californiastate!university,!northridge! themirror ...californiastate!university,!northridge!!!!!...
TRANSCRIPT
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
The Mirror
A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of Master of Arts in Art,
Visual Arts
By
Monica Mancilla Sandoval
May 2015
ii
The graduate project of Monica Mancilla Sandoval is approved:
——————————————————— ———————— Professor Mario Ontiveros, Ph.D. Date
——————————————————— ———————— Professor Ron Saito, Ph.D. Date
——————————————————— ———————— Professor Samantha Fields, MFA Date
——————————————————— ———————— Professor Christian Tedeschi, MFA, Chair Date
California State University, Northridge
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Dedication
To my loved ones; Mom, Dad, Sandra, Sam, Ernie, and Dayna Thank you for your unconditional love and support.
To my professors and mentors; Sam, Christian, and Mario Thank you for believing in me.
To the Mermaids; Sahara, Brittney, Michelle, and Ali ;) Thank you for the laughs, hugs, and love.
To Judy Thank you for listening.
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Table of Contents
Signature Page ii Dedication iii Abstract v Introduction 1 Autobiographical Context 2 The Mirror 3 The Work 6 I’m Pretty 6 For Others 8 We Want You 9 Venus 10 Always 11 I’m Sorry 11 Conclusion 12 Works Cited 13 Appendix 14 A. Images 14
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ABSTRACT
The Mirror By
Monica Mancilla Sandoval
Master of Arts in Art, Visual Arts
My work explores the social constructs of the “ideal” body. Through video
performance, installation, and object making I examine perceived “weaknesses”
associated with my own body; which I then expose, objectify, and dissect. In doing
so, I am able to amplify and protest social constructs pertaining to expectations of
beauty and physical identity.
I’m not the girl next door, but I grew up wanting to be her. Adolescent fears
are remarkably persistent towards adulthood; especially when societal rules help
heighten them. Not being desirable enough to fit-‐in and the loneliness that follows
are but a few consequences examined at the core of my work. If I am not desirable
because of the width of my waist or the shape of my face, then do I even exist?
Through this investigation, defiance and ultimately self-‐preservation is key. Smiling
without breaking for ten minutes, exposing my arms and legs, or simply repeating
the words “I’m pretty” over and over again; are a few examples of my work where
the construct of beauty transcends itself. True beauty is not found through the male-‐
gaze but rather through the “flaws” it attempts to avoid.
1
Introduction
My work explores the social constructs of the “ideal” body. Through video
performance, installation, and object making I examine perceived “weaknesses”
associated with my own body; which I then expose, objectify, and dissect. In doing
so, I am able to amplify and protest social constructs pertaining to expectations of
beauty and physical identity.
I’m not the girl next door, but I grew up wanting to be her. Adolescent fears
are remarkably persistent towards adulthood; especially when societal rules help
heighten them. Not being desirable enough to fit-‐in and the loneliness that follows
are but a few consequences examined at the core of my work. If I am not desirable
because of the width of my waist or the shape of my face, then do I even exist?
Through this investigation, defiance and ultimately self-‐preservation is key. Smiling
without breaking for ten minutes, exposing my arms and legs, or simply repeating
the words “I’m pretty” over and over again; are a few examples of my work where
the construct of beauty transcends itself. True beauty is not found through the male-‐
gaze but rather through the “flaws” it attempts to avoid.
2
Autobiographical Context
I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, the suburbs of Los Angeles.
My parents both immigrated to the states from Mexico, working tirelessly to make
their five children live a life they never had. I was given a glimpse of their harsh lives
when I was a child, an event that forever changed me.
