concrete and the real” this demonstrates the fact that during the occupation she felt trapped and possibly isolated. As she has big dreams to be creative and free however they were stopped by WW2 and the occupation of Jersey.

Claude Cahun was born October 25th 1894 in France and passed away December 8th 1954 in the Jersey Channel Islands, Claude was a French artist known for their surreal self-portraits and exploration of gender identity. They challenged traditional ideas of gender, often presenting themselves as both masculine and feminine or somewhere in between. Their photos featured costumes, masks, and striking poses, experimenting with ideas of identity and self-expression.

Claude was also part of the anti-Nazi resistance during World War II, they created anti-German propaganda with their romantical partner, Marcel Moore who was there step sister/siblings. Though their work was mostly forgotten after their death, it was rediscovered in the 1980s and is now seen as a key influence in queer art and gender theory not just in Jersey but around the world.

Claude Cahuns birth name was Lucy Renée Mathilde Schwob, they later adopted the name Claude Cahun to reflect their rejection of gender norms, as “Claude” is a gender-neutral name in French. Claude Cahuns birth name was Lucy Renée Mathilde Schwob, they later adopted the name Claude Cahun to reflect their rejection of gender norms, as “Claude” is a gender-neutral name in French.

Claude’s work was made in order to break gender normality’s showing it could be fluid and ever-changing, it was self expression and a rebellion to the do’s and don’ts not just against gender norms, but also against authority and oppression, they also made some pieces to resist the Nazis during World War II as there partner Marcel Moore was trying to resist the Nazi occupation, it was done with the hope of inspiring others to think freely about who they are and what they stand for.

To do this Claude used self-portraits to challenge ideas about identity and gender. They dressed up in costumes, masks, and bold poses, combining masculine and feminine looks in order to show that identity isn’t fixed at birth.

By constantly changing their appearance, Claude sent a message that who we are isn’t set in stone. Their photos did end up encouraging loads of people globally to question social norms and see identity as something they should and could create for themselves.

This is a satellite photo of Jersey Channel Islands

Claude lived on the island of Jersey during World War II with their partner Marcel Moore. They joined the anti-Nazi resistance, creating secret leaflets to mock and discourage German soldiers.

Claude and Moore were arrested and sentenced to death but were freed when the war ended. Today, they are remembered on Jersey for their bravery and resistance against the Nazis.

This is a piece by Claude Cahun called “Me Myself and I”

**Simple Analysis of Claude Cahun’s “Me, Myself and I” **

Claude Cahun’s “Me, Myself and I” explores identity as fluid and ever-changing. Instead of presenting a single, fixed self, Cahun portrays the self as multiple, complex, and shifting. This directly challenges traditional ideas of gender and personal identity.

Key Themes

1. Multiplicity of Self: The title suggests that “self” isn’t singular. Cahun shows different versions of themselves, reflecting how identity is layered and changeable.
2. Gender Fluidity: Cahun rejected fixed gender roles, often presenting as both masculine and feminine—or neither. They famously said, “Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.”
3. Surrealist Aesthetic: Cahun used costumes, props, and masks to question reality and identity. This links to surrealist ideas about the subconscious and dreams.
4. Self as Performance: Like wearing costumes on a stage, Cahun shows that identity is something we “perform” rather than something fixed or natural.

Cahun’s work remains influential today, inspiring modern ideas about gender fluidity, drag culture, and self-expression in art​

Biography: Claude was born on 25th of October in 1894 in Nantes in France. She died on the 8th of December in1954 in Jersey channel islands.

Claude Cahun worked with and was dating her step sister Marcel Moore.

Cahun was sentenced to death as a punishment in 1954 for undermining the German forces and then her lover/step sister killed herself in 1972.

Cahun was championing the idea of gender fluidity way before the hashtags of today.  She was exploring her identity, not defining it. 

Claude Cahun mostly referred to herself with grammatically feminine words, but she also said that her actual gender was fluid. For example, in disavowals, Claude Cahun writes: “Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.” Claude Cahun is most well known for her androgynous appearance, which challenged the strict gender roles of her time.

Claude showed her gender through her photographs, these are some examples of that.

Claude used her photography skills to show of and share her sexuality and gender. Cahun was championing the idea of gender fluidity way before the hashtags of today.  She was exploring her identity, not defining it. 

