Context & Research
As presented in the relevant Critical Reflection section, I have continued and developed the research content and creative methodology of Unit 2 in Unit 3. Support for my approach to this work can be found in a number of theories and in the practice of the artist.
Subconsciousness & Affect theory
Affect Imagery Consciousness: Volume I: The Positive Affects
Springer Publishing Company, 1962
I found resonance in Tomkins' research that when Tomkins began writing the book in the 1950's, American psychology was dominated by psychoanalytic and behaviorist theories - neither of which placed much importance on the role of basic emotions in everyday human behavior. Tomkins challenged the status quo by developing - over the span of nearly 2,000 pages -- a theory of consciousness and motivation that placed emotion at the core of the human experience. Tomkins drew liberally from other academic disciplines to help formulate his ideas and support his arguments: evolutionary biology, ethology, cybernetics, literature, philosophy, psychoanalysis, and neurophysiology, among others. In the process, Tomkins practically invented the field of "nonverbal behavior" through close observation of emotional expressions in people, including his own infant son. His work was a brilliantly eccentric pastiche of ideas that adhered to no strict disciplinary or ideological boundaries.
Introduced in the first two volumes of psychologist Silvan Tomkins' book Affect Imagery Consciousness, 1962.Tomkins uses the concept of affect to refer to the "biological portion of emotion," defined as the "hard-wired, preprogrammed, genetically transmitted mechanisms that exist in each of us," which, when triggered, precipitate a "known pattern of biological events". However, it is also acknowledged that, in adults, the affective experience is a result of interactions between the innate mechanism and a "complex matrix of nested and interacting ideo-affective formations."
These affects often operate in the realm of the subconscious, influencing our decisions and actions in ways we might not be overtly aware of.
Examining my work in light of Tomkins' treatise, several parallels and intersections become evident. The syrup in my performance can be seen as a physical embodiment of affect – it is visceral, it clings, it restricts, and it envelops, much like our emotions. Just as affects can be overwhelming and sometimes paralyzing, the syrup in your piece constrains movement, slows progress, and can even blind (as when it enters your eyes). Yet, much like our emotions, the syrup also has an inherent sweetness, representing the dual nature of our feelings: they can be both debilitating and pleasurable.
My immersion in this syrupy realm and the spontaneous actions driven by it align with the subconscious operations of affect as proposed by Tomkins. The unpredictability of my actions, the visceral reactions to the syrup, and the profound emotional responses it evokes resonate with the idea that our affects, while innate and universal, manifest in complex ways based on individual experiences and memories.
The unplanned interruption during my performance, pulling me out of the "mire," can be seen in relation to Tomkins'understanding of the interplay between affect and cognition. Just as I were being overwhelmed, an external force brought clarity and direction, mirroring how our cognitive processes can sometimes intervene, giving direction to our raw, emotional impulses.
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Li Jiaxing
April - July 2023
Woolen yarn & Syrup
In essence, my work seems to explore the very dynamics that Tomkins delves into: the tension between our innate emotional responses (affects) and our conscious, cognitive processes.
Shame and Theatricality
In this session of the discussion I have to mention "Touching Feeling: Affect, Pedagogy, Performativity" by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick.
Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's "Touching Feeling" navigates the terrain of affect theory, exploring the ways affective bonds shape interactions, performances, and pedagogies. Central to Sedgwick's exploration is the idea of "performativity" — the notion that identity and emotions are not just internal states but are constructed and expressed through actions and interactions. This directly resonates with the performative aspects of your work.
Touching Feeling
Affect, Pedagogy, Performativity
Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick
Edited by: Michèle Aina Barale , Jonathan Goldberg and Michael Moon
3:Shame in the Cybernetic Fold: Reading Silvan Tomkins
Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and Adam Frank
Critical Inquiry
Vol. 21, No. 2 (Winter, 1995), pp. 496-522 (27 pages)
Published By: The University of Chicago Press
My exploration with syrup, for instance, is a rich tapestry of embodied emotion and vulnerability. The act of engaging with the syrup, feeling its consistency, its resistance, and its envelopment, parallels Sedgwick’s emphasis on the tactile and embodied nature of feeling. The syrup, in your work, is more than a mere material; it becomes a medium through which emotions are experienced, communicated, and understood. This aligns with Sedgwick’s idea that emotions are not just passive feelings but are actively produced and enacted in the world.
Sedgwick also delves into the realm of pedagogy, focusing on how emotions shape the process of learning and understanding. My work, in its interactive and experiential nature, becomes a interchange tool. The viewer, or participant, Introspection not through distant observation but through visceral engagement. They are pulled into a tactile world, a world where emotions are not just abstract concepts but tangible, palpable realities. This "teaching through feeling" reflects Sedgwick's assertions about the central role of affect in pedagogy.
