Rochester Institute of Technology
RIT Scholar Works
Theses
Thesis/Dissertation Collections
2005
Looking In
Mahine Rattonsey
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Recommended Citation
Rochester
Institute
ofTechnology
A Thesis Submitted
to the
Faculty
ofThe College
ofImaging
Arts
andSciences
In
Candidacy
for
the
Degree
ofMaster
ofFine
Arts
Looking
In
By
Mahine
Rattonsey
Final Approvals
Chief Advisor:
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Michael Rogers
name
Signature
Date:
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Associate Advisor:
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Eileen Feeney Bushnell
name
Signature
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Michael Rogers
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name
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Mahine Rattonsey
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Personal
space andprivacy for
socialbeings is
a contradictionin
terms.
There
is
alwaysthe tension
between
social obligationsthat
lead
to
socialinteractions
andthe
inevitable
invasion
of personal space and privacy.The
centralthesis
for
this
body
of work revolvesaround
the
constant strugglethat
we ashumans
endureto
achieve abalance between
the
need
for
socialinteraction
and ourequally compelling but opposing
needfor privacy
andpersonalspace.
The
futility
ofthis
epic struggle orbalancing
actlies in
the
fact
that
a zerotolerance
policy for
these
mildintrusions
and severeinvasions
would resultin
aloss
ofall social
interaction.
Having
witnessedfirst-hand,
this total
lack
ofinteraction
whenmy
father
wentthrough
depression I
fully
appreciate and embracethe
responsibilities andpleasuresof social
life
withvery little
reservations.The
intrusions
that
I
seekto
addressthrough this
showtitled
"Looking
In" areboth
mental and physical
in
nature.The
pointthat
I
have
soughtto
makeis
the
reality
that
these
unwelcomedevelopments
occur as a result of each one of ushaving
made aconscious choice.
I
now realizethat
my
personal spaceis invaded
mostby
the
peopledearest
to
me.When I
wasyounger,
my
motherinsisted
that
I
shouldhave
atraditional
life
withfamily,
marriage and motherhood atits
core.Then,
I vehemently disagreed
withher,
asI
assumedcorrectly
that
they
wouldinvolve
great mental and physical changesin
my life. Now
that
I
have
embracedthese
responsibilities of adulthoodI
realizethat
her
intentions
were notfar from
whatI
want.The
regretI feel for
nothaving
understoodher
at
the time
is just
asintrusive
as wereher
words.In
this
showI have
combinedthe
I
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western culture
that
I
have openly
embraced and adoptedoverthe
last
eight yearsthat
I
have been in
the
USA.
This
showis
as much aboutthe
female
body
and mind asit
is
aboutthe
invasion
ofpersonal space.
I feel
that
in
most casesthe
female bears
the
weight ofresponsibility
in
keeping
the
home
andfamily.
Therefore,
I believe
that
nosociety
or government shouldinterfere
or attemptto
unduly influence
the
difficult
choicesthat
shehas
to
make.Looking
In
is
aninstallation I have
createdto thread
togetherthese
thoughts
ofthe
invasion
of personal spacethat
have
occurred and continueto
occur whenI
make choicesor
just
givein
attimes to
conformto
societal expectations.Although
I have
realizedthat
these
intrusions
are animportant
part ofmy life I
amconstantly
trying
to
find
abalance
between
them
andmy independence. To
revealthe
many facts
ofmy
premiseI have
usednineteen
found
windows and addedimages
and objectsto them.
The
installation
consistsof old window
frames
suspended at variousheights.
Each
window carries anarrative;
these
vignettes canbe
seenfrom both
sides and alsothrough the
surrounding
windows.Using
images from my life
experiences,
I
wantto
let
the
viewerinto my
personal spaceand at
the
sametime
makethe
viewersubtly
aware ofbeing
watched whilethey
gothrough the
exhibit.The
windows are suspendedfrom
the
ceiling
to
block
the
viewer'sfield
of vision and since all ofthe
glassis
nottransparent
it distorts
the
viewfurther. The
labyrinth
that
I
createdwiththese
windows createslayers
ofimagery
quiltedtogether that
r
'
I
The
windowsI have
usedfor
this
show workon multiplelevels
to
communicatemy ideas
to the
viewers.The
windows symbolizethe
keyholes
or point ofentry
that the
viewersuse
to
look into my life
andthought
process.They
frame
the
images
withinthem
but
atthe
sametime
allowthe
viewerto
look deeper
within andbeyond
the
frame
of reference.As
objectsthey
have
a recognizable roleand referencethe
home
that
they
werea part of.The
glass panelsinside
the
windowframes have images
onthem.
The
glassis
criticalto
the
show asit
referencesthe
metaphor of open or guardedthrough the
use oftransparentor opaque glass.