Claude Cahun was born in 1894 and died in 1954. The was multifaceted – a French photographer, sculptor and writer. She is widely famous for her unique, revolutionary and rebellious self portraits that embody personas like weightlifter, aviator, and doll. In 1937 she moved to the island of Jersey with her stepsister and lover – Marcel Moore. She joined the resistance against Nazi Germanys forces during the islands occupation, and was imprisoned and sentenced to death in 1944 – however, the Germans never carried out the sentencing for fear of public outcry, so she narrowly survived. Many of her pieces and photos were seized and destroyed when the Nazis seized her home. The Jersey National trust holds the surviving collection of her art. Her health delined due to the imprisonment and she died in 1954 – her stepsister and parter commited suicide in 1972 – both are buried in St Brelades churchyard.

Her work wasn’t well known at the time – and it might’ve often been ridiculed, she was a cross gender person – and all her pieces challenged gender norms and general societal standards for photography and gender conventions. She used her androgynous look to her advantage by shaving her head and using this to create a sense of confusion and gender neutral appearances – this was almost never before seen.

IMAGE ANALYSIS

The mise-en-scene presents a multi-exposure image of Claude Cahun with a very androgynous, shaved, gender neutral appearance in two different positions – almost looking at each other. The background is dark and chalky. There are no clothes visible. The composition is central, the two faces being on either side of the centre, and the photo is well balanced.

She once explained: “Under this mask, another mask; I will never finish removing all these faces.” This quote may lead me to believe that these two faces may represent different masks – despite them looking the same – therefore it could be linked to some sort of differing emotion, or mood. There is a deep personal tension in the photo – and the name of the photo: Que Me Vas Tu? (What do you want from me) could indicate that the two headed creature present in the image is some sort of metaphor for a splitting of identities. In her case she is presenting herself as gender neutral as there are no clear characteristics between male and female.

The photo is clearly taken on a film camera – as was the only method of the time. And has a high level of grain. There is a harsh contrast and the eyes are almost a solid black. Similarly, the whites are a sharp and crisp solid white, with not much texture in the lighting. The background however is rich in texture and almost appears to be some sort of chalk board or similar.

I believe in this image she could be trying to make a statement on some sort of duality – for example, the duality of personalities of identities, the duality of male vs female. This is backed up by other things in the image like the duality of the black background against the harsh white skin (binary opposition).

WWII Activism

During WWII, Claude Cahun and her partner Marcel Moore did some really brave resistance work against the Nazis who occupied Jersey. They used their artistic and writing skills to fight back by creating anti-Nazi leaflets. What’s really cool is that they wrote the messages in German so the soldiers could read them, and they left them in sneaky places like soldiers’ pockets or around the island. This made it seem like there was a big underground movement, even though it was just the two of them.

Eventually, though, the Nazis figured out what they were doing, and in 1944, Cahun and Moore were arrested. They were sentenced to death, but luckily the sentence wasn’t carried out. Still, they were thrown in prison, and the experience really messed up Cahun’s health. Even though their resistance wasn’t super well-known at the time, what they did was super inspiring. It shows how creative resistance can be really powerful, even if it’s just a small group of people standing up to something so terrible.
Eventually, though, the Nazis figured out what they were doing, and in 1944, Cahun and Moore were arrested. They were sentenced to death, but luckily the sentence wasn’t carried out. Still, they were thrown in prison, and the experience really messed up Cahun’s health. Even though their resistance wasn’t super well-known at the time, what they did was super inspiring. It shows how creative resistance can be really powerful, even if it’s just a small group of people standing up to something so terrible.

What’s really inspiring about Cahun and Moore’s resistance is how creative and fearless they were, even though they were basically on their own. They didn’t just sit back and accept what was happening—they took real risks to stand up to the Nazis. It wasn’t just about passing out leaflets either; their messages were psychological warfare. They wanted to make the soldiers question what they were doing, and that’s such a smart and unique way to resist. They didn’t have weapons or an army, but they had their words and ideas, and they used them to fight back. It’s honestly amazing that two people could cause so much trouble for the occupiers with just some paper and a lot of courage.

Cindy Sherman

Creative Portraits are photos which focuses on both the surroundings of the photo as well as the person in the photo. Its a excellent way to depict a lot of information of a person just from looking at a single photo. Creative Portraits usually consist of images and other elements being combined to create unique images. There is many styles you can use in Creative Portraits which can help make your images look more creative and unique.