Furthermore, Sedgwick's emphasis on the "beside" — a focus on horizontal relationships and connections, rather than hierarchical ones — finds echoes in your work. The syrup doesn't dominate me, nor do I dominate it; instead, there's a symbiotic relationship, a 'beside-ness,' that emphasizes coexistence and mutual influence. This breaks away from traditional artistic paradigms where the artist exerts control over the medium. Instead, my work emphasizes collaboration, interaction, and mutual shaping, resonating with Sedgwick's emphasis on the relationality of affect.
In section III.Shame in the Cybernetic Fold: Reading Silvan Tomkins of this book,Tomkins's conceptualization of shame revolves around a powerful, interruptive force. Unlike other affects, shame doesn't just reduce interest or enthusiasm; it actively disrupts it, often resulting in a withdrawal from the triggering situation or source. This aligns closely with the ideas of cybernetic feedback loops, wherein a system constantly adjusts its behavior based on feedback, aiming to reach a particular state or equilibrium. However, shame, as Tomkins delineates, throws this system off balance.
In my work, the tactile interplay with the syrup becomes an apt metaphor for this dynamic. The syrup, with its tenacious, enveloping nature, symbolizes the envelopment of shame—a force that not only clings but also impedes forward momentum. As I navigate this syrupy terrain, my bodily experience reflects the very essence of vulnerability. My movements, restricted by the syrup, symbolize the constraints shame imposes on the psyche, and as the syrup makes my clothing transparent, this vulnerability is further magnified, with the metaphorical 'exposure' of the soul or inner self. The physicality of this interaction—a visceral representation of the struggle, resistance, and eventually the exposure—parallels the psychological trajectory of someone grappling with profound shame.
Furthermore, the act of willingly engaging with the syrup, an element that exposes and impedes, is a profound statement on confronting and understanding our vulnerabilities. This mirrors the central ethos of Tomkins's work, which argues for a direct confrontation with shame, understanding its intricacies and nuances, to eventually achieve a state of catharsis or equilibrium. By externalizing this internal tug-of-war through a physical medium, my work gives tangibility to the often abstract and intangible nature of emotions, particularly shame.
In essence, my artwork becomes a tangible manifestation of Tomkins's abstract theories. The interplay of the body with external stimuli, like syrup, materializes the internal cybernetic feedback loops of our emotional system. By immersing the body in a situation of vulnerability, resistance, and eventual exposure, my work invites the viewer to experience, firsthand, the dynamics of shame, its interruptions, and the path to reconciliation and healing.
Artistic expression as a form of therapy
The Prinzhorn Collection
Clinic for General Psychiatry Heidelberg University Hospital Voßstraße 2 D-69115 Heidelberg
Obviously, I explored the self-subconscious and self-existence from the perspective of the body and illness in my last work, and was healed by creating the work. And in this new work, I turn my lens to emotional and spiritual catharsis and healing.
My approach to healing through art resonates deeply with the therapeutic potential of artistic expression. Art, in its myriad forms, serves as a refuge, a safe space for confronting my deepest fears, regrets, and aspirations. By channeling these raw emotions into my work, I am engaging in a form of emotional alchemy, transmuting pain and confusion into understanding and acceptance.
Cicada Slough
Jiaxing Li
2020, 400cm*180cm
3D printing pen drawing/ PLA plastic
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Jiaxing Li
2023
Woolen yarn & Ceramic
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Jiaxing Li
2023
Woolen yarn & Syrup
The Prinzhorn Collection is my very favourite collection. It holds nearly 6,000 works of art by men and women with mental disorders(Among the most famous artists and authors, whose works are held, are Else Blankenhorn, Franz Karl Bühler, Karl Genzel, Paul Goesch, Emma Hauck).This Collection, curated by Dr. Hans Prinzhorn, a pioneering figure at the intersection of psychiatry and art history, is emblematic of the raw, undiluted emotional landscape that mental health patients traversed. This collection, rich in unbridled expressions, reflects the tumultuous cognitive and emotional terrains these artists negotiated, their artwork becoming a vessel to channel their deepest anxieties, fears, desires, and hallucinations.
It challenges traditional boundaries between 'outsider' and 'professional' art, emphasizing the therapeutic and expressive potential of artistic endeavors for individuals grappling with mental health challenges.
