For Silvia

http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/marina-abramovic

Silvia - -  Painted lady: The words that came to mind were... 

cartoonish

performance

female body

female face

society expectations

endurance / performative

uncanny

breaking the 3rd wall

covering “reality” 

disguise

masking

liveness

false

The piece that Silvia presented in this weeks critiques really appealed to me.  On a personal level, as a female who wears make-up on occasions that I feel as if I am performing for society, it brought to the forefront of my thoughts some interesting topics. On the days that I wear make-up I do this consciously because I am “performing” and trying to portray myself as completely acceptable to the society that we are caught in.  However, on the days that I do not wear make-up, I do this consciously as well because I do not feel the need for “performance” in my daily actions, or at least as much.  What else comes with this performance? Silence, endurance, masking... 

Silence: 

The silent female... The female that is not allowed/expected to speak and often spoken over.  Often the female form is set up for “looking” and not for “hearing”, and the objectification of the female body.  The view of the camera and the voyeurisitic establishment of the shot and the manner with which the viewer is looking into a private “masking” of the “real” female face.  At the end when the person walks away, the mask is left behind, the only remaining remnant is the “false” and “fake” and the “cartoonish” covering that women carry everyday to hide their true complexion.  

Endurance: 

Endurance is an interesting aspect of this piece as well.  Much like an Marina Abramović working with performance and endurance.  I feel as if this could be very interesting if the viewer is forced to watch for the entirety of the amount of time it would take for a female to apply make-up.  It becomes a commentary as well about the amount of time women spend each day to disguise themselves and become “acceptable” in society.  The uncanny of this piece that is established with breaking the third wall, can be further emphasized by the even more exaggerated endurance of this piece.  

Masking: 

The remnant of this piece, the glass with the small painting on it, was also a very interesting aspect of this piece.  By having this lasting, cartoonish figure remaining of the piece there is another reflection of the mask.  The remaining mask is also textured and layered and very false.  This layering of makeup, once again shows an interesting aspect of the female form and exhibiting just how “false” the everyday, performative face of the female form truly can be.  

I’m interested in how you personally felt while you were doing this piece, and your interaction with the topic. (see the marina abramovic ART21 link)  Performance art can be utilized as a self exploration, and as a female, I suspect that you had a complicated relationship with this piece. 

Thank you so much for sharing this very beautiful and moving piece!