Double/Multi-Exposure

Double or Multi-Exposure is the process of layering a portion of images on top each other to create illusions. This can be done by either using a camera and adjusting the settings in order to take these multi-layered images or you can take multiple photos in the same place but different poses and then layer them on top of each other using photoshop.

By layering the photos it can result into some spectacular photos being created as there is many different ways you can layer out the photos to achieve the effect and look that you want. For example you can place the images very close together to make that blur effect or space them out evenly or away to create that ghost effect.

Photo Montage

Photomontage is the process of taking and gathering images and then editing them together mainly by cutting, gluing, rearranging or overlapping two or more together to make it into a new image. However Photomontage doesn’t have to be done physically, you can use editing programs like photoshop to edit your images in the style of photomontage like cutting pieces of the image and rearranging them or rotating them. As long as your edits fit the style of Photomontage then it can be done digitally.

This style is very popular and it was famously used to make political images. A Good example would be Russian Constructivism where many people created posters using Photo-Montage by using a solid background and a main subject for their images with usually a message written on it to get their point across.

Artist References

For my Double/Multi-Exposure I have chosen Man Ray as my inspiration as I like the poses that his subjects use in the photos as well as how he positions the subject to make the double exposure look unique and interesting which is something I want to replicate myself with my own ideas.

For my Photo Montage I have chosen Kensuoke Koike as my inspiration as I found it really interesting how he reconstructed the image in a way where it looked odd but appealing, most of the images are cut then reformed into different shapes and patterns which made it look more alluring to look at which is why I want to also replicate his photos and try achieve the same effect that his photos have.

My Photos

Double/Multi-Exposure

With my Double/Multi-Exposure images, I have been able to match the same style as Man Ray but with my own ideas, For the first image I told my subject to have a sinister look while also using a red colour gel to portray the red side as an evil while for the other side using a blue colour gel I got my subject to maintain that same position but to smile instead to show that the blue side is more of a happy/positive side. In the end it created a really interesting and funny image where you can see both sides of the Double Exposure perfectly. For the second image I tried to replicate that same idea but differently, I got my subject to make an angry expression like he was yelling with the red colour gel inserted to show the anger in his face while with the other side using the blue colour gel I got him to tilt the other way while making a happy and carefree expression which in the end resulted into another image I am quite proud of.

Photo Montage

With my Photo Montage images, I wanted to try replicate that same style that Kensuke Koike used with the shapes and patterns, so using photoshop I was able to find some shape and pattern templates and I ended up overlaying them on top of the image so I was able to cut out pieces of the image and rearrange them into unique patterns. In the end result it made for some very interesting and creative images with the first image being square pieces of his face flipped which worked out well thanks to the colour gel lighting in the image and with the second image being cut out triangle pieces of his face being rearranged in a way that ended up making it resemble the Rhombus shape.

These are my final photos presented in art steps. Overall I am satisfied with the result of my images and how they came out as they matched all the lighting techniques I wanted to use and they mostly look like unique photographs. However one thing I would do differently next time is I would try make the butterfly lighting look more dramatic/more clear as I think it could result into some even better photos if I was to achieve this.

Contact Sheet

I ended up not using a lot of the images that were taken as half of them were either not making eye contact with the camera or were test images and the other half I felt that it didn’t match the standards I was aiming for. However for the ones I did select I felt that they were effective attempts at the different lighting styles.

Attempt at Rembrandt Lighting

As you can see from my images I was able to capture the light triangle clearly under the eye which is the key characteristic of taking an image using Rembrandt lighting. You are also able to see the shadows casted under the right cheek and the right side of the nose which helps form that light triangle we are looking for. The strongest image out of these three is the one in the middle as I feel that it is clear to see the light triangle as well as the light intensity of the triangle which makes it easily visible for people to view the photo and identify that the image has used Rembrandt lighting.

Attempt at Chiaroscuro Lighting

As you can see from my images I was able to position the lights in a way where I could increase the amount of shadows and highlights that were casted around my face in order to attract the viewers attention more towards the shape of the face and the details of the face as well. Out of these three I would say the image on the right is the most effective as one side of the face is lit up which allows for those details to be visible and allows for the shape along my chin to be more visible, and the other side of the face which is blacked out which allows for the brighter side to be the main focus so the viewers attention is more towards the shape of the face around the divide in the middle.

