the spiralling aisle
In visualising feminine identity, this work aims to confront past histories of misrepresented women by hearing and amplifying their voices through performance. Using visual prompts and symbolism sourced from histories including 1970s feminist art, predominately Mary Beth Edelson's photographic work, alongside ancient pagan and feminine spiritualities, like Wicca, I consider how predetermined associations of symbols have been seen within contemporary culture and society.
'The Spiraling Aisle' features collaboration with strong feminine spirit and close friend, Leona, who features within the moving image piece, whilst also composing the score. Her input to the moving image piece brings forth ideas discussed within the original inspiration, Florence Given's debut novel 'Women Don't Owe You Pretty'. Amongst many other learnings, this book taught us as young women how to unconditionally support and encourage one another. This life-changing practice is a foundational aspect that 'The Spiraling Aisle' aims to inspire and open dialogue for.
Much like the way I negotiated with loaded histories of the spiral motif, Rebecca Solnit, in her essay 'The Garden Of Merging Paths' (1994) uses the metaphor of the maze to discuss Silicon Valley, she explains the dark histories of the maze and considers its current associations within popular culture. She builds the essay upon this metaphor of the maze, allowing the twisted histories of the maze to dictate our perception of the Valley.
Contextualising Solnit's essay, written upon the boom of digital photography, into Digital Practices II, we can compare the military and entertainment technology industries to the age of digital photography, whilst the acres of demolished orchards are the outgrown analog processes.
Solnit's concluding discourse around the Apple technologies logo fits the same meticulous scrutiny that I conducted upon the symbols used within 'The Spiraling Aisle'. In spiritual and religious histories the apple has been used as a symbol for fertility, knowledge and a fruitful life, yet it has also been used to symbolise temptation and the forbidden. This is where we are challenged with the weight of a symbol, its context and preexisting associations.
Within the creation of this work, I was actively seeking an analog aesthetic, yet through the tools of digital photography it was more accessible and readily editable. This expresses the practicality of new age digital photography, yet challenges its integrity.
2021