GENDER & PATTERN: AN UNANSWERED QUESTION

https://vimeo.com/124619293

Currently I am presenting a series of performances at the South Florida Art Center, (where I have my Art residency). I developed an installation piece where I try to resemble a home ambiance. This environment was accomplished by appropriating popular images of saints and virgins. Simultaneously covering everything, walls, furniture even kitchen tools and silverware. I have also juxtaposed images of different wars, in the search for awaking questions about non-conscious female passive attitudes (in a kitchen doing what they are “supposed” to do). In the mid time, wars are taking place, killing our own sons, generating profound sufferings that the female gender is more likely to carry over centuries.

Additionally, the music comes from a video Art piece that I have created. Essentially the video is about wars (Hiroshima, Nagasaki bombing and Yugoslavia/Sarajevo war) and it plays on an old TV. I have also done an intervention by covering it with the popular saint’s images appropriated. In this ambiance, I performed, inspired by Butoh Dance, in an attempt to show the deep suffering that arise from the unconscious pressures originated in the social/familiar mandate patterns.

During the PhD program my deepest intent is to develop a profound knowledge and therefore a body of work that could represent it. Utilizing the appropriate interaction with other Artists and professors I intent to do several breakthroughs during this program.

I envision an Installation that will take place in a house or a place resembling it (a real house would be best). During the installation project I will employ interventions all over the property. Throughout the opening, I am planning to set up a provocative performance. Furthermore, the interventions will be spread all over the house, including all the rooms, resembling an association between a particular room (bedroom, bathroom, kitchen etc.) with a specific state of mind. In this way, I will be approaching emotional and/or psychological issues of the female gender.

The performance: I will be moving throughout the whole house and in each room I’ll be connecting from the unconsciousness that arouses from a particular state of mind.

In a recent work, I incorporated movement inspired by Japanese Butoh reflecting the lack of consciousness about female issues, and the mental discomforting state this can likely produce.

Aesthetics: Will be demonstrated using the elements of light and sound as well as home ware and furniture after applying interventions trough the popular images appropriation.

In previous works I also intended to explore the traditional role of the female set by societal norms dictated by religious, political and social attitudes. I have used icons from the faith I am most familiar with as representative of all religions. However, I plan to use a wide variety of icons from different religions as well. In addition, I presented popular religious images of female saints and virgins juxtaposed with images of war as a metaphor for the diverse behavioral patterns set by cultural mandates that are usually unconsciously followed by each gender.