In
addition,
I believe
that
glass windows provide afalse
sense security.In
the
sameway
our personal spaceis
aninvisible barrier
that
caneasily be
penetrated.The
technical
processes employed allowed meto
alterthe
glass surfaceto
makeit
moreclosely
resemble skin and wounds.The
same process allowed meto
'age'the
glass andgive
it
adifferent
identity
whileretaining
the
inherent
qualities of glass.The
objectsthat
I have
addedbecome
apartofthe windows;
they
blend into
the
framework along
withthe
hinges
andlocks
that
are avital part ofthe
window.I have
chosenimages
that
vary from
personal photographicimages
to
found images
andmedical
illustrations.
Going
back
andforth
allows meto transform
my
personalimages
from
a specifictime
andcommunity into
a more universal realm.The
found images
that
I
have
used arefrom different
time
periodsvarying from Medieval
to
Victorian,
and yetthey
can allbe juxtaposed in
the
contextofa modernlife
as weknow
it. The
premises ofthese
images include
birth,
sex, marriage,
motherhood anddeath. I
wantedto
weavestructure of our
lives. The images have
eitherbeen
screen printed onthe
glassgiving
agrainy
aged effectto the
glassorhave been
sandblastedinto
the
glass surface withahigh
fire
enamelbeing
laid into it
that
darkens
andthen
fades into
the
glassto
work withthe
aesthetic of
the
weather-beaten
windows.
The
showis installed
sothat
initially
the
viewer gets anidea
ofthe
outlay
of allthe
windows suspended
from
the
ceiling creating layers
ofinformation
that the
viewerhas
to
uncover.
An
addedlayer
ofinformation is
createdby
the
shadowsthat
these
windowscreate on
the walls, the
floors
and onthe
viewers.This
additionallayer
distorts
the
overall
clarity
ofthe
image
and yetthe
shadows reveal anotherfacet
ofthe work,
whichin
turn
needsto
be
realized.The
showfollows
a narrativethat
explainsthe
important
details
ofmy life.
The
following
paperdiscusses how I
usethe
gaze ofthe
viewerto
bring
together the
windows and
images
to
further
understandthe
complex relationshipsI have
with myselfand with
the
people around me.In
additionthe
paper also presentsthe
compromisesI
have
madeto
supportmy
choices andhow
withoutthe
invasion
ofmy
personal spaceI
would
be
devoid
ofany
social contact.The
windowis
the
first
thing
that
a viewer recognizes asthey
walkinto
the
show andit
forms
the
basis
for how
the
images
are viewed."An ordinary
windowis
a simple enoughobject.
But
anordinary
windowis
imbued
with an emotionallife
we giveto
it.
Facing
selves.
Through its
transparent
panes,
wecan watchlight
makeshadow,
day
turn to night,
and season give
way
to
season.At
times the
clarity
ofthe
window'sgeometry
provides acomprehensible
form
for
the
complexities ofhuman
experience,
orfocuses
ourawarenesson unknown mysteries
beyond
ourken. As
an aperturein
an architecturalwall,
the
window
is
similarto the
eye,
whichlinks
the
visible world of natureto the
invisible
world of
the
mind"1
This
quoteexplainsthe
many facets
that
windowscarry
andlays
outin
aneloquentway my
rationalefor using
them too.
The
found
windowshave
ahistory
oftheir
own.The
effects ofthe
weather andthe
notches and cracks
in
the
windowframes let
the
viewersknow
that
the
windowshave
been
through alot
and moreimportantly
have
seen alot.
Charles
Baudelaire
in
afew
words explains
the
mystery
andlure
oflooking
through
a window."Looking
from
outside
into
an open window one never sees as much as when onelooks
through
a closedwindow...
In
that
black
orluminous
spacelife
lives,
life
dreams,
life
suffers."
I
choseto
frame my
work withthese
found
windows asthey
dramatically
outlinethe
glass and also give
it
a sense of space.The
windowframes
were anideal
choice,
asthey
are recognizable objects
that
representthe
house
without mehaving
to
constructthe
wallsaround
it. A
home,
where we canbe
ourselves, that
gives us ourprivacy;
I
amletting
the
viewer
into my inner sanctuary allowing
them to
seethose
privatethoughts
andimages
that
I
paint onthe
glass.The
voyeuristic aspect oflooking
through
a closed windowcoalesces
nicely into my idea
of onesprivacy
being
intruded. This is intensified due
to
1
Suzanne
Delaney,
The Artist's Window The Window in Twentieth
Century
Art,
Neuberger
Museum
2
li'
MB
^i$*
-J$if
r^v
no
<if'
the
intimate
and personalimages
that
are onthese
windows.When
looking
through
awindow one
is
aware oflooking
in
or out ofthe
window.But
sincethese
windows aretaken
out ofcontext and placedin
agallery
the
vieweris
alwayslooking
in
throughthe
window.
