Looking at us
In the art of keeping eye contact
What is about the eye contact that affects us so much? Different cultures give different meaning to it. It can demonstrate confidence, trust, respect, lack of respect, aggressiveness, love … desire.
The so-called “Window to the Soul”.
For some autistic with sharped sensibility, eye contact is too stressful. It is just too much. Better avoid. Some east Asian and indigenous cultures consider the eye contact avoidance something respectful, a sign of humility. In the other hand, It can be seen as an oppression, subservience to the stronger, richer.
There was a context in modern western cultures where the eye contact, the act of looking directly, was not allowed: In the 7th art, Cinema.
The “fourth wall”, an imaginary barrier between the characters and the audience. We, spectators immersed into what is happening, but invisible, passive. We are not there, no one should look at us. That’s the rule.
And then, this happened.
The iconic final scene of The 400 Blows (Les Quatre Cents Coups), directed by François Truffaut in 1959. That’s the Nouvelle Vague, the revolutionary French film movement, saying fuck the rules.
Pardon my French.
We have being caught. She knows we are looking at, and she looks at us.
Tremble, my friends, tremble.
The models are always so beautiful especially the red head!
So beautiful