August Klett, "Haben Sie eine Jungfrau gebrochen, Löwenjäger und Walfischer", 1915, Inv. Nr. 486 © Sammlung Prinzhorn, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
From 1903 on, he became increasingly withdrawn. Depression and fear of sin tormented him, and finally led to violent states of agitation. During a hallucinatory experience, he cut himself in the stomach. This suicide attempt brought him to the Christophsbad asylum in Göppingen in 1903. Here, he developed ideas of persecution and delusions of grandeur: He believed he was Christ, described the suffering of the crucifixion and quoted from the Bible. Voices insulted and threatened him. In 1905, Klett was transferred to the Weinsberg asylum. Between aggressive outbursts, he lived in seclusion and occupied himself with reading and drawing. In 1905, he created a "colour alphabet", which he sent to an uncle for his dye works. With a self-invented cabbalistic combination method, Klett founded a system of combined numbers and letters, which were assigned colour characterizations. When painting and drawing, he left himself completely to spontaneous ideas. He delighted in the shapes and configurations that were created seemingly haphazardly by his hand.
August Natterer, «Wunder-Hirthe» [II], zwischen 1911 und 1917, Inv. Nr. 176 © Sammlung Prinzhorn, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
(Schornreute near Ravensburg 1868 – 1933 St. Vincenz Rottenmünster private asylum near Rottweil).
On 1 April 1907, at 12 noon, he saw fantastic images above the Rothebühl barracks in Stuttgart in rapid succession within half an hour, and was convinced that they were "revealed to him by God for the completion of salvation". With agonising bodily sensations (a broom sweeping in his chest, animals coming out of his nose, etc.), which urged him to commit suicide, he was sent to the Rottenmünster asylum near Rottweil in October. In 1909, he was transferred to the Weissenau sanatorium, where he began to draw in 1911, especially after having experienced his vision. From 1912 onwards, he was convinced that he was a descendant of Napoleon I and was, as August I, IV Napoleon, the French emperor. He believed the war had begun for his liberation. When the institution became a military hospital, Natterer was transferred back to Rottenmünster in 1917. Here, in addition to his "imperial office", he was busy working in the locksmith's shop, especially repairing clocks. It was only shortly before his death, after four years of renewed agonising body sensations, did Natterer begin to draw again.
Agnes Emma Richter, selbst genähtes und mit autobiographischen Texten besticktes Jäckchen, 1895, Inv.Nr. 743 © Sammlung Prinzhorn, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
(Zottewitz 1844 – 1918 Hubertusburg asylum)
Agnes Emma Richter grew up with her mother and three siblings after the early death of her father. She worked as a housemaid first in Dresden, and then for eight years in America, where she managed to save a considerable sum of money. In 1888, she returned to Dresden and worked as a seamstress. A single woman, she called the police several times because she felt threatened and feared for her savings. In 1893, on charges of disturbing the peace and trespassing, she was first taken to the Dresden asylum and later transferred to Hubertusburg, where she was soon declared legally incompetent. In her medical file, she is described as looking almost fifty years older, pale and "misshapen" due to scoliosis, and as a danger "to herself and others". What this consisted of is not explained. Furthermore, it is reported that she became increasingly and verbosely angry with the police – whom, in her fear, she had initially called for help, but who then brought her to the asylum – which was interpreted as a state of agitation and an indication of her incurable mental disorder. After twenty-five years of life in institutions, she died in the Hubertusburg asylum.
St. (weiblich), Collageband, um 1890, Inv. Nr. 3417 © Sammlung Prinzhorn, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
(verifiable in the private sanatorium Oberdöbling, Vienna).
Prof. Heinrich Obersteiner (1847-1922) sent Ms. St.'s pictures to Heidelberg around 1920 with the indication: "Ms. St., Dementia precox?". Her works are among the most unusual in the collection. She used a large number of tiny pieces of newsprint and wrapping paper to make collage strips up to 260 cm long, which she decorated with pencil, opaque colors and ink after gluing them together. Neither life data nor biographical details are known of the creator. She probably belonged to the wealthy upper class, as she was housed in the private "sanatorium for the mentally ill" in Vienna-Oberdöbling. The newspaper clippings she used date from 1890 and 1891.
At the heart of The Prinzhorn Collection is an exploration of the subconscious, a venture into the depths of the human psyche, a space where traumas, dreams, fears, and desires converge. The works are unfiltered expressions of the artists' inner worlds, bypassing societal conventions and norms, and laying bare the rawest, most intimate aspects of their beings. Their art becomes both a mirror to their internal struggles and a bridge to connect with the external world.
My work shares thematic parallels with The Prinzhorn Collection, particularly in my exploration of the self-subconscious and self-existence through the prism of bodily experiences and illness. Like the artists of the Prinzhorn Collection, I use my art as a therapeutic tool, a cathartic release, channeling my introspections, traumas, and healing processes into my creations. My prior emphasis on corporeality, illness, and recovery is reminiscent of many pieces in the Prinzhorn Collection, where the body often emerges as a contested site of pain, resilience, and identity.