This
addsto the
voyeuristic aspectofthe
show.The
windowframes
also representthe
body; they
form
the
skeleton structurefor
the
glassthat
is
being
used as atransparent
membranerepresenting
skin and wounds.Since
alot
ofthe
pieceshave
to
do
withthe
physicalintrusion
ofthe
body,
the
glasshas
been
usedto
represent
these
either asimages
or asforms. The
window serves as aframe
aroundthese
and allows
the
viewerto
concentrate onthat
particularintrusion.
Besides
their
symbolicmeaning,
I
wasdrawn
to the
way
the
windowframes
were paintedand
the
way
they
soeffectively demonstrated
the
care orlack
thereof that
people putinto
them.
The
frames
provide astrong
structure andframe
of referencefor
the
realbody,
which,
is
the
glass.The
relativelack
offancy
fittings
and ornamentation onthe
woodenframes helps focus
all ofthe
viewer's attention ontothe
glass pieceitself. I have left
the
windows
the
way I found
them
with cracked paint anddrips
of paintto
leave intact
the
history
that
is
revealedin
their
worn out appearance.The only
changes madeto the
windowswere
that
they
wereglazedwhenthe
glass was replaced.Here
too
I
took
careto
imitate
the
way
that the
windowshad been
glazedin
the
first
place.The glazing putty
was
then
lightly
paintedto
blend
in
withthe
rest ofthe
frame. The
windowsthus
serveseveral
different
functions, they
form
the
basic
structurethat
frames
the
work and also?^Wte,
w
\
In
addition,
I
was attractedto the
idea
ofusing
windows asaframe
ofreferencegiventhe
history
ofartistsusing
stained glassin
windowsto
depict mainly
epic stories andthemes
.From
the
middle agesthe
painted glass windowshave
servedto
educatethe
publicin
the
stories of
the
bible
and are still usedto this
date for
the
purpose oftelling
stories.In
addition
there
is historical
evidence of windowsbeing
usedby
artists as subject matter aswell as a
frame
of reference.According
to
Shirley
Neilsen
Blum,
"The
window as arecognizable subject
in
art recallsimages
andideas
long
associated withthe
mind andsoul.
It
is
one ofthe
few
symbolsfrom
the
pastthat
can still sustain a spiritual content.The
studio withits
requisite window personifiesthe
artist's private world.Although
the
source of
knowledge may
nolonger be
godheadbut
the
subjective realm ofan artist'smind,
inspiration
and creativeforce find
stilltheir
symbolin
the
widow andits
light."3The
glassinside
the
windowsis
atransparent
membrane on whichI
have
portrayedmy
introspections
onthe
complex relationshipsI have
withmy
family
and myself.In my
opinion,
glass gives people afalse
sense of security.We
oftenforget
that the transparent
nature of most glass reveals a
lot
morethan
it
conceals.The
feeling
ofsafety behind
closed windows
is really
a contradictionin
terms
because
the
glassactually does
notreally
prevent voyeursfrom
looking
in. Through
the
course ofthis
installation I have
used glass
that
rangesfrom
the
fully
transparent
to the translucent to the
opaque whichsubtly distorts
as well as exposes.The
vieweris
made aware ofthis
voyeuristicquality,
as
they
become
a partofthe
exhibit and are watchedthrough the transparent
glass whilethey
gothrough
the
exhibit.This
gaze ofthe
vieweris
avery important
part ofthe
show.They
arethe
voyeur andthe
victimatthe
sametime.
The
glass serves asmy
canvas on whichI
can paintmy ideas
and allows meto
createrelief
by
converting
this
flat
surfaceinto
three-dimensional
forms. For
example,
in
the
piece
Vitality
1,
the
lower half
ofthe two-piece
window represents a pregnantbelly
withthe
hands
andfeet
ofthe
baby
stretching
the
walls ofthe
womb.This ability
ofthe
glassto
showstretching
skin orto
alterinto
adetailed baby's hand is
what attracts meto
it.
The
glasstakes
on a newlife,
it
stretches,
it
pulls andit
wrinkles whenfired in different
ways
to
makeit
seem alive.Just
asI
can addimages
orform
to the
glassI
can alsostencilout parts of
it
to
create negativeforms.
As
anexample,
in
the
piecetitled
Essence
II,
I have
cut outthe
uterus shapeinside
the
window andthen
added athree
dimensional
fallopian
tube
to
the
outside ofthe
window.This
forms
aninter-play
between
the
negative stencils of
the uterus,
whichis
completedin
the
positiveby
the
fallopian
tube.