Attempt at Butterfly Lighting

As you can see from my images I was able to position the light above the camera in order to cast shadows under the nose and to highlight some parts around the face which is what we want when trying to take pictures using butterfly lighting. Out of the these three I think that the image in the middle is the most effective as there is a clear visual of shadows under the nose and by the subject tilting their head slightly down it helped to create some minor shadows around the under and the top part of the eyelid.

Attempt at using Colour Gels

As you can see from my images I was able to put red coloured gel on the left side of the room and a blue coloured gel on the right side of the room which helped create this unique feel to the image. Coloured Gels have made these images standout and look more interesting to look at especially since the red and blue colours clash together nicely alongside each other. Out of these three images I think that the image on the left is more effective as it captures both of the colour gel lights perfectly creating a balance of both the red and blue light symmetrically on the subjects face.

What is it?

Creative photography contains an extra element (or elements) that are intentionally used to improve the photo from its original state.

Double/ Multi-Exposure

Double exposure photography is a technique that layers two different exposures on a single image, combining two photographs into one. Double exposure creates a surreal feeling for your photos and the two photographs can work together to convey deep meaning or symbolism.

Multiple exposures are photographs in which two or more images are superimposed in a single frame, and they’re super easy to create using your analogue camera.

These can both be achieved in photoshop by creating layers and then using blending options and opacity control, but also by erasing through parts of layers to reveal parts of other images, or by using the camera settings.

This is one of my edits that I made with two pictures of chanell. I did it so that it would look like her real emotions were coming out from the emotion that she displays on a daily basis.

Man Ray

Man Ray was best known for his pioneering photography, and was a renowned fashion and portrait photographer. He is also noted for his work with photograms, which he called “rayographs” in reference to himself. The influential and prolific American photographer and painter adopted the pseudonym Man Ray around 1909.

Man Ray’s exploration of multiple exposures allowed him to create images that were layered with meaning and symbolism. By superimposing multiple images onto a single frame, he constructed visual narratives that transcended the confines of linear storytelling.

The composition features a woman’s face partially obscured by the superimposition of several hands positioned in an almost ghostly manner. The interplay of light and shadow, alongside the ethereal double exposure technique, adds a hauntingly beautiful quality to the work. The melancholic expression of the face combined with the overlapping imagery creates a visual representation that evokes both mystery and introspection, inviting viewers to interpret the underlying emotions and narrative.

Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition photography involves combining two or more elements in the same picture, highlighting the interesting contrast between them, to create an eye-catching and thought-provoking image. Juxtaposition provides depth and interest in a photograph, and may also convey a message from the photographer.

Becque á Barbe: Face to Face – Martin Toft

Martin Toft is an artist and educator who has exhibited and published widely internationally. He was born in Aarhus, Denmark (1970). Self-taught in photography he completed his MA (by Project) in Fine Art at the University of Portsmouth in 2000. He moved to Jersey, Channel Islands in 2004 to take up his current post of Teacher of Photography (part-time) at Hautlieu school. He works on commissions and long-term independent and collaborative projects and his practice combines documentary and fine art approach to explore social, anthropological and cultural themes, often immersing himself in communities for long periods of time. His work is underpinned by archival research using lens-based media across photography, video, sound and text.

The Becque à Barbe project depicts human faces that are juxtaposed with “portraits” of rock faces. Martin Toft has taken images of rocks that appear similar to the native speakers due to their posture, facial features and overall silhouette. I believe that the concept of juxtaposing a portrait of a native speaker with an image of a rock face is to look at how Jérriais is used, not only to describe characteristics of people but also how it is embedded in Jersey’s native tongue in describing a landscape. Some portraits are darker than others in tone which could reflect how the language was hidden when English became the formal speech in Jersey and Jèrriais was suppressed publicly and prohibited to be spoken in schools.

Montage

Montage work includes various types of image editing in which multiple photographs are cut up and combined to form one new image.

Aleksander Rodchenko / Russian Constructivism

Rodchenko was one of the most versatile constructivist and productivist artists to emerge after the Russian Revolution. He worked as a painter and graphic designer before turning to photomontage and photography. His photography was socially engaged, formally innovative, and opposed to a painterly aesthetic.

