Strange Business - Solo show at Ortega Y Gasset
Curated by Catherine Haggarty and Zahar Vaks
Strange Business introduces three characters moving throughout a corporate office space. The characters' costumes are inspired by my sculptures. The form of the sculptures in my studio and the costumes in this video are taken from a scaled up version of the control top; the top of a pair of pantyhose intended to conceal, contain and smooth a woman's pelvic area. Scaling up allowed me to contrast the purpose of the control top, these characters are "out of control" and take up space, they're awkwardly and unabashedly powerful. The fabric that the costumes are made is of importance, it speaks to women's wear, power suits and lingerie. Each control top has a leather crotch, adding an erotic or kinky appeal. Using this form to dictate the shape of these uncanny characters in Strange Business helps me to illuminate the ways in which items of clothing denote power, gender and profession. Though the characters are lustrous, colorful and animated, they reject the male gaze completely.
In a banal corporate setting the three characters of Strange Business embody coworkers in a surreal and satirical way, moving through monotonous tasks synonymous with office work. The video charts feminine power and camaraderie in the workplace.