I made this piece in 2020, decided it was shit, and destroyed it. Artists’ prerogative. I’m now making it again, better. I will describe it – when I am finished I can post images.
It is a tent with 3 ante-chambers. Outside it is guarded by two sex-doll sphinxes, and upon entrance there is a plaque with transwoman Andrea Long Chu’s definition of femaleness: “an open mouth, an expectant asshole, blank, blank eye”. In the first chamber hang garlands of underwear, on the walls images of surgical scars and fake flowers. The second chamber is coated with some of the abuse gender critical feminists receive. The third chamber is mirror-clad with a cushion and the abuse relentlessly spoken as a sound installation. Sit and consider what it is to be a woman today.
It’s broadly about the (coughs) ‘intersection’ of internet mob-ism; the loss of our humanity; and woke misogyny, woke homophobia, and the TRA phenomenon.
The experience is one of the suffocation of social media mob bullying, and being surrounded by gaslighting religion. The reference to Emin’s tent (Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963 – 1995) draws attention to the intimacy of hate.
The piece is asking – even if we were terrible, say actual murderers – is this really ok? Is this how we want to respond as humans? This is perpetrated by people who are filled with hubris, sanctimony, and moral certainty. They believe they’re on the side of the angels yet perpetuate their inhumanity with no sense of irony. The bullies do not recognise themselves as bullies. They say the hate is ours – is it really? Where is the hate really coming from? And even if it were the case that we are hateful, can you fight hate with hate? Mourn the loss of our humanity.
We are crowdfunding to pay for materials, as well as security and invigilation when the piece is publicly shown.
I admire you doing this work. It is so difficult to try and get through peoples blocks to the fact of misogyny embedded in society, which this is all about.
I need to to thank you for this wonderful read!! I absolutely loved every little bit of it. I have you book marked to check out new things you postÖ