Beyond the Image: Female Art Models in Contemporary Photography—Precarious Work, Relational Labour and Gendered Digital Visibility

Author Information

Alexandre Abellard, IMSIC, Université de Toulon, Aix-Marseille Université, France

Abstract

This research examines the work of female photographic models as a largely invisible and precarious form of labour situated at the intersection of the gig economy, body work, aesthetic labour, and emotional labour. Based on twenty semi-structured interviews conducted primarily in France, the research explores how models navigate poorly adapted legal frameworks for independent and amateur practices, as well as economic instability, emotional vulnerability, and the time-consuming, highly gendered relational labour generated by digital visibility and the constant need to maintain an online presence. These conditions create significant power asymmetries and, in some cases, expose models to sexualized behaviours and gender-based violence from photographers. Despite their prevalence, these realities remain largely unknown to the public, are often overlooked in academic research, and are seldom discussed by the models themselves. By shedding light on these experiences, this study contributes to broader debates on precarious labour, gendered visibility work in digital environments, and the hidden forms of labour underpinning contemporary cultural production.

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• Category: Arts - Visual Arts Practices

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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