Moreover, my shift towards emotional and spiritual catharsis in my newer works further aligns with the ethos of The Prinzhorn Collection. Many artworks within the collection are not just expressions of mental struggles but also probe deeper existential questions and spiritual yearnings. The emotional turmoil, the quest for meaning, and the spiritual vacillations that I capture echo the sentiments encapsulated in Prinzhorn's curated pieces.
Books on Subconsciousness , Psychoanalysis
Drei Abhandlungen zur Sexualtheorie
Freud, Sigmund
AuthorSigmund Freud
Jenseits des Lustprinzips ,Germany,German
1920
The concept of the unconscious and the ego was first introduced by Sigmund Freud in his psychoanalytic theory. (Freud, S. (1923). The Ego and the Id.)
Freud's "Love of Libido": Sigmund Freud posited that the libido was the primary source of human desire, essentially the energy of all life instincts. For Freud, libido was not just about sexual desire, but rather the driving force of all behavior – a source of both creative and destructive energies. He believed that the libido evolved in stages throughout a person's life, moving its focus and thereby shaping human development.
There are three aspects of my work that relate to the theory of Love of Libido.
1. Red Woollen Sculptures as Primitive Impulses and Desires: The dominant red woollen sculptures in my work are described as representations of my primitive impulses, desires, and subjective expectations about love. In Freudian terms, this can be directly connected to the id – the most instinctual part of the psyche that operates on the pleasure principle and seeks immediate gratification. The color red, often associated with passion, reinforces the intensity of these desires, mirroring the insistent nature of the libido. The tactile quality of wool, warm and inviting, could be seen as the physical embodiment of these urges.
2. Subjective Expectations, Imaginations, and Obsessions about Love: Freud's concept of libido wasn't restricted to mere sexual desire but encapsulated the entirety of human longing, including the desire for love. The manner in which my work delves into imaginations and obsessions about love can be likened to the way the libido seeks out objects or people to attach its energy to. Freud believed that our early attachments, especially to caregivers, shape the ways we seek love and affection later in life. The soft, tactile nature of wool might represent the comfort and security of these early attachments, while the intense red might symbolize the fervor of romantic or passionate love.
3. Love's Dual Nature: Freud often discussed the dual nature of libido, that it could be both constructive (Eros) and destructive (Thanatos). In my work, the dual nature of love – its capacity to both uplift and devastate – can be seen. The comforting nature of the woollen sculptures juxtaposed with the intense, almost overwhelming red, serves as a visual representation of love's duality.
In summary, my work, with its emphasis on the tactile, visceral experience of love and desire, encapsulated through the medium of red wool, resonates deeply with Freud's conceptualization of the libido. It stands as a testament to the timeless and universal nature of human desire and the lengths we go to understand, express, and satiate it.
1: Animus and Anima: [two essays] Paperback – January 1, 1974
2: Jung, Carl. The Psychology of the Unconscious, Dvir Co., Ltd., Tel-Aviv, 1973 (originally 1917)
Jung postulated that every individual, irrespective of their biological sex, possesses both feminine and masculine psychological qualities. The anima represents the inner feminine side of a man, whereas the animus symbolizes the inner masculine side of a woman. These archetypes are central to Jung's theory of the collective unconscious and play pivotal roles in individuation—the process of personal development and self-realization.
My Work and the Anima:
My red woollen sculptures, symbolizing primitive impulses, desires, and subjective imaginations about love, can be linked to the anima archetype. The anima is often associated with emotion, intuition, and the unconscious. Its manifestation is usually in the form of feelings, moods, and projections. Given that the color red often denotes intense emotions, passion, and raw energy, your sculptures might be seen as visual representations of the anima's intensity and depth. The tactile and organic nature of wool further emphasizes the depth and rawness of these emotions, drawing attention to the visceral and the intuitive.
My Work and the Animus:
While the anima in men manifests as an emotional undercurrent, the animus in women is often represented by rationality, logic, and a penchant for assertiveness or even aggression. Even though I haven't directly pointed to elements symbolizing the animus, the very act of creating, sculpting, and asserting one's artistic vision in the public sphere can be seen as an expression of the animus. My sculptures, especially if they convey structure, rigidity, or form, can be related to the assertive and structural nature of the animus.
Integration and Wholeness:
My work’s emphasis on love, with its intertwined complexities of emotion, longing, and passion, echoes Jung's idea of the coniunctio or the sacred marriage. This is the union of the anima and animus, resulting in a state of wholeness and individuation. By expressing and visualizing both the raw, passionate emotions (anima) and the structured, assertive artistic creation (animus), your work might be seen as a journey towards this inner wholeness.