At the tender age of seven, my parents uprooted our family from our
comfortable home and placed us in a poor rural town in Mexico. I struggled
everyday for a year to articulate myself in a place where I knew nothing of the
language. The only comfort was absorbing the rich environment of dirt roads,
mango trees, and farmland all around me. But as soon as the year ended, we packed
up and headed back to the states, to my original reality. The back and forth, the
expectations and behaviors that changed from one culture to the other and all the
while I was expected to effortlessly juggle both. This is where it began, the feeling of
not fitting in, always feeling disconnected and not quite able to identify with my
surroundings. I eventually adapted to my environment but this experience made me
hyper aware of myself, which is not always a good thing, especially as a growing
teenager. However, I credit this event with not only how it shaped my values but
also how it ultimately shaped my relationship with art. It forced me to be honest, to
face my fears, which in turn fueled my practice.
3
The Mirror
“I want to be desirable for myself,” are words I had to teach myself to accept.
Desire—as a sexual element and emotion—is a product that has been sold to people
by the media. It is no longer an innate emotion but rather something you buy into.
Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth, explains how young people really have no
chance to naturally accept themselves. Instead of celebrating physical identity for
what it is, it is romantically broken down into a preferred mold. She states:
“What little girls learn is not the desire for the other, but the desire to be
desired. Girls learn to watch their sex along with the boys; that takes up the
space that should be devoted to finding out about what they are wanting, and
reading and writing about it, seeking it and getting it. Sex is held hostage by
beauty and its ransom terms are engraved in girls' minds early and deeply
with instruments more beautiful that those which advertisers or
pornographers know how to use: literature, poetry, painting, and film”
(Wolf).
Failure to be desirable is imminent. Preconditioned to seek others gaze as your own,
consequently never fitting in but always wanting too. Preconditioned to value the
gaze of others more than ones own view of self, consequently never fitting in even
within one’s self.
I grew up in the 90’s; my childhood was filled with countless hours glued to
the television. I was watching cartoons, product commercials, Lifetime movies, and
infomercials relentlessly. Saturating all senses, worshiping every word. Repeating
every jingle, finding comfort in reruns and marathons. I didn’t buy any products that
could supposedly diminish my wrinkles (at age 13) or flatten my stomach but I did
buy into the promise of what those things signified. They symbolized acceptance of
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oneself through others; if only a prettier version of myself existed, I could finally be
good enough.
The magical themes of Disney movies specifically hit home because the idea
of an instant fix by a Blue Fairy, Fairy Godmother, or Genie would be a godsend. The
idea of the “instant” or “quick-‐fix” and the falsehood they advertise pained me more
than finding out magic didn’t exist. Ultimately, it was the gaze of others that altered
how I felt about myself. It was specifically the gaze of the male that became the
desire to please.
“The relationship of woman to herself can be explained by the mirror – that
is, the gaze of others, the anticipated gaze of others. Ever since ancient times
woman has asked the anxious question of her fairy-‐tale stepmother. ‘Mirror,
mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of us all?’ And even then, when the gaze
of others is replaced by the gaze of one other, of the husband or the lover, the
anxious question is still asked. There are still the terrible moments when
woman searches for herself in the mirror and cannot find herself. The
mirror-‐image has got lost somewhere, the gaze of men does not reflect it
back to woman” (Ecker).
She’s All That (1999) is an example of a film where the male gaze is heightened.
Themes of bullying, manipulation, and deception, are not usually hallmarks of a
relationship but She’s all that promotes theme. The film portrays a male protagonist
who bets that he can physically transform the female protagonist from an ugly
duckling into a swan by removing her glasses and altering her fashion choices. The
male protagonist manipulates and deceives the female protagonist into looking and
dressing, like the “ideal” desirable woman. Despite the gambling and bullying, the
female protagonist still falls in love with the male lead, which sends a message that a
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male can forcibly change a woman to what he deems desirable, instead of accepting
her no matter how she looks. In the end, the male in this story is given free-‐range to
claim his new creation, his doll, his property; exploitation at its best.
