#MITCHELLTUT1

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Mitchell Messina’s Homework: Tutorial Response

Tracey Rose is a South African who creates artworks through a wide range of mediums some of which include but are not limited to performance pieces, video pieces, installations and intervention pieces. Rose is known for conveying her own political stand points through her work and successfully communicates her feelings towards race, gender, sexuality and contemporary society. Her work often depicts her as the main focus drawing attention to the concept of the artist as the artwork itself. She does this by placing herself in live performance pieces, self portraits and video pieces in which she performs. 

This idea of her solo representation of the artist and self is also apparent in her work Ongetiteld (Untitled) that was made in 1996. The work consists of a video documentation shot through surveillance cameras that depicts Rose shaving off all her body hair in its entirety. This piece is incredibly thought provoking and socially relevant.

Through the action of personally shaving off all of her body hair including that on her head, Rose emits to the idea of removing a suggested gender by both removing the hair that holds masculine attributes as well as the hair that holds feminine attributes. Through the act of removing this her she is erasing the ideology of a preconceived gender that has been associated with body hair. She further rejects this notion by highlighting the fact that women have been preconditioned by society to shave their legs and arm pits in order to come across as more sexually appealing where as men have not have had the same societal pressures regarding their own leg and arm pit hair. Rose aims to desexualize her self through this work by taking on this ideology that society has instilled in the public of body hair and the connotations to beauty and sex appeal that it holds. By removing all of her hair she is actively erasing this preconditioned ideology and destroying its own holds on her. By shaving herself she creates a being that through societies eyes is ugly and unattractive thereby purposely rejecting these ideals that society has placed on the public.

This work could also be a direct response to the ridiculous beauty standards that society has placed on women and that are further affirmed by men. Women have been so sexualized by society that many women feel the need to follow the sexist ideologies set in place to continue to feel relevant and wanted. We, as women have been precondition to be well groomed, attractive sex things and to not complain about it. Through this standards of sex appeal come through that women are expected to follow to remain sexually relevant, such as shaving the pubic area, legs and armpits but still maintaining well groomed long hair and neat eyebrows. Despite the fact that this is idea of hair is racially non inclusive and problematic it also creates a pressure for all women to achieve this look. Rose rejects this ideal by removing all of her hair and not just the parts that society recommends. By going to the extreme and pushing societies demands further than what they initially asked for, Rose defies them and creates a body that is officially desexualized and free from any societal pressures.

Words: 545

Tracey Rose Untitled, 1996 Video

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MITCHELL MESSINA’S TUTORIAL HOMEWORK:

Ciao Bella (2001) by Tracey Rose 

Tracey Rose is a South African artist whose practice centers on installation, video, photography and performance. Rose deals with themes of gender, race, identity politics and history which are mostly interpreted through the use of her own body. Like the American artist Cindy Sherman, Rose places herself within the narrative to create multiple layers of meanings. Through this she also explore her own identity politics as a person of colour in South Africa by inserting herself into her own reinterpretations of western art and history. Eurocentric history objectifies and exoticises non-western bodies, especially female, and so by inserting herself into these spaces Rose is bringing her own sense of awareness. 

Ciao Bella is a video installation work which Rose presented for the 2001 Venice Biennale. The work entails a series of photographs and a triple-screen video projection which all depict a parodic recreation of the infamous painting The Last Supper (1495–1498) by Leonardo Da Vinci. Rose plays the role of twelve female caricatures who embody archetypes of objectified female beauty such as Marie Antionette and Saartjie Baartman. By referencing The Last Super, Rose intends for this work to interrogate how religious beliefs have constructed the roles of “male” and “female” in society. Her practice investigates histories of violence, especially violence against womxn and their unvoiced presence in history. This is made evident in Ciao Bella as the thirteen-minute work depicts a chaotic narrative in which Rose’s twelve characters appear stuck in their individual repetitive lives. The video seems to break this rhythm with the first spoken words which are quoted from Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The words make reference to the famous saying, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” This alludes to the objectification of womxn and the notion of the male gaze. By inserting herself into these characters Rose creates another layer of critique as she makes them become relevant to her time and location in space. We see the work in context to our own history and knowledge. A foreigner viewing the work at the Venice Biennale in 2001 will interpret it differently to a South African in 2019. 

The abstract, fantasy-like elements of the work reminds me of Dystopian or Utopian qualities of a postcolonial South Africa. In this colourful scene, there is tension between these characters who come from different histories and backgrounds and they play off of each other. Rose’s Marie Antionette idly cuts cake while another character portraying “Cicciolina”, a famous porn star (who has worked with Jeff Koons) confidently splays out on the table. Ciao Bella is drenched in intertextual references and the variety of archetypes suggests several lifetimes of oppression. 

