artist statement

In Anja Paixão’s body of work, #boysdontcry, 5 men were interviewed on the topic of manliness, and how the notion of being manly has shaped how men behave today. Focusing around men’s emotions and crying, the video touches on something that is almost taboo in today’s society.

Topics such as masculinity and femininity has been in the spotlight for a while. However, if we want a change to happen in society about the way we regard men and their emotions, the topic still needs continuous exposure to make people more aware and influence a change in the way they think.

Paixão aims for the viewers of the video to think twice about their expectations of boys and men when it comes to emotions. Boys are taught from a young age to not cry because that makes them weak, and not manly enough. She hopes to challenge this notion through her body of work, and be a part of the change regarding masculinity and manliness. Boys can cry. Emotions do not make you weak. Suppressing emotions can have fatal consequences. Speak up. Someone cares.