It is through these types of films that instant gratification promises
desirability and love, all the while betraying the self. Makeovers and plastic
surgeries portrayed in the media hardly ever touch upon the psychological aspects
of the “transformed” person, ignoring his or her self-‐worth. The Biggest Loser, for
example, is a weight loss reality TV competition, that does not focus on mental
stability, instead it shames its contestants into melting pounds away by being
verbally abused for the pleasure of a television audience. The idea of the mirror,
previously mentioned, is taking action to please others and satisfy their perception
of the ideal desired person. The “transformed” contestants fulfill their lifelong goal
to fit the desired ideal of others instead of working on their understanding and
acceptance of themselves. It is through my work where I attempt to dissect my self
worth, where it originated, how it defines me, and where it will lead me.
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The Work
I’m Pretty
In I’m Pretty (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2), I investigated themes of beauty, humiliation,
and defiance. In the video performance, two unidentified participants repeatedly
smear and shove a variety of cakes (birthday cakes, cheesecakes, etc.) into my face.
The phrase “I’m pretty,” is also repeated, like a mantra, throughout the piece. The
words are passive and are not as dominant as “I’m amazing,” or “I’m beautiful;” the
shoving of cake in the face is what activates the phrase. A cake, a decadent dessert,
is a treat and most of the time a sanctioned celebratory item. The act of obscuring
the face, the essence of identity, with a celebratory item is violence.
Slapstick comedy, Bruce Nauman and Marina Abramovic’s video
performances were strong influences behind the I’m Pretty piece. The impact of both
Nauman’s Clown Torture and Abramovic’s Art must be Beautiful; Artist must be
Beautiful are evident. The repetitive jarring nature of Clown Torture, where the
viewer senses are bombarded at a disturbing level talks significantly about the
abject. It has a pull, a sort of curiosity that attracts the viewer to continue watching,
like a car crash on the side of the road. In Abramovic’s Art must be Beautiful; Artist
must be Beautiful video, an immediate connection between artist and viewer is
established through a close-‐up of the artist’s upper body; as she painfully combs her
hair and repeats the phrase her piece is named after. The common theme in these
performances, including I’m pretty, is repetition. The absurdity of a man dressed up
in a full clown costume or an artist’ painful hair combing would not be as powerful if
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repetition was not involved. Ultimately, the reoccurring activities in each of these
performances touch on the idea of brainwashing.
“In psychology, the study of brainwashing, often referred to as thought
reform, falls into the sphere of "social influence." Social influence happens
every minute of every day. It's the collection of ways in which people can
change other people's attitudes, beliefs and behaviors. For instance, the
Compliance method aims to produce a change in a person's behavior and is
not concerned with his attitudes or beliefs. It's the "Just do it" approach.
Persuasion, on the other hand, aims for a change in attitude, or "Do it because
it'll make you feel good/happy/healthy/successful" (Layton)
I’m Pretty is persuading its viewers, with the very mechanism of brainwashing, that
through a repeated phrase and action one can unlearn a belief, mirroring the
brainwashing of societal standards and inverting them.
In the end, I’m Pretty is Slapstick comedy, specifically the pie-‐in-‐the-‐face gag,
which is associated with silent films. Today, “pieing” is more of a political tool used
to humiliate an authority figure without “severe” consequences. “It's assault, clearly,
but pies defuse the anger and identify the target as a clown. If someone dumped
feces or blood or mock toxic waste on you, that would be a lot more threatening''
(Vinciguerra). Although it may seem absurd, pieing is a safer way to purge
aggression. I’m interested in the scale in which “safe humiliation” is measured.
When is it okay to humiliate someone? Regardless of their agenda, what’s so funny
about a pie in the face?
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For others
In this performance, I was interested in the daily on-‐the-‐surface interactions
with other people. A smile is an effortless action; it’s also courteous and a safe
approach when greeting people, especially strangers. However, one can misconstrue
a smile as concrete proof of contentment. According to The Body in Pain: The Making
and Unmaking of the World by Elaine Scarry, people are not truly aware of other
people’s pain. It is not due to a lack of empathy but rather a lack of language
(Scarry).