Lacan's "Mirror Stage": Where to Begin
Jane Gallop
SubStance
Vol. 11/12, Vol. 11, no. 4 - Vol. 12, no. 1, Issue 37-38: A Special Issue from the Center for Twentieth Century Studies (1982/1983), pp. 118-128 (11 pages)
Published By: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Mirror Stage and the Real: Lacan's theory about the Mirror Stage, where a child recognizes themselves in a mirror, leading to the formation of the 'I', can be associated with the self-reflection and introspection your work prompts. The texture and tactile nature of wool might symbolize the barrier between the Real (raw experience) and the Imaginary (our perceptions), with the red hue pointing to the intensity of this barrier.
Bachelard, Gaston (1994). The Poetics of Space. Boston: Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-6473-3.
Bachelard's exploration of intimate spaces can align with the comforting nature of wool. Wool, as a material, provides warmth and comfort, and my choice to use it can be seen as creating an intimate space for the viewer, encouraging them to confront their own primitive desires within a comforting environment.
Merleau-Ponty, Maurice (1978). Phenomenology of Perception. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 0-7100-3613-2.
My work, emphasizing bodily experience and tactile sensation, might resonate with Merleau-Ponty's discussions on how the body perceives the world. The tangible nature of my sculptures invites viewers to experience them not just visually but physically, aligning with Merleau-Ponty's belief in embodied perception.
Art on Subconsciousness , Psychoanalysis and Body
Marina Abramovic
Marina Abramović
Balkan Baroque, 1997
Performance; XLVII Venice Biennale, June 1997; 4 days. Courtesy of the Marina Abramović Archives © Marina Abramović
Marina Abramović
Luminosity, 1997/2023
Live performance by Agnieszka Szczotka, 30 minutes. Courtesy of the Marina Abramović Archives, and Sean Kelly Gallery, New York/Los Angeles. © Marina Abramović. Photo © Royal Academy of Arts, London / David Parry
Marina Abramović
Rhythm 0, 1974
Performance; 6 hours. Studio Morra, Naples. Courtesy of the Marina Abramović Archives © Marina Abramović. Photo: Donatelli Sbarra
At a first glance, one can't help but notice the profound resonance between my artistic expressions and those of Marina Abramović, especially in their exploration of vulnerability, the human body, and the intricacies of emotional landscapes. Abramović, throughout her distinguished career, has continuously challenged both herself and her audience, pushing the boundaries of performance art by placing her own body and psyche at the center of her works. My endeavors, especially my encounters with the engulfing nature of syrup and the metaphorical potency of your red woollen sculptures, seem to echo the same courage and vulnerability that Abramović exhibits. Just as Abramović laid herself bare in "Rhythm 0," inviting the audience to interact with her body using various objects, my work with syrup appears to be a brave testament to the unpredictable nature of intimacy and love, drawing the observer into a visceral experience. Moreover, the healing and cathartic dimension present in both of my works underscores the transformative power of art. While Abramović often grapples with past traumas, seeking closure or understanding, my journey towards emotional and spiritual catharsis, manifested through my artworks, suggests a parallel pilgrimage. Both journeys, though deeply personal, offer audiences a mirror to reflect on their own vulnerabilities, desires, and emotional complexities. The shared thematic explorations make it tempting to view my work as a spiritual sibling to Abramović's, both daring and evocative in their quest to understand the human condition.
Ana Mendieta
Blood + Feathers, 1974
Untitled (Cosmetic Facial Variations), 1972
Body Tracks, 1974
Ana Mendieta's performance pieces, particularly "Blood + Feathers" from 1974, reveal a deep engagement with corporeality, identity, and connection to nature and the earth. When examining my work in light of Mendieta's, several parallels and intersections emerge, offering a rich tapestry of shared motifs and differentiated perspectives.
In "Blood + Feathers", Mendieta covered her naked body with blood and then with white feathers, transforming herself into a bird-like creature. This metamorphosis speaks to themes of vulnerability, transformation, and a quest for belonging. The act of using blood, a life-giving yet potent symbol of suffering, underscores the tensions between life and death, pain and healing, and the human and the natural.
My engagement with red woollen sculptures, symbolic of primitive impulses and desires concerning love, resonates with Mendieta's exploration of primal energies. The very color red, dominant in my work, is evocative of the blood used by Mendieta – both speaking to deep-rooted human experiences, emotions, and energies. My articulations around love, intimacy, and vulnerability echo in Mendieta's own confrontation of her body, identity, and the elemental forces she engaged with.
