Lumiere 2015: Obsession
My art focuses on our society - where we inevitably buy into the idea of the perfect female body, forever striving to achieve the nonexistent ideal of what's considered "beautiful." Women have been subtly battered into believing our bodies are socially unacceptable, and many are fully conscious of the fact that we're ranked in accordance to our closeness to "the ideal." The more we compete with this impossible notion of beauty, the more we beat ourselves up over the fact that we'll never reach this goal. My art explores and challenges the gender stereotypes that we inevitably succumb to.
J'ai mis l'accent de mon œuvre sur notre société - où nous sommes convaincus de l'idée du corps féminin parfait, recherchant toujours à atteindre un corps idéal considéré comme étant «beau», mais qui n'existe pas en réalité. Les femmes ont été battues subtilement, forcées à croire que nos corps sont inacceptables. Nous sommes pleinement conscientes du fait que nous sommes classés conformément à notre proximité avec «l'idéal». Plus nous acceptions cette notion impossible de la beauté, plus nous croyons que nous ne serons jamais capable d'atteindre cet objectif. Mon œuvre examine et défie les stéréotypes de genre auxquels nous succombons trop souvent.
Installation Overview:
Gendered Restrooms with “Instantaneous” Kits: By assigning genders to the previously ungendered public washrooms and adorning each door with “Instantaneous Man Kit” and “Instantaneous Woman Kit” I highlighted the arbitrary nature of gender assignments. The kits, filled with stereotypical items (such as a cigar, wrench, fishing lure, tape measure, condom, and necktie for men; and razors, a sewing kit, folic acid, baking utensils, and a pregnancy test kit for women) served as a commentary on societal expectations and the superficial markers of gender identity.
Curtained Video Projection: The use of curtains as projection screens for my film created a physical and symbolic barrier, compelling visitors to engage with the confronting visuals before accessing the rest of the space. The film’s dynamic grid of rotating clips (including scenes of women purging, undergoing Botox injections, being sexualized in media, and interspersed with intimate footage of myself applying makeup and plucking eyebrow) provided a visceral depiction of the lengths to which individuals go to meet societal beauty ideals.
External Audio Installation: The haunting audio composition, crafted from layered voices of young girls from YouTube makeup tutorials, played outside the building. This auditory element set an unsettling tone, emphasizing the early indoctrination of beauty standards and the often-overlooked impact on young minds.
Mock “Pinkified” Bedroom: Upon passing through the projected curtains, visitors entered a meticulously crafted stereotypical girl’s bedroom, dominated by pink hues. The space was cluttered with items symbolizing the relentless pursuit of beauty - Cosmopolitan magazines, weight loss pills, makeup, razors, hair tools, and various beauty products. This setting underscored the commercialization of beauty and the overwhelming pressure on women to conform.
Hidden Intimate Video: Subtly placed among the beauty paraphernalia was a small iPod displaying a slow-motion video of myself removing my makeup. This intimate portrayal invited viewers to witness the personal act of shedding societal expectations, revealing the individual beneath the constructed facade.
Summary
My installation dissected the constructs of gender and beauty by immersing visitors in a space that juxtaposed societal expectations with personal vulnerability. The deliberate placement of stereotypical items, confronting visual and auditory elements, and the creation of an intimate personal narrative invited participants to question and reflect upon the often oppressive standards imposed by society. By engaging multiple senses and creating an interactive journey, I was striving to effectively foster a space for critical dialogue on identity, conformity, and the true essence of self beyond societal labels.
Below are the video clips from the installation. Trigger warning,