“Whatever pain achieves, it achieves in part through its unsharability, and it
ensures this unsharability through its resistance to language. “English,”
writes Virginia Woolf, “which can express the thoughts of Hamlet and the
tragedy of Lear has no words for the shiver or the headache.” … Physical pain
does not simply resist language but actively destroys it” (Scarry).
The suspicion of another’s pain is imbedded within us to doubt them and question
them and vice versa. It does seem easier to smile then to attempt to express difficult
and painful matters.
In For Others (Fig. 3) the awkwardness of a prolong smile is created to test
the limits of this “effortless” action. Having my face forward, centered to the camera,
and looking straight ahead amplify the smile. Audio was then eliminated to
emphasize the tension and discomfort of a gawking and smiling person. Holding the
smile proved difficult and painful, ending after almost eight minutes in tears.
Interesting enough, the only moments that the viewer can recognize pain is when
tears are apparent. Even so, the feeling of suspicion, if the act created actual physical
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pain is never resolved. Ultimately, prolonging a smile, an unnatural undertaking, is
no more than a betrayal to the self.
We want you
Voluptuous bodies, in paintings by Peter Paul Rubens for example, are dated
notions of beauty and desire compared to images the media shows today. I wanted
to create a piece that alters the way a section of the body is perceived. We want you
(Fig. 4) is part ode to the WWII poster “We Can Do It” that showcased Rosie the
Riveter; a symbolic representation of the working woman at the time (Cullen). I
photographed my arm, making sure to crop the body away, adorned it with a
bouquet of purple lilies, and placed the arm in a graceful but strong gesture,
allowing the fat of the arm to hang. The flowers act as both a masking mechanism
and a tool to emphasize the discombobulated nature of the arm. In addition, the
bouquet of flowers represents both a culturally accepted celebratory gift and at the
same time symbolizes finitude; the flowers are deceiving, they are both dead and in
full bloom.
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Venus
In this piece I explored both the idea of the virginal woman in art history and
the pose of a sex symbol. In Venus (Fig. 5), I objectified a part of my body—the leg—
by exposing it in a seductive manner while diminishing the rest of the body by
veiling it.
In Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988), a movie I watched repeatedly as a
child. I paid close attention to Jessica Rabbit, an over-‐sexualized female cartoon
character with a slit on her red dress revealing a perfectly shaped leg. As she
seductively walked, flirting, with onlookers, she seemed, to me, to be the epitome of
desire. A cartoon version of a woman became more ideal then an actual body. The
idea that a two dimensional image composed of color, shape, and line could be more
seductive then one’s own physical flesh can easily distort perception.
Historically the veiled woman, the Madonna, has been used as a main figure
in art. Botticelli’s Madonna and Child is one example of many that reinforces the idea
of the virginal woman. In contrast the goddess of love Venus, a Greek Mythical
figure, and also depicted in art, represents the desirability of women. The
combination of both tropes in history conflict each other, one is desexualized while
the other is over sexualized. It is unsurprising that these tropes have continued to
be apart of the modern psyche. The idea of opposing messages and objectifying a
specific region of the body is visible in Venus.
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Always
I wanted to create a piece that would show visual weight, to represent the
body without using the body. Always (Fig. 7) is made up of a found wooden chair,
thrifted dress (that was cut up and reconstructed), and a wireless doorbell retriever
implanted within it. The doorbell is placed across the room on a wall. As the viewer
rings the doorbell, chimes weep out from the object. This deconstructed blue dress
is sadly positioned on the chair, all dressed up and nowhere to go. Like Sleeping
Beauty, frozen in time, waiting for her rescuer, but they never come.
I’m Sorry
Continuing the chair series and the investigation of creating visual weight,
desire, and ultimately rejection, I’m Sorry (Fig. 6) encompasses all these attributes.
