Created from part I of Suki the life-model's autobiographical trilogy, A Small LIfe; asmalllife.co.uk/ .
In the new millenium struggling poet Suki - approaching middle age, living alone, post-feminist, a little bit anorexic, just slightly suicidal - has turned to life modelling to make ends meet. While Suki poses for and is drawn by the audience, we hear the artists talk about their relationship with the model, and also what is really going on in the mind of Suki when she is 'under the gaze’…
The "gaze" refers to a feminist theory evolved in art in the eighties about the so-called 'male gaze'. Male artists’ models have traditionally also been their mistresses - she owned by him; her representation controlled by him. The theory goes that ‘looking upon', in order to represent, gives power.
A longer 30 minute video associated with a performance piece can be seen here: vimeo.com/121244261 .
here
Subtitles and poem translations by Yi Chen.
Audio-visual design and presentation by Bel at bel-photography.co.uk
Subtitles by Yi Chen.