Seán McGuinness-Ruiz
he/him
Unmasking Desire and the Price of Silence
Unmasking Desire and the Price of Silence explores the fractured male psyche through psychoanalytic film theory in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976) and Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Drawing on the theories of Freud, Lacan, Mulvey, and bell hooks, it reveals the steep toll of suppression, and how submerged desires fracture constructed identities. Ultimately, it illuminates how cinematic form can unveil derelict dimensions of masculine identity.
“The unconscious is structured like a language.” —Jacques Lacan
Sean McGuinness-Ruiz has an avocation in the realms of literature, music production, fashion, and the arts. He previously studied at Dublin Business School before pursuing his studies at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), where he is a final-year student of Visual Culture. He blends creative practice with critical theory, aiming to uncover how cinematic form and narrative illuminate the hidden architecture of desire and identity.