My practice addresses the possibility of the transference to the fourth wave of feminism. Each of the masks enforces one type of sensory deprivation. In both art and life we take advantage of our senses, by removing one we heighten the sensitivity of the others, allowing comprehension of the world from an alternative perspective. The practice of baking requires more than one heightened sense. Hearing is needed for all baking’s onomatopoeias, touch for textures, taste to inspect the mixture of ingredients, smell for the olfactory part, and sight for convenience and presentation points.
Bobby Baker’s “Table Occasions” and “Cook Dems” pushed my practice into performance, whilst being victimised by The Chapman Family Collection at Tate Britain prompted the use of discomfort, with added desperation from Pipilotti Rist’s “Selbstlos Im Lavabad” in my photography. The shape of the masks came from Janine Antoni’s “Lick and Lather” set of chocolate and soap busts. Antoni’s method of using herself as a direct model for the mould was applied to the procedure of creating the masks, and Kiki Smith’s use of modroc in “Stories” incited the exploration of this material in my practice.
“La Torta” interlinks with the ‘Feminist Theory’, which takes into account the social roles, experiences, and interests of women, as well as feminist politics in various fields, from economics and education, to psychoanalysis and anthropology. In this vein, various feminist professionals and articles have been considered, among which are: Simone de Beauvoir’s “The Second Sex”; Linda Nochlin’s “Women, Art and Power”; Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique”; and opposing views between psychoanalysts Julia Kristeva and Bracha Ettinger.
The chance of witnessing and participating in the supposable shift into the fourth wave of feminism was an opportunity not to be missed. It is common for feminists to label themselves by the wave of feminism in which they began taking an interest. For example, the ‘Third Wavers’ (1990s – present day) have been creating a movement that overcame the apparent failures of the second wave (1960s – 80s), and one that made clear that women are created from all cultures, ethnicities, nationalities, and religions. The fourth wave era is said to be in the process of stemming from the increased usage of internet, especially for debate and discussion. Those who challenge this era say that the internet cannot stand on its own to represent such a change.
Through this performance the perception of women in the second wave is linked to an audience entering the fourth wave, and so already have experiences, either personal or second-hand, of the second and or third wave. The millennial generation grew up on the internet, however the piece is a throwback to the traditional gender roles of women – when women were finding work and a purpose outside the home but were still expected to get dinner on the table by five O’clock in the evening every day – through the use of cake in the balancing act and the ‘feminine’ skills of baking, yet subverts that through the filter of our time period.
Please click here for my first group video “Junebugs are Crawling in the Yard”
My first wire sculpture, on the theme of safety, created in October 2013.
Bobby Baker: Cook Dems, 1990
My response to Bobby Baker’s “Cook Dem” performances, created in October 2013.
Kiki Smith: Use of modroc
Janine Antoni: Lick and Lather, 1993
My response to Kiki Smith’s use of modroc and Janine Antoni’s “Lick and Lather” set, created in October 2013.
Bobby Baker: Table Occasions, 2007
Please click here for the video of my first performance. These images are stills from the performance inspired by Bobby Baker’s “Table Occasions”, performed in October 2013.
My participation (front right) in Olivia Stagg’s (finalist) performance, taken in November 2013.
My first majorly interactive piece using sensory deprivation, performed in November 2013.
The sensory deprivation mask set, created in November 2013.
Natalie Sideserf: Till Death Do Us Part, 2013
Variety of cakes baked in preparation for my performance “La Torta”, created November – December 2013.
Pipilotti Rist: Selbstlos Im Lavabad (Selfless in the Bath of Lava), 1994
Judy Chicago: Immolation, 1970
Images with the ability to add to the shock value of my performance, inspired by Rist and Chicago. Created in November 2013.
1950s style promotion put together through a collaboration between myself, Grace Harrison (Central Saint Martins), Daisy Evans, and Axel Manasco (both from Studio 1). Created in December 2013.
Please click here to view the cake being cut whilst I wear it. These images show the cake being cut for the first time.
Considering the layout of the assessed performance.
My Fine Art Practice (W101) 