From 1918 to 1922 Rodchenko increasingly worked in the Constructivist style: a completely abstract, highly geometric style that he painted by using a ruler and compass. In 1918 Rodchenko presented a solo show in Moscow. That year he also painted a series of black-on-black geometric paintings in response to the famous White on White painting of his rival, Kazimir Malevich. That spirit of rivalry with the older generation of avant-garde painters proved an important creative stimulus for Rodchenko. As head of the group of young Constructivists, he engaged in a heated battle for “industrial art” over easel painting. The battle was won by the “industrial artists,” in the field of theory (Rodchenko replaced Wassily Kandinsky as the director of the Institute of Artistic Culture) as well as in the teaching and practice of art. In 1919 Rodchenko began to make three-dimensional constructions out of wood, metal, and other materials, again by using geometric shapes in dynamic compositions; some of those hanging sculptures were, in effect, mobiles.

Final photos

1. Research the photographer

About Claude Cahun

Answer these questions:

1. What was Claude Cahun known for?i
2. What name was Cahun given at birth?
3. What was the goal of their work?
4. How did Cahun achieve this goal? (Who did they photograph? How are they portrayed? What message are they trying to convey?).
5. What is Claude Cahun’s connection to Jersey?

 2. Analyse a chosen photo in depth:

Use the template below to help you analyse photos:

Visual:

1. Who is in the image?
2. How are they posed? Where is their gaze pointed?
3. What are they wearing?
4. What are they holding – what does it say- can you find out more about what it says??
5. What does the sign say on their chest?

Technical

• Lighting – Do you think this uses artificial or natural lighting? How does the lighting accentuate the figure?
• Aperture – Dess this image have a soft or sharp focus background? What could this tell us about the aperture?
• Angle – What angle has the photo been taken at? What does this contribute?
• Is it a full body shot / half body shot / three-quarter body shot?

Contextual

• Research more on the role of women in the 1920s and 1930s

Conceptual

• How does Cahun’s work react to the role of women / gender in the 20s and 30s?
• What do you think the sign on their chest means?
• Why does the dumbbell have the words he words Totor and Popol? Could Cahun and Moore see their own relationship in these duos? Could it refer to Cahun’s multiplicity of identities? Could it link to their quote: “My soul is fragmentary.”?
• There’s a lot of contradictions in the image… the feminine pose vs the dumbbell… what could Cahun be saying about identity / gender?

What Is Identity?

The unique set of characteristics that can be used to identify a person as themselves and no one else and the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

What is Femininity?

Qualities and attributes to have characteristics of women or girls.

What is Masculinity?

 By displaying attitudes and behaviours that will signify and validate maleness and it will be involved by being recognised, by other people.

Identity can be influenced by a number of things such as gender ,cultural, social, geographical, political, lack of / loss of identity, stereotypes, prejudices

Identity

Gender Identity

Gender identity is the personal sense of their own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person’s assigned sex or they can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are consistent with the individual’s gender identity. Gender expression will  typically reflect a person’s gender identity, but this is not always the case. While a person may express behaviours, attitudes, and appearances consistent with a particular  gender role such expression may not necessarily match their gender identity. 

Cultural Identity 

Cultural identity is a part of a person’s identity, or their self-conception and their own self-perception , and this will relate to nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality and gender. Or any type of group linked to a certain culture. In this way, cultural identity is both characteristic of the individual  but also of the culturally identical group of members sharing the same cultural identity or upbringing. Cultural identity is an unfixed process that is continually evolving within the discourses of social, cultural, and historical experiences.

Social Identity

Social identity is the portion of an individual’s self-concept  borrowed from a perceived membership in a relevant social group.

Geographical Identity

An individual or group’s sense of connection a country, region, city, or village in which they live.

Political Identity

Political identity is a form of social identity  marking a membership of certain groups that share a common struggle for a particular form of power. This can include identification with a political party, but also positions on specific political issues, nationalism, inter-ethnic relations or more abstract ideological themes. These views will change all the time.

Lack of/loss of identity

A lack of self-identity can come from a variety of causes, including childhood trauma and pressure, as well as mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Stereotypes

Stereotypes are  attributes that society will make groups of people to classify them according to age, weight, occupation, skin colour, gender, etc.

Prejudice 

Prejudice can be an emotional feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) a classification   of another person based on that person’s recognised personal characteristics, such as  sex, gender,values,social,class,age,dissability,religion,race,ethnicity,language,nationality,culuture,wealth,education and many more. or other anticipated characteristics.