Kaitlyn Arroyo
Self Image I
Professor Cacoilo
April 12th, 2022
I had so much fun recoding this video with my little sister. It's a fun end of the year project to end off the semester with since it enables us to be creative and experiment with different mediums. This video was published on Tiktok because I am more comfortable with the format and getting those easy-smooth transitions make the performance enjoyable to watch. Khan Academy quotes it best, "Performance art has been a medium that challenges and violates borders between disciplines and genders, between public and private, and between everyday life and art, it follows no rules" (Academy 2). Performance art is essential to everyday life. There are no limitations to what can be created, which puts a lot of freedom on the table for creativity and imagination. There are many ways of using a public space and bringing it to life with a motif. However, not too many artists from the background of body-orientated movements take into account this form.
Just like the demo selfie piece, my inspiration for the project was inspired by the works of Marina Abramovic. Her first performance piece relates to reflection, as she is described as a mirror. Abramovic shows people as themselves in her artwork. With this idea of putting a mirror in front of another, you will be left with the same outcome. Abramovic always thought of herself as an ugly child growing up, and desperately begged her mother to get nose surgery done. The idea behind this video is a girl who is struggling with her own self-identity and creating this fake "alter-ego" or herself to tackle society. However, this mask enables her to reveal her true hidden self behind those clothes and make-up she wore. It's like a reverse effect because usually a "mask" is associated with hiding something (or to keep oneself hidden), but my recording is the opposite showing her blind truth being revealed. The clothing choice of wearing black symbolizes a shadow since they are so apparent and blend into the night. (Hence given the name: Casked in the Shadows) In this quote by Joanne Finkelstein: "Art materializes the imagination" (Finkelstein 153) it under wraps the concept of getting an idea and bringing it to life. I believe with the freedom and creative knowledge I have, this performance would have not been made possible.
The video left me with tons of blooper clips including one where the eye-mask hits my head after flinging it into the air. I improvised drawing the mask because I couldn't find an official prop to use but it looks more authentic that way. The video is surrounds itself with an ominous and mysterious tone of what you think is going to be unveiled from behind that mask. Even without being given a description, it would be left up for interpretation by the viewer which I think adds onto the mysterious aspect of the video.
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