It
is
anongoing
challengefor
meto
seehow
far I
can push glass as a mediumto
givethe
impression
ofhuman
body
and skin.To
this
endI have
erased allthe
decorative
qualitiesof glassand
instead
manipulatedthe
inherent
flaws
to
workto
my
advantage.The clarity
of
glass,
lack
ofbubbles,
smoothshiny
surfaces andbright
vibrant colors are alldesired
qualities
in
decorative
glass.Instead
ofusing
these
qualitiesI have
used commonfloat
glass
for
the
showto
keep
the
integrity
ofthe
found
windows.I
also removed allthe
colorand
brought
the
palettedown
to the tones
ofblack
and white so as notto
be distracted
by
that
looks
like
human
skin.I
cutthe
glass,
drilled holes
aroundthe
cutand sewedit back
together
to
represent a wound.All
the
panels offlat
glasshave been fired
atleast
onceto
give
it
an agedlook
sothat
it
conformsto the
aesthetic ofthe
windowframes. This ability
of
the
glassto take
onnew andvariedforms is
what attracts meto
it.
Besides
the
flat
glass,
I have
also made use offlameworked
Pyrex
tubing
and rodsaswellas cast glass.
These
additional objectshelp
to
completethe narrative,
asin
the
case ofEssence 11
wherethe three
dimensional
glassfallopian
tube
is
addedto the
outside ofthe
frame
to
completethe
negative shape and enhancethe
story.In
the
piecetitled
Vanity,
I
used
these
add-on piecesto
add an extradimension
wherethe
cast glass mirrorthat
hangs
from
the
bottom
ofthe
windowis
an echo ofthe
mirrorthat
is
being
held up
by
the
pregnantwoman
in
the
image.
The inherent
transparent
quality
ofglass,
which allowsthe
viewer notonly
to
look
atthe
images
onbut
alsobeyond it
to
otherwindows,
images
and other viewers makesit
anintegral
part ofthe
show.The
different
processesthat
canbe
usedto
craftthe
glassinto
solid
objects,
hollow
objects,
as well as a surfacefor
use as acanvas,
along
withits
ability
to
resemblethe
human
body
and skinfacilitates my
effortsto
include details
that
would not
have been
possible withany
other material.The amazing
qualities of glass arebest described in
the
words ofBelgian
artistLieve
Van Stappen. She
says,
"I
amfascinated
by
the
oppositesit
embraces.It's hard
and sometimespainfully
sharp,
and yetfragile. At
the
sametime
it
is
sotransparent that
youhardly
realizeit's
there.
Glass
side
to
you asdoes
glass.Glass is
sobeautiful
that
it
can sublimatethe things
everybody
wants
to
forget.
Glass
speaks of pain whilecausing
no pain.In
allits
ambiguity,
glassis
neither
judge
norjury. Glass
comprehends;
glasscomforts"4
I
find
Stappen's description
of glass
fascinating
asI
can seethe
oppositesthat
sheis
describing,
I
find
glassto
be
sensual and
inviting
and yet atthe
sametime
harsh
andfrightening. It
canbe
soft andvelvety
and yet cold and sharp.But
the
mostamazing
thing
about glassis
that
it
is
alive.The ability
to
be
manipulatedinto
multiple appearances givesit
alife
that
no othermaterial possesses.
The images
portrayed onthe
glass addthe
narrativethat
is
soimportant
to the
show.The
images vary from
personalphotographs,
found images
and medicalillustrations. But
allof
these
expressmy
personalexperiences andthoughts.
Using
personal experience asthe
basis
ofmy
work was an obvious evolution.The
Chinese
glass artistChen Zhen's
observations on
using
one's own experiencesin
art were asfollows,
"Rather
than
any
religious or nostalgic
ideas,
this
is
the
basis for my desire
to
"exploit"my
personalexperiences
by
transposing
them
into
a reflection on art.In
this
approach you cannotperceive either
history
or arthistory
in
the
same way.Art
is
notlimited
to
being
aconceptual
issue,
it is
alife
experience.Imagination
is
not afactory
but
akind
oflaboratory.
When
one's ownbody
becomes
akind
of alaboratory,
a source ofimagination
andexperiment, the
process oflife
transforms
itself into
art"
My
premiseofpersonal space
being
invaded
is
best
explainedthroughmy
ownexperiences.I have
taken
my
memories andthoughts
andlaid
them
outfor
the
viewerto
see.The
entire process of4
Lieve Van
Stappen,
Lieve Van Stappen: Frozen Memories
by
Eric
Bookhardt,
Glass,
Number 91
Summer
2003.
5
choosing
images
that
wouldbe included in
this
show was anagonizing
oneprimarily
because
I had
to
make adecision
onhow
much ofmy
privatelife
I
waswilling
to
exposeto
stranger.The
process was made moredifficult
giventhat
I
have included images
ofpeople
(family
andfriends)
that
I
amvery
closeto.