In I’m Sorry each side hangs awkwardly, staying in place only because of the vessel,
the plastic chair, it is resting on. Within the form, I placed seven hand-‐cranked music
boxes, each with a lullaby melody; such as You are My Sunshine, Somewhere Over the
Rainbow, etc. The viewer has a choice to play one music box at a time or all at once,
if the latter is chosen, all the melodies muffle and clash together. Eventually, all the
songs slowly fade away until only one is left (usually the last one cranked), playing
softly into silence. When the former is chosen, the single melody becomes more
somber and sad creating an intimate connection between object and viewer.
Overall, I’m concluding with this piece because it comments on the apologetic
nature of not fitting into a mold. The bulging and slumping form of I’m Sorry is a
direct depiction of sagging flesh. It emphasizes all that is considered wrong in a
media driven culture where fat is considered offensive.
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Conclusion
"Because fear kills everything. Your mind, your heart, your imagination"
-‐ Cornelia Funke
In the end, it is fear that manipulates how one views their environment. Fear
of the unknown, fear of being different, fear of rejection, or simply fear of being
oneself is detrimental to the human spirit. By exposing my biggest insecurities in my
work, I am better able to then remove the veil, reveal the magic trick behind
societies absurd expectations. It is in that first step in questioning one’s
environment that the cracks of the system are revealed. As I explore ideas of the self,
myself, I will continue to challenge my mental, emotional and physical form and all
of its representations both internal and societal. Fear has been a factor in my
definition of myself as I have been trained to see myself as undesirable because of
my form. This ostracizezation has encouraged me to explore ideas of self and how
they are constructed. My time in graduate school and my thesis work has made me
more aware of myself than I have ever been; because of this my work has grown and
will continue to grow.
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Works Cited
A Walk to Remember. Dir. Adam Shankman. Perf. Mandy Moore and Shane West.
2002. DVD.
Art Must Be Beautiful Artist Must Be Beautiful. Perf. Marina Abramovic. 1975. MoMA. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1smoNE6Stc>.
Cullen, Kevin. "Rosie's Proud of Her Band of Sisters." Living. The Seatle Times, 30 May 2004.Web. 25 Mar. 2015. <http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20040530& lug=rsie30>.
Ecker, Gisela. Feminist Aesthetics. Boston: Beacon, 1986. 57-‐59. Print. 23 Mar. 2015
Robertson, Jean, and Craig McDaniel. "The Body." Themes of Contemporary Art: Visual Art after 1980. New York: Oxford UP, 2005. 139-‐40. Print. 14 Mar. 2015
Scarry, Elaine. The Body in Pain: The Making and Unmaking of the World. New York: Oxford UP, 1987. Print. 26 Apr. 2015
She's All That. Dir. Robert Iscove. Perf. Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook. Miramax Films, 1999. Videocassette.
Vinciguerra, Thomas. "Take Sugar, Eggs, Beliefs . . . And Aim." The New York Times. The New York Times, 09 Dec. 2000. Web. 18 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/10/weekinreview/take-‐sugar-‐eggs beliefsand-‐aim.html>.
Layton, Julia. "How Brainwashing Works" 10 May 2006. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-‐the-‐mind/human brain/brainwashing.htm> 02 May 2015.
Weiss, Liz. "Who Is Too Fat To Fly? Airlines Are Working It Out." The Huffington
Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Prod. Robert Watts and Frank Marshall. By Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman, Charles Fleischer, and Kathleen Turner. Perf. Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy, and Stubby Kaye. Buena Vista Pictures, 1988. Videocassette.
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Figs. 1 and 2. I’m Pretty, Dimensions variable, Video Performance, 8 min., 2014
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Fig. 3. For others, Video Performance, Dimensions variable, 8 min., 2014
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Fig 4. We want you, Vinyl Decal of a Digital Image, 4’ x 6’, 2014
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Fig 5. Venus, Digital Print, 4’ x 6’, 2014
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Fig 6. I’m sorry, Fabric, seven music boxes, filling, plastic chair, Dimensions variable, 2014
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Fig 7. Always, Thirfted dress, fabric, wireless doorbell, wooden chair, Dimensions variable, 2014