Art, science and authority in conflict. The Matilda effect in visual culture

Abstract

Introduction. Studies in science communication have shown the importance that scientific culture has for society. From a gender perspective, it has been shown that the so-called Matilda effect has generated a masculinized reception of science, a bias that is visibly present in the media. This research proposes an approach to the origins of the masculinized vision of science in visual arts. Objectives and methodology.  We live in the age of images, but when such images have been overwhelmingly projected by male actors, it is difficult to find other profiles represented in positions of authority and knowledge development, contributing to a skewed image of the world. This work is based on an analysis of several works of art examples that continue to legitimize the Matilda Effect in visual spaces for knowledge, such as museums, where the great references of science continue to be primarily male. Results and discussion. Understanding scientific culture as one of the main issues for citizenship education and the visual arts as one of the most significant means for meaningful learning and the development of critical capacity, the underlying results lead us to advocate for a future where diversity of scientific profiles and researchers is a fact, being necessary to review the discourse of the visual representation of science made by women and of what our culture has represented, throughout history of art, as an image of scientific authority.