The
challengehere
wasto
maintainthe
integrity
ofmy intent
whileensuring
that the
peopleI
am closestto
were not upset atfacets
oftheir
personallives
being
exposedin
the
publicforum.
Each image
explains afragment
ofthe
narrative.The
front half
ofthe
show exposesmy
thoughts
on motherhood.I
have
anintense fear
ofallowing my
body
andlife
to
gothrough
such animmense
change and yet asI
grow olderthe
yearning
to
have
the
sameconnection
I had
withmy
mother overwhelms me.These
conflicting
thoughts
areintertwined
withideas
of sex and contraception.To
relatethese
ideas I have
takenpersonal
images
that
arevery
emotional and combinedthem
withfound images
therefore
allowing
me somedistance
to
better
understandthese
feeling. The
medicalillustrations
further
removeany
emotional aspects andlay
down
the
bare facts. These conflicting
issues
arebest
seenin
the
piecesVitality
I
andII. The
windows arehung
parallelto
oneanother about a
foot
apart.Both
windows aredivided into
two
parts .Thetop
half
ofthe
window shows an
image
ofmy
pregnant cousin onthe
front
window and a medicalillustration
ofthe
cross section ofa pregnant woman atthe term
ofher pregnancy
onthe
window
behind
it. The
viewer can seethrough
my
cousin'simage
to
the
medicalillustration,
juxtaposing
the
images
together.An
umbilicalcordmadefrom
ahollow
glasstube
emergesfrom behind
the
belly
ofmy
cousin'simage
and attachesitself
to the
look like
apregnantbelly
through
whichhands
andfeet
ofthe
baby
inside
are stretching.This
alien experience ofhaving
onesbody
taken
over socompletely is
adisconcerting
thought.
Not only does
one'sbody
changein
appearancebut
alsoit
mutates astime
passes.
On
the
windowbehind
a cutis depicted in
the
areabelow
the
abdomen ofthe
belly
in front
ofit,
sewntogether
in
anattemptto
closethe
woundthat
would appear after aC-section. All
the
surfaces ofthe
glasshave been fired
to
look like human
skin.Even
though the
entire picture portrays a painfulprospect,
the
smile onmy
cousin'sface
andthe
umbilical corddenoting
astrong
unionbetween
the
growing
child andher,
areimpossible
to
ignore. The invasion
that
occurs as alife
growsinside
you andthe
surgery
that
onemay have
to
gothrough
are acceptableto
meto
find
that
bond between
motherand child.
This life altering
experiencethough
once a pressurefrom my
family
is
something
that
I
wantto
gothrough.
This bond
that
I
cravefor is depicted in
the
pieceConnection.
The
piece shows aphotographic
image
ofmy
motherfeeding
me with abottle
whenI
was aninfant. The
window
is
orientedhorizontally
andthe
dark
image
that
is
concentrated onthe
left
ofthe
windows
fades into
the transparent
glassin
the
middle.An Umbilical
cord madefrom
ahollow
glasstubing
startsfrom
the
top
ofthe
window anddrops behind
the
windowtwisting
andturning
almostto the
floor. The
cordis
lightly
mirroredto
add some neutraltones
of color.The
umbilical cordthat
appears anddisappears behind
the
windowI haven't
alwayshad
these
feelings
aboutmotherhood,
for
most ofmy
adultlife I have
seen
it
as ahuge intrusion into my life.
Feeling
the
way I did
about motherhoodI had
to
consider
the
options of contraception and also question myself asto
whetherI
wouldconsider abortion.
Dealing
withthe
matter of contraception waseasy,
I had
to
pickfrom
all
the
choices available.The
pieceDecision is
a six-part window and on each panelI
painted
the
different
options of contraception availabletoday.
But
these
are cold technicaldrawings
forming
patterns when seenfrom far. To
bring
back
the
emotional perspectiveI
cut out
the
shapeof afetus in
the
center ofthe
windowusing
all six panels.Considering
abortion onthe
otherhand
was aterrifying
prospect,
notonly from
a moralstandpoint
but
alsofrom
a personal point of view.To
help
myself understandthe
mentaland physical repercussions
I
started with a technicalillustration
ofthe
surgery involved
(suction
abortion),
but
asI
worked onthe
pieceI
couldn'thelp
but
get entangledin
the
emotional aspect.