In relation to Ciao Bella, Rose’s Marie Antionette makes an appearance in another one of her photographic works titled MAQEII (2002). In this composition she is seen standing in front a RDP settlement with a cake in her hand, which could be a reference to wealth gaps and social inequality in South Africa.

Tracey Rose

Ciao Bella, 2001

Dan Gunn

  Rear projection colour triptych with stereo audio speakers

The Last Supper 

 Leonardo Da Vinci

(1495–1498)  

Tempera, Gesso 

460 cm  × 880 cm

MAQEII

2002

Lambda photograph

118.5 × 118.5 cm

Edition of 6

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Mitchell Messina’s Homework: Tutorial response from 6th May

The Kiss by Tracey Rose

The Kiss (2001) by Tracey Rose alludes towards numerous political aspects such as race, gender, the artist’s personal connection to the work and South Africa’s history regarding Apartheid. I chose this work because I feel that it is filled with so many references towards previous works (such as The Kiss (1908) by Gustav Klimt or the sculpture by Auguste Rodin (1882)). I find this work extremely powerful in conveying a reaction towards politics in terms of gender and race.

Tracey Rose is a South African artist who often creates performance, photography or installation works. Many of her pieces surrounds the topic of gender, race, masculinity, femininity and sex. She is frequently at the center of her works. I find this a crucial point in understanding her positionality in the messages or themes that she conveys in her work. She points towards her body; playing with the notions of what is attractive in terms of the appearance or gender. I feel that all these themes are evident in her work The Kiss.

The Kiss by Tracey Rose

2001

Lambda print

Edition of 6

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracey_Rose

The Kiss (2001) depicts two figures deeply attracted and in love with each other. The figure seated on the plinth is her American art dealer whilst the other figure is Rose herself. Politically, I immediately thought of South Africa’s history of Apartheid and how the interactions between different races were deemed as illegal. Thus; when looking at The Kiss; the two figures are of different races and I feel that it could refer to the history of racial tension within South Africa. Although interactions between the various races were illegal, this image if filled with love and diffuses the tension. It might be a form of resistance and simply a celebration of love against the country’s history in terms of Apartheid. It was made in 2001 when South Africa was still a somewhat young democratic country.

The Kiss further reminds me of the interrelations or overlapping of the various cultures, religions or beliefs that have existed throughout history (and currently) within South Africa. It speaks towards African identity and presents the question (in relation to the artist) of what it means to be a woman of colour living in South Africa. Although this piece was made in 2001, I find that this question of identity is still relevant in today’s society. Ultimately, I think that people are becoming more aware towards their positionality (in terms of their gender, race, privilege etc.). I feel that this is one of the main political themes that Rose explores not only in The Kiss, but in many of her other works.

There is an interesting power dynamic displayed in The Kissbetween the two figures. The seated figure is Rose’s American art dealer. I find this interesting as the one needs the other if they want to make a profit or gain some sort of recognition in their trade. A relationship that is usually maintained at a professional level is now deeply personal. It makes me think of the politics or power structures within systems of authority/government/the art world and how they are presented within the media. The dealer appears to be taking a very powerful, strong and I hate to say masculine stance. Rose appears softer and more subdued. Many political leaders throughout history have been men of great strength and bravery. The Kiss is successful in depicting the narrative of the confident man in contrast towards the soft, passive woman (representations of masculinity and femininity), particularly in terms of power relations that are evident within politics and many other aspects of life.

This work strongly references Auguste Rodin’s sculpture The Kiss (1882). The figures in Rodin’s work are an example of forbidden love and both figures were killed. Similarly, in Rodin and Rose’s work, the lips of the two figures do not touch. The aspect of forbidden relationships is further seen in Rose’s work with reference to interracial relationships within the Apartheid system. Another possible influence towards Rose’s work would be Gustav Klimt’s painting The Kiss (1908). In both Klimt and Rose’s work, there is a strong sense of passion and contrast between male and female energies of dominance and passiveness. In both works, the male figure overshadows the female.

The Kiss by Auguste Rodin

1882

Marble

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kiss_(Rodin_sculpture)

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

1908

Oil on canvas

https://www.wikiart.org/en/gustav-klimt/the-kiss-1908

Although Rose’s The Kiss was made in 2001, I find it strongly relevant towards our current society. The reflection behind one’s positionality and the politics surrounding gender, race or power dynamics is something that will always play a role within society.

(737 words)