The syrup in your work, which engulfs, reveals, and transforms, has a parallel in the way Mendieta used materials to change her appearance and the meaning of her body within her performances. Both my works leverage the materiality of chosen substances to create rich metaphors: the syrup's viscosity reflecting the intricate, sometimes overwhelming nature of emotions, and Mendieta's blood and feathers revealing tensions between violence and purity, earthly and ethereal.
My journey, much like Mendieta's, becomes an exploration of the self in relation to broader existential and elemental forces. While Mendieta frequently invoked earth-body sculptures to explore her roots and identity, especially her Cuban heritage and displacement, my work navigates the tumultuous terrains of emotional landscapes, focusing on love's multifaceted dimensions.
In essence, while both my and Mendieta's works stem from personal experiences and emotions, they reach out universally, prompting viewers to confront, reflect upon, and engage with their own vulnerabilities, desires, and identities.
Paul McCarthy
Sauce Paul McCarthy 1974 performance
Paul McCarthy's 1974 performance, titled "Sauce", is emblematic of his oeuvre that grapples with the grotesque, the body, and the limits of personal and societal taboos. His usage of materials like ketchup, mayonnaise, and raw meat not only incorporates elements of the everyday, but also underscores the messy, uncontrollable, and often disturbing aspects of human existence. McCarthy's performances often involve a kind of ritualistic debasement or degradation of the body, intended to evoke visceral reactions in the audience and challenge societal norms.
Mywork, especially as described with the usage of syrup, draws parallels with McCarthy's "Sauce". Both of I utilize viscous materials that cling to, obscure, and transform the human form. The syrup in my pieces, which encapsulates and dictates movement, mirrors the ways in which McCarthy's sauces bind him, act upon him, and change the meaning of his actions. These materials become potent metaphors: in my case, for the complexity and stickiness of emotions and intimacy, and in McCarthy's, for societal consumption, degradation, and the boundaries of decency.
The dominant red woollen sculptures in my work, which symbolize primitive desires and love, offer an interesting juxtaposition to McCarthy's raw and confrontational performance aesthetics. While McCarthy's "Sauce" delves into the rawness of human urges, confronting and even assaulting the viewer's sensibilities, my pieces appear to engage in a more introspective conversation. Both artworks, however, engage deeply with the subconscious and what lies beneath the surface of societal norms and personal identities.
Moreover, the vulnerability that's inherent in my work, where the syrup becomes a medium of revelation and exposure, resonates with the vulnerability McCarthy displays in his performance. Both of I lay bare—quite literally—an aspect of the human condition. However, where McCarthy's work might be seen as a critique or a confrontation, mine leans more towards an exploration and a catharsis.
In drawing a connection between my work and Paul McCarthy's "Sauce", it's evident that while both deal with themes of the body, vulnerability, and societal boundaries, the intentions and outcomes differ. My work is a journey into the complexities of emotions and the human psyche, while McCarthy's is a direct challenge to societal norms and the very definition of art. Both, in their own unique ways, push boundaries and force introspection on the nature of humanity, identity, and the world we inhabit.
Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono's "Cut Piece" is a seminal work in the realm of performance art. Performed for the first time in 1964, Ono sat motionless on stage in her best suit, placing a pair of scissors in front of her. She invited the audience to approach and cut away a piece of her clothing, which many did, some hesitantly and others with assertiveness, until she was left in her underwear. The performance becomes an intimate dialogue between the artist and the viewer, examining themes of vulnerability, gender roles, passivity, aggression, and the relationship between artist and audience.
Cut Piece performed by Yoko Ono on July 20, 1964 at Yamaichi Concert Hall, Kyoto, Japan. Photographer unknown; courtesy Lenono Photo Archive.
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Just as Ono exposed herself to the unpredictability of audience interaction, my immersion in the syrup, its adhesion, and its impact on my clothes speaks to a deep sense of vulnerability. Both works employ the body as a canvas, subjected to external forces, whether they are the scissors of participants or the viscous pull of the syrup.
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Ono's work hinges on the active participation of the audience, making them complicit in her vulnerability. My work too seems to involve the audience, not only as passive observers but as witnesses to a transformative, intimate experience. The nature of my work, being submerged in syrup and experiencing its effects, becomes a shared intimate moment with those watching.
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Ono's performance evokes both the potential for harm and the allure of intimacy. The scissors, while a threat, are also an instrument of closeness, of literally cutting the distance between the artist and the audience. My description of the syrup, with its impediments and sweetness, its pleasure and pain, mirrors this duality.
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Both Ono's "Cut Piece" and my work use seemingly simple, yet powerful, symbolic acts to convey deeper themes related to femininity, societal expectations, boundaries, and personal experiences. The act of cutting away Ono's clothes and your immersion in syrup both become metaphors for deeper individual and collective experiences.