The image
ofthe
surgery only
showsthe
cross section ofthe
middleportion of a woman's
body. A
scissoris
seenopening
a passagefor
the tube that
is
attached
to the
fetus
at one end and abottle
atthe
other end.Even
though
one cannot seethe
entirebody
or recognizethe women, the
pain ofhaving
alife
removedfrom
onesbody
is
unmistakable.The
completed piecetitled
Conflict
showsthe
surgery,
faintly
drawn
onthe
lower left
sideofthe
windowwhilethe
rest ofthe
windowhas fetuses
whenthey
are six weeks oldrandomly
drawn
in
actual size.Around
these
are negative shapesof
the
samefetuses
are cut outfrom
the
glass.Part
ofthe
windowis
textured
in
arippledpattern,
distorting
the
glass andmaking it
uncomfortableto
look
at.The
glassis
warpedlooking
atthe
piece.I
canonly imagine how hard it
wouldbe
for
anyoneto
makethe
decision
to
gothrough
abortion.As
much asI
think that
going
through the
procedureis
invasive both mentally
andphysically it
wouldbe
moreinvasive if going
through
the
procedure were no
longer
an option.The found
images
that
I have
usedin
some ofthese
windows reiteratemy fear
ofhaving
children.
In
the
pieceVulnerable I
chose a medievalimage
that
showsthe
cross section ofa pregnant woman.
This image
was createdbefore doctors
were allowedto
cutup
the
cadaver
to
better
understandthe
human body. The image is
notanatomically
correct.The
fetus in
this
pieceis
shown onthe
left hand
side ofthe
body.
However,
what attracted meto this
image
wasthe
posethat the
woman wasin. She is drawn
withher hands
andlegs
spread apart each
bent slightly
atthe
knees
andthe
elbows.She is in
a vulnerableposition,
exposedfor
everyoneto
seebut
sheis drawn
with aheaddress. The
pretense atpropriety is ironic especially
since sheis
naked.The
lower
part ofthe
windowhas
anotherpiece of glass
fused
onto
it in
a semi circular shaperepresenting
the
abdomen.A
cut
has
been
madein
its
center,
whichis
sewnback
together
with asurgeon's needle andthread to
showthe
scars of aC-section. I
am gratefulfor
the
progress madein
sciencesince
that
medievalimage
wasdrawn.
If I
am scared ofthe
C-section
today
I
canonly
imagine
the
horrors
of childbirthduring
the
medievaltimes.
Of
coursethere
wouldn'tbe any
needto
considerthese
issues
withoutthe
act of sex.I
chose
to
discuss
this
in
a more abstractfashion,
againusing
medicalillustrations
to
window
in
the
front
is
madeup
ofthree
panels ofglassthe
centerpanelis roughly in
the
shape
is
atriangle
broader
atthe
top
and narrower atthe
bottom. Five layers
of glassfused
together
in
a concentricdiamond
shaperepresenting
the
vagina.The
pieces werecut
unevenly
andfired
together
so asto
round offany sharp
edges.Each
piecesmoothly
blends into
the
next onemaking
the
piecelook
soft andsensual.The
outer panelsfold
outtowards the
middle and aretextured
in
long
unevenlines. This
texture
was carvedinto
the
glass,
which makesit look
rough,
and adds another whitish colorto the
glass.It
contrastswith
the
smooth central piece.The
narrow panelto
the
righthas
a medicalillustration
ofthe
sexual actdrawn in bottom. The
entirebodies
are not shownhere,
only
the
crosssection of
the
middle portion of a man and womanbody
is
seen.The
illustration
showsthe
route ofthe
spermfrom
the
testicles to
meetthe
ovum.The image
is slightly
distorted
by
the texture
in front
ofit.
By
removing
any
emotional aspects oflove
orfeelings I
have
brought it
act ofintercourse down
to
anintrusion
oftwo
bodies. The
windowbehind it
is
also
in
three
partsbut
the
centerhas
a white nylon stretchedto
its
maximumtied to the
other
two
panels of glassit is
ripped andhas
dark
smudges onit. The
nylonrepresentsthe
hymen. The
glasshere
is
textures
as wellbut
it is shiny
texture
madein
the
firing. On
the
lower left
sideis
adiagram
indicating
the
division
of cells.People may
consider sex aspleasurable andrecreational
but
the
virginity
ofayoung
girlis
treasuredin
most cultureseven
today.
As
asociety
welay
alot
ofsignificance onpreserving
the
hymen
and yetit
can
be
soeasily lost
by
a single physicalintrusion.
The
windowshere
are placed parallelto
each other and are about sixinches
apart.Each
window canbe
seenthrough the
otherThe
next set of piecesdeal
withthe
complexissues
of marriage wherethis
singular actjoins
youto
a personforever.
I
choseto
use animage from my wedding
to
discuss
the
compromises
that
are notonly
madeby
the
couplebut
alsoby
their
families. The
sameimage
of aHindu
wedding
is
usedin
the
four
windows.My
husband
andI
are seenwalking
aroundthe
holy
fire
whileholding
hands. This intrusion
ofprivacy
and spacethat
wetake
onwillingly
neverreally
prepares usfor how
much our personal spaceis
going
to
be
intruded
upon.The
act ofchanging
to
a"We"
from
an "I"is
onefilled
withcompromises.
