Rebecca Horn has had a huge influence on body modification, she often works with extension of the body. A lot of the time this was related to her own poetry. She has worked with this concept for over 40 years now. She was especially creative with this theme in her early work, an exploring period for the young artist. Her art creations are very personal to her, she's expressing her imagination through each extension. A lot of the work is worn by herself moving film, where she usualy gives a performance realting the body modification/accessorie she's wearing or using. Therefore the film ends up being just as much, or even more so, the finished work.
Horn's work is very abstract, and is often hard to understand the purpose. At the time of which she was working this way, her equiptment and way of transferring her ideas, i.e. film, computer, performance, was new to technology and the art world. Even the materials were modern, working with things like fibreglass. Unfortunatly these materials proved to be dangerous, and resulted in Horn falling very sick. She had inhaled a great amount of harmful fumes and particles, leaving her inhalation system in a critical condition.
At this part of her life, she felt very lonley, with both the condition and the loss of her parents, isolated. Perhaps it could be said her work is subject to this lonliness, exaggerating her features, features that made her feel inferior? When the illness was occurant she was almost helpless and only stable enough to sit up in a bed. So she could only manage drawing, writing, and slow stitch work. This gave her lots of time to think.
Some of her more well known works include pieces such as; Unicorn, and ther 'Finger Glove' work. Some of her pieces are preserved in the TATE gallery in London. Her costumes were displayed here in 1994, for the public to view. This proved so popular that the Museum had to close!
I think her work is very subjective to the individual as a viewer. Her work has a huge element of textile input, along with fashion and of course fine art. Her costumes act as a symbolism or a suggestive, rather than the garments being the finished work. The costumes are only a factor in it. It's hard to differ decoration, with masking. That's an interestin point because, we all "decorate" ourself in some way, whether it's clothing, make-up or even glasses. We subconsciously do this, without realising we're actually trying to cover our flaws, our ugliness. Poeple do this partly because of others too, if everyone else "masks" themselves, it leads you to do the same.
If I were to transform my body, or body part, in a form of adaption, it would have to be something I would give huge thought. Rebecca Horn seems to work with adaptions that make her seem of feel more confident, superior or mysterious. She alters the outer 'Horn' to change the focus of the inner 'Horn'. Personally, I think if I was taller, it would give me more confidence. However being small, has it's advantages, just as being tall. Also I think factors such as, height, gender, facial features, etc all add to you as an individual, and it helps others understand you as a person.
I think it would be interesting if you could perhaps accessorise a feature, that was transferable, rather than a permanent change. A bit like a super power. Perhaps an object like an umbrella, that would shelter you from bad luck, or problems.
No comments:
Post a Comment