Artistic Expressions of Visual Arts Teacher Candidates Concerning the Image of Woman: An a/R/Tographic Inquiry

The image of woman has been an important symbol in aesthetic production as both a normative and narrative figure. Social developments and innovations have also interpreted, positioned, and assigned various ideological roles to this image. This study aims to examine visual arts teacher candidates’ perspectives on the image of woman and how these perspectives are transformed into artistic expression. The study focuses on the a/r/tographic processes carried out with students in the Department of Art Education within the “Elective Studio” course during the spring semester of 2020–2021. Within the framework of a/r/tography, a rhizomatic analysis approach was adopted. Through the activities, the participants’ perceptions, interpretations, associations, and experiences related to the image of woman were examined. Data obtained from interviews, reflective writings, and visual productions were analyzed under the theme of “Form.” In this process, the categories of “Masculine Form” and “Feminine Form” emerged. The findings indicate that teacher candidates transformed their experiences and perspectives on the image of woman into visual expressions. While creating forms, they established meaningful relationships with materials based on real-life experiences. The participants focused not only on the aesthetic qualities of materials, forms, and colors, but also on their semantic dimensions. In the final stage, they moved beyond formal and technical concerns and developed deeper intellectual and conceptual approaches in their artistic productions.