Seeing And Being Seen: Power Behind Madame Tussauds

Over200years of development, the wax museum Madame Tussauds neverfails to attract a large number of tourists coming for a visit. The wax figures onexhibition mainly account for its success. From the perspective of business operation,Madame Tussauds aims to create the wax figures which can satisfy the public’scuriosity so as to expand its influence and popularity. This thesis, however, viewsMadame Tussauds as a visual text and mainly studies the New York branch byappropriately adopting Foucault’s theory of power analysis and using abundantpictures for further explanations.By analyzing the visual environment constructed by Madame Tussauds, thewax figures on exhibition and the interaction between the wax figures and visitors asobjects of power practice, this thesis will mainly probe the production, investmentand influence of power behind this waxworks. By doing so, this thesis holds that thepower behind Madame Tussauds to interpret the mainstream opinions of celebrities isstrengthened and recognized by visitors via interacting with the selected wax exhibitsin an appropriate visual environment.Except Introduction and Conclusion, four chapters will comprise the mainbody of this thesis. Chapter One chiefly introduces the history and status quo ofMadame Tussauds, and will also mention the critical theory of Foucauldian powerand subject applied in visual cultural studies. Chapter Two explain that the powercannot be produced without a certain environment. It will probe how MadameTussauds constructs a particular visual environment via time, locations and themes.The New York branch will be analyzed as a case in point. Chapter Three is to viewthe displayed wax figures as a means for power practice. Behind this waxworks is themanagement team as a key force to practice power. Its strategies lie in selecting,making and remaking wax figures which can meet the local mainstream opinions.Through these wax figures, visitors are involved in the prescribed interaction. Chapter Four will focus on how the power behind Madame Tussauds is strengthenedand recognized by visitors via the interactive process of seeing and being seen, andthus enables this waxworks to maintain its dominant status in constructing the powerrelations with visitors.