Zoe Chan
BLU, 2009
BLU, 2009
Video: 1:10min
Words of desire spin in a demanding hypnotic loop.
http://www.zoechan.com/sculpture/video
“Language is a skin: I rub my language against the other. It is as if I had words instead of fingers, or fingers at the tip of my words. My language trembles with desire. The emotion derives from a double contact: on the one had, a whole activity of discourse discreetly, indirectly focuses upon a single signified, which is ‘I desire you,’ and releases, nourishes, ramifies it to the point of explosion … on the other hand, I enwrap the other in my words, I caress, brush against, talk up this contact, I extend myself to make the commentary to which I submit the relation endure.” – Barthes, A Lovers Discourse
Let my words work upon you. My words are my body. My words can touch you. Let me touch you with my words. Let my language work into you. Let my fingers touch across your edges. Let them turn you over. Let them turn you around. Smoothly. Gently. I push. I pull. I have your words at my fingertips. I twist you at the edges of my hands. My fingers move back and forth. Back and forth. Up and down. Down and up. Let my body twist you. Smooth and stop. Stop and up. Faster, stop. Back up. Now down. Now down, now down. I work upon you. My fingers are my hands, my hands are my body, my body embraces you. It holds you. It holds you taught. In line. In control. Controlled. And I work upon you. Twisting and turning. Faster and faster. Faster and faster. Back and forth. Forth and back. Again. Faster and faster. Back and forth. Up and down. Down and up. Front and back. Back and front. Faster and stop. Stop and slowly. Slowly I release you. Let me let you go. I can touch you. I let go. Let my fingers touch your edge. Let them hold you. I will hold you. I will hold you softly. Quietly. I will turn you around and let you go softly. Let me touch you with my words. My words can touch you. My words are my body. Let my words work upon you.
Let my words work upon you. Let them touch the tip of your mind. Let them work into your body. I extend myself into your body. My fingers control my words that work their way into your body. Let them move within you.
Zoe Chan :: www.zoechanworks.com :: info@zoechanworks.com
Zoe,
Blu fits into a discussion Nora Herting and I recently had on this site about language and physicality (see the comments under my recent curatorial statement).
I find Blu a really provocative piece in it’s exploration of language and desire. It reminds me of Lacan’s theorizations of language, desire, and subjectivity, or more appropriately, subjectification. How do you negotiate the specificity of your experiences/interiority with the pre-existing discourses of language that structure subjectivity? It seems you are putting both elements into play in your work.
Thanks for posting,
Jillian
Hi Jillian.
Thanks for your interest. You are correct, I was thinking about Lacan when I made these pieces. In particular I was thinking about much of his writing about “I-LOVE-YOU” which has been described as a socially irresponsible phrase. I was fascinated by this paradox, one of the symbolically most powerful phrases is empty and without meaning. It’s non specificity leaves it’s interpretation in the realm of the desires of the recipient. The speaker evades the responsibility of the words.
I was also thinking about the David Cronenberg film “Videodrome”, and the place where an external input, for example words or images, are absorbed by your physical being. Their manifestation becomes a part of your physical self. Using a sexual metaphor is one way to demonstrate this.
This body of work is routed in an exploration of desire. I am interested in the limitless of desire. It’s many permutations. It’s contradictions. It’s an uncomfortable part of the human condition – satisfaction does not resolve the need to want.
But I am evading your specific question about subjectification. As a practice I tend to use whatever is preoccupying me as a starting point. From there whatever experience, media or theory that I am conneting to tends to creep in and inform the work.