I
tried to
showthis
loss
ofindependence in
the
piecesIndividuality
I
andII. Here
the two
windows are placed nextto
each otherforming
a continuousfrieze
created
by
repeating
the
sameimage in
various ways.In
the
windowthat
has
glassthe
image is
seenin
an outlineform both in
the
negative andpositive,
then
image is
embossed on
the
glassfollowed
by
the
screen printedimage
andthen
a cut out negative.In
the
window nextto
it I have
repeated a similarfrieze but instead
ofusing
glassI fused
together
useddrier
sheets and createdthe
frieze
withdifferent
thick
nesses of whitethread.
The
translucency
ofthis
material reminded me of glass andits
common useto
me representedthe
routine ofdaily
life,
whichis forever
changed sinceI have been
married.The
pieceCoupled
onthe
otherhand
showsthe
joining
oftwo
different
peopleinto
aunion
joined
together
in
somany
ways yet sofragile
that
it is
tied
with aninvisible
thread.
The
pieceis divided into
three
parts.The image is
screen-printedin
the
center ofthe
window andthe
glassis
divided
into
three
parts.The
couplehas been
splitto
either side andthe
joined hands
andthe
holy
fire
arein
the
center panel.A
clearthread
binds
WW*
;lJ&Jl
rifti
M&
lvvr>r
-*i,
However,
marriageis
notjust
aboutthe
coupleit is
alsothe two
families
becoming
a part ofthe
union as well.In
the
pieceCoalesce
the
glassis divided
into five
parts andinstead
of
showing
the
fire
a circular piece of glassis
tied to the
otherfour
parts.The
circularpart
has
animage
ofmy
parentswedding
picture andthe
other sideis
animage
ofmy
husband's
parentswedding
picture.On both
sidesthese
images have
aweblike
glassdisc
made of
fused
stringers.This disc
traps the
images showing
how
entangled our parent's getdue
to
the
choices we make.The
othertwo
piecesin
the
showhave
adifferent feel
to them
but
they
explain whereI
comefrom. The
pieceEvery
Year has
an oldimage
ofmy
mother,
when she was aboutmy
age.The
image
emergesfrom
the
dark
andthere
is
slight smile onher
face. There is
agarland ofglass
flowers
aroundthe
image.
It
is
anIndian
customto
have
a garland offlowers
around adead
persons photograph.This image has
always seemed poignantto
me.
My
motherinsisted
oninstilling
certain values of a conventionallife
including
marriage and children
in
me.And
I
always shunnedher
viewsbecause my independence
wastoo
important
to
me andI
sawher
version oflife
as aninherent
contradiction withmy strong
needsfor
anindependent
andliberated lifestyle.
Yet, today
I
realizethat the
life I
amleading
is really
aligned with what she alwaystried to
instill in
me and yethas
most of
the
independence
I
was soinsistent
on.I
wishI
couldtell
her
that
she wasmostly
right all along.
This
pieceis in her
memory, there
arefifty
flowers in
the
garland aroundher
photograph;
eachflower
represents ayear ofher life. The loneliness
and guiltfor
nothaving
an open mind when she was alivethat
I feel
are as much aninvasion in my life
asThe
next piece calledRemoved
has
atiny
image
ofmy father
screen-printed on alarge
window.
The
image
is
scratched
andhard
to
see.My
father
sufferedfrom
clinicaldepression for many
years.He
closedhimself from
all ofsociety
and evenhis family. I
can't
imagine how he
lived
withoutneeding
orwanting
anyone elsebut
the
lack
ofinterest in
me wasjust
asbother-some
asincessant interference
onhis
part wouldhave
been. This
ties
in
to the
earlier mentionI
have
made ofintrusion
andinvasion
of privatespace
being
the
costofliving
life
as a social animal.The installation
ofthe
showinvolved setting
the
piecesin
a mannerthat
allowedthe
narrative
to
flow from
one pieceto the
other as part of a connected story.Each
windowis
suspended
from
the
ceiling
withtwo
aircraftcablesfrom
either side.The
cables allhad
ablack
patinaonthem to
makethem
asinconspicuous
aspossible.This
allowedthe
viewerto
concentrate onthe
work and notbe distracted
by
the
hardware.
Each
piece waslit
directly
sothat the
light illuminated
the
glassin
aspecifically intended way
andfurther
created a shadow
behind
it. The
shadows added an extradimension
to
each ofthe
piecesand at
the
sametime
subtly distorted
the
image
in front
ofit.
As
the
viewer walksinto
the
gallery
they
get an overall view of most ofthe
windows,
which createsa myriad of
information
that
unfoldsitself
asthe
viewer walksthrough the
show.