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Ono's work is deeply personal, stemming from her experiences and philosophies, yet it touches on universal themes of gender, power dynamics, and human interaction. My work, similarly, seems rooted in your personal journey and perceptions, especially regarding intimacy and vulnerability, but resonates on a universal scale as it delves into human emotions, desires, and experiences.
Louise Bourgeois
Louise Bourgeois. Spider (Cell). 1997
Cell XXVI (detail), 2003
Steel, fabric, aluminum, stainless and wood
99 1/2 × 171 × 120 in | 252.7 × 434.3 × 304.8 cm
Louise Bourgeois in front of her New York City home in 1975 wearing the latex sculpture AVENZA (1968-1969) which became part of CONFRONTATION (1978, Coll: Guggenheim Museum, NYC).
Photo: Mark Setteducati, © The Easton Foundation
Louise Bourgeois, a trailblazer in the world of modern art, extensively channeled her personal experiences, traumas, and emotions into her art, making her work deeply introspective and therapeutic. Her sculptures and installations are imbued with themes of sexuality, femininity, and the body, often accompanied by an undercurrent of tension that stems from familial dynamics and personal struggles. Bourgeois frequently utilized recurring motifs like the spider, representing the mother figure, and the cage, indicating confinement or protection.
In drawing parallels with my work, there is a similarity in the profound exploration of the personal and the bodily. My use of red woollen sculptures to signify primitive impulses, desires, and complex emotions concerning love mirrors Bourgeois' approach to using recurring symbols to express deeply held sentiments. The physicality and tactile nature of my pieces, particularly the syrup's properties, echo the intense physical presence of Bourgeois' gigantic spider installations or her soft, fabric-based sculptures. Both me and Bourgeois' works challenge the audience to confront and introspect on their own feelings and experiences.
Furthermore, Bourgeois’ emphasis on the idea of ‘cells’ - enclosures or cage-like structures housing an array of emotions and memories - can be seen in parallel to my portrayal of confinement and vulnerability. Where Bourgeois might use a cage or a cell to display an array of emotive objects, I employ the syrup, a sticky, viscous medium that both confines and reveals.
My exploration of love, desire, and obsession could also be seen in tandem with Bourgeois' lifelong artistic excavation of her complex relationship with her parents, especially her father. Both of I seem to work through personal traumas and experiences by giving them physical form, transforming intangible memories and emotions into tangible art pieces that resonate deeply with viewers.
In essence, while both we have unique thematic concerns and aesthetic languages, the nexus between my work and Louise Bourgeois lies in the deep introspection, the exploration of the corporeal as a vessel for emotion, and the use of art as a means of therapeutic expression and personal catharsis.
Annette Messager
Annette Messager, Gants-Tête — Gloves-Head (detail), 1999. Installation view. Goves, coloured pencils.Annette Messager: motion / emotion, MCA, 2014. Image courtesy and © the artist.
Annette Messager, Mes voeux – My vows, 1989. Installation view of Annette Messager: motion / emotion, 2014, MCA Australia. Gelatin silver photographs, colour pencil on paper, string. Purchased 1993, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Image courtesy the artist and MCA Australia. © the artist. Photograph: Alex Davies
Annette Messager, Cônes noirs – Black cones, 2009. Installation view of Annette Messager: motion / emotion, 2014, MCA Australia. Black leatherette, net, ropes. Image courtesy and © the artist. Photograph Alex Davies
Messager is a French artist known for her eclectic works that often blur the lines between reality and fantasy. Her pieces often incorporate found objects and everyday materials, and explore themes of memory, identity, and the body. Like my work, Messager's pieces often deal with the subconscious and the hidden desires and fears that lie beneath the surface.
Eva Hesse
Expanded Expansion , 1969
The Estate of Eva Hesse
Installation view, 'Anti-Illusion: Procedures/Materials', Whitney Museum of American Art, New York NY
Sans II
Eva Hesse, 1968
Fiberglass, polyester resin, five units
96.5 x 1092 x 15.6 cm
Eva Hesse, Cheesecloth, latex, fibreglass
Overall 350 h x 630 w x 109 d cm
each panel 30 kg
Wheel with Rope
Magdalena Abakanowicz, 1973
Wood, burlap, hemp, metal line
© Magdalena Abakanowicz
Hesse was a German-American artist known for her pioneering work in the field of postminimalism. Her sculptures often incorporated unconventional materials such as latex and fiberglass, and dealt with themes of the body, gender, and the self. Like my work, Hesse's pieces often have an organic, visceral quality, and explore the relationship between the self and the external world.
