WOMB OF SHAME

Laptop, Television and Underwear. Time-based Looping Installation, approximately 110 minutes. (2015) 
Ongoing Project

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Artist Statement:​In order to deal with the reality of sexual behavior in contemporary life we must be brutally honest. This installation features the real lived experiences of various Toronto-based individuals in video portraits displayed inside a small bulky CRT television. The physical elements of the piece are a blurry reference to Sarah Lucas’ work regarding personification of objects. The generic underwear covering most of the TV display acts as both a censoring agent to protect the identity of the participants and also as a means to bring to life what is expected to remain unspoken. It provides a clear context for the video component. It is a reference to perversion with the literal juxtaposition of underwear and a face. It places the subjects vulnerably exposed in a humiliating yet anonymous position. The viewer is left to stare at the corners of the screen, only being able to discern a pink and highly textured background, hopefully provoking an mildly distressing reference to the inside of the human body. This narrative installation seeks to denormalize sexual expectations and experiences by revealing what is usually left unsaid and unheard because of the social pressure to conform. Without the presence of visual representation, the identity of these portraits is manifested solely through their sexual experiences and thoughts.