The
showis installed
sothat the
viewer goesthrough
the
entire cycle oflife
aseach window shows a portion of
the
premise.The
showis incomplete
withoutthe
viewer whose gazeis
vitalfor
the
intrusion
ofmy
spacebut
alsobecause
the
vieweris
being
.
relation
to
each otherbut
is
experiences as a whole.Installation Art is
greaterthan the
sumof
its
parts.Installation
artis based in
the
aesthetic experiencethat
in
the
end cannotbe
fully
described, depicted,
recorded or explained.The
spectator,
whoin
the
act ofexperiencing
the work,
acts as catalyst andreceptor"6
Though
each piecein
this
showtells
its
ownstory,
I
believe,
that the
viewer cannottotally
grasp
the
premise withoutexperiencing
the
entire show.All
the
pieces are woventogether,
each oneleading
ontothe
next.Walking
through the
showthe
viewerfollows
a certain coursethat
unfoldsthe
narrative.
These
snapshots ofemotions andfeelings
that
I
portrayedthrough the
show were more effectivebecause
ofthe
transparency
ofthe
glassallowing
the
viewerto
see as well asbe
seen.
As
the
viewer was conscious oflooking
through
a windowframe
their
act ofvoyeurism was unmistakable.
I
could nothave
madethe
viewer a part ofthe
showwithout
the
points of referencesthat the
windowframes
provide andthe transparent
glassinside it.
The
various stages oflife
including
birth
marriage,
motherhood anddeath
that
I
portrayed confirm
that
atevery
stage of ourlives
we aredependent
on others.It
is
notpossible
for
oneto
be
a part ofsociety
and nothave
ones personal spaceinvaded. I have
to
admitthat
my
opinionis
biased
andthe
showis from
afemale
perspective.Having
bared
some ofmy
most personal thoughts and experiencesfor
this
show.I
feel
exposed and yet at
the
sametime
I feel
content athaving
acceptedthat there
is
astrong
link
between
one'sprivacy
being
invaded
andthe
socialinteractions
that
makeup
ourlives.
They
areboth
two
sides ofthe
same coin where we cannothave
a sociallife
6
without
the
inevitable intrusion
of othersinto
ourpersonal space.Another
reasonI feel
content after
working
onthis
showis
that
I feel
that
I have
made amends withmy
motherby bringing
forth my
thoughts.
This
wasmy way
ofletting
her
know
that
allthe
valuesWorks Cited
Suzanne
Delaney,
The Artist's
Window,
The Window in
Twentieth
Century
Art,
Neuberger
Museum,
State
University
ofNew York
atPurchase,
Sept
1986,
Pg
17
Charles
Baudelaire,
The Window in Twentieth
Century
Art,
Neuberger
Museum,
State
University
ofNew York
atPurchase,
Sept
1986,
Pg
99
Shirley
Neilson
Blum,
The Open Window: A Renaissance
View,
The Window
in
Twentieth
Century
Art,
Neuberger
Museum,
State
University
ofNew
York
atPurchase,
Sept
1986,
Pg
16
Lieve Van
Stappen,
Lieve Van Stappen: Frozen Memories
by
Eric
Bookhardt,
Glass,
Number
91,
Summer
2003,
Pg
41
Chen
Zhen
in
aninterview
withJerome
Sans, Reflection,
Glass,
Number
91,
Summer
Body
ofWork
Connection
Float
Glass,
Pyrex,
Ink,
Found Window
58"x31"x2"
Vulnerable
Float
Glass,
Cast
Glass, Steel, Needle, Thread, Ink,
Found
Windows
30"
x
24"x
3"Vanity
Float
Glass,
Cast
Glass,
High Fire
Enamels,
Found
Windows
42" x 20" x 2"
Multiplying
Float
Glass,
High Fired
Enamels,
Found
Window
28"x21"x4"
Vital I &II
Float
Glass, Pyrex, Thread, Ink,
High Fire
Enamels,
Found
Window
27"
x
20"
x
20"
Essence I & II
Float
Glass, Pyrex,
Found
Window
30"x33"X
16"Conflict
Float
Glass,
High
Fire
Enamels,
Found Window
23"
X
31" 3"Decide
Float
Glass,
High
Fire
Enamels,
Found Window
29"
x
30"
x
2"
Intrusion
I
&II
Float
Glass,
Nylon.
Thread,
Photo
resist,
High
Fire
Enamels,
Found
Window
30"x
30"x
12"
Vessel
Float
Glass,
Cast
Glass,
High
Fire
Enamels,
Steel,
Found Window
241/2
x18"
x
Coalesce
Float
Glass, Ink, Thread,
Hot
Glass,
Found Window
31"x24"x2"
Coupled
Float
Glass, Ink, Thread,
Found Window
23"x31"x2"
Individuality
I &
II
Float
Glass, Ink,
Drier
Sheets,
Thread,
Found Windows
18"x31" 11/2"
each
Removed
Float
Glass, Ink,
Found
Window
32"
x
36"
x
1
1/2"