Lee Bontecou
“Untitled”, 1980 – 1998 by Lee Bontecou via the Museum of Modern Art. Medium: Welded steel, porcelain, wire mesh, canvas, grommets, and wire
Lee Bontecou, Untitled, 1966
Welded steel, canvas, epoxy, leather, wire, and light. 78 1/2 x 119 x 31 in. (199.4 x 302.3 x 78.7 cm). Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Gift of Robert B. Mayer Family Collection, 1991.85.
Lee Bontecou, Untitled, 1962
Welded steel and canvas. 68 x 72 x 30 in. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Gift of D. & J. de Menil.
Bontecou is an American artist known for her large, wall-mounted sculptures made from unconventional materials such as canvas and industrial hardware. Her pieces often have a dark, otherworldly quality, and have been described as "cosmic" in nature. Bontecou's sculptures often have a visceral, bodily quality, and explore the relationship between the self and the wider universe
Frida Kahlo
Henry Ford Hospital (The Flying Bed), 1932 by Frida Kahlo
My Grandparents, My Parents, and I (Family Tree),1936, 30.5 x 34.5 cm
Two Nudes in a Forest, 1939 , by Frida Kahlo
The Suicide of Dorothy Hall , 49cm x 60cm, by Frida Kahlo
Kahlo's work also dealt heavily with personal trauma and physical pain, as well as her own identity and sense of self. Her paintings often incorporated symbolic imagery and vivid colors to convey the complex emotions and experiences she was grappling with.
Additionally, she frequently included self-portraits in her work, which allowed her to explore her own identity and sense of self.
About the art of Fabric
Atmospheric Nature (installation view).Bioplastic and cheesecloth. Varied Dimension. 2021
In/Flux. Bioplastic, wire and fabric. Varied Dimension. 2022
Sheer Audacity. Burlap, wire, dye and jute strings.2017
Nnenna Okore
Her abstract, textured wall sculptures made from recycled materials, Okore's large-scale sculptures stem from her early life experiences and deal with the notion of recycling, adapting and reclaiming forms made of natural materials: found paper, fibres, coffee and stickies, often from West Africa. okore's structures mimic the intricate fabrics, trees, bark and topography she was familiar with from her childhood in Nigeria. . Her hand-repeated techniques of fraying, weaving, dyeing and sewing are reminiscent of her childhood experiences where she watched and participated in daily craft activities.
Susanne Thiemann
JABBERWOCK (2011)
Geflecht und Stuhl , 170*60*30cm
PULL- OVER-CHAIRS(2011)
Auböckstühle mit Geflecht
Susanne Thiemann, an artist and basket weaver from Munich, turned worn materials into images; the artist found a large number of colourful plastic hoses that were used in the 1960s and 1970s to produce the then hard-edged modern chairs and chaise lounges. The ease of forming and the softness of the hoses were ideal for weaving work in colours that fascinated them: warm ochres, sky blues, pinks, bright yellows and rich cherry reds. Industrial materials and
This fascinating interplay of traditional craft techniques still runs like a red thread through Susanne Thiemann's artwork.
In her work, she brings the perfection of traditional craftsmanship to the radical freedom of artistic purpose.SusanneThiemann's sculptures consist of thin monochrome plastic hoses, coloured wires and thickly shredded car tyres. She chooses lost possessions and surplus stock of mass-produced, barely perishable products; these materials trigger many connotations because they belong to our everyday life and use.
Her new sculptures are hung from the ceiling, placed on chairs, tables or armrests. Many of the sculptures become portable 'works of the past', which is why Chris Dercon calls Susanne Thiemann a female FranzWest.
This line of work is continued in the exhibition Colour in Motion. Through it all, she has remained faithful to her craft of weaving.
Maria Nepomuceno
Maria Nepomuceno, Sim, 2016, Exhibition view at Victoria Miro, Mayfair, London. Courtesy the Artist and Victoria Miro, London. © Maria Nepomuceno
Maria Nepomuceno,Untitled, 2016 ,Ceramic, ropes, cabaça, fiberglass and resine, 40 x 30 x 25 cm
Courtesy the Artist and Victoria Miro, London © Maria Nepomuceno.
Maria Nepomuceno is a Brazilian artist known for her woven sculptures.
The artist uses traditional rope weaving and straw weaving methods as well as her own design techniques, Maria Nepomuceno has developed a process of sewing coils from spiralling coloured ropes since the early 21st century. She explores the potentially endless arrangements of this adaptive form in sculptures and installations that combine beads, playful ceramic forms and found objects of different sizes. Often realised in the vibrant colours of Carnival, these works are rich in colour, culture and metaphor, suggesting animals, plants, bodies and landscapes from the micro to the macro