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Artist Statement
Shibari has allowed me to explore many aspects of human interaction, from the darker historical ties to the modern-day mindfulness practices, and incorporate them into my work. Understanding how rope can positively impact the mind and the body has been truly eye-opening and an art form in its own right. Using a mixture of traditional knots and modern ‘intuitive ties’ I have created something that is one of a kind and special to me.
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Degree Space Evaluation
Installing in the exhibition space allowed me to put into practice everything i have learned over the last year of working on this module.
To add to the uniformity, some basic prep was done on the space, sanding, filling holes and painting the boards namely. This created a nice base to start applying my work to.
I chose to continue my work exploring intuitive tying in a space. Relying on the space to tell you what shapes and knots are appropriate, this resulted in creating a large, shattered spider web of rope suspended in the space. The colour choices of black and read were important on two fronts; I have used black and red pretty consistently throughout my practice as black in a white space is striking and can warp perspective. The red also has connotations of the string of fate, it is also prominent in various meditation practices from around the world. Red also ties in with my chosen artist influences and subsequent research.
After the prepping was complete, I put on my headphones to drown out the noises of everyone else installing, this small act allowed me to get in the right headspace to engage fully with my work. Music playing, I started to screw my O'Ring screws into the boards. approaching this install with a very clear mental plan would have been the norm for me, however that has also been why most of my recent work has failed, I became too caught up in the planning to the minushia. This install, backed by my research and personal revelations, allowed me to stay calm and focused on the work, listening to my body to create something organically grown in the space. I decided to just start screwing hooks into the boards at varying heights and depths into the space, in the end I used ten hooks in total.
The only decisions I had made leading up to installing was that I did not want the structure to be pressed flat against the wall. I wanted the ropes to occupy the space without leaving too much of an mprint and i feel that was accomplished as the only marks made are the ten small holes in the boards, which i am pleased with as it is a large structure, for the most part, supporting itself. Everything is interlinked and it grey entirely on its own in the space, I allowed myself to create something organically, that fitted the needs of the space and fell perfectly inline with my work and research.
The form itself is open to interpretation by viewers, i see a few things when i look at it. It is reminiscent of a spiderweb, shattered glass, a cat's cradle, I see clouds and telephone cables, all of these valid reactions but most importantly when i look at it I am happy. I know that the work has been bettered by allowing myself to relax and that is the main takeaway from my entire body of work to this point. There are no aspects of the structure that I wish were different, i love the fact that people can interacts with it, stuck their head around it and change the perspectives and viewing experience. Mostly I am proud of the progress that has lead to this installation, the work has genuinely bettered me, the research has been massively helpful in expressing and dismantling the way i think.
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Critical Review
Critical Review
This project has explored Shibari, from the history of the practice to the modern-day adaptation to mindfulness and the scope for individuality within the rope community. This practice has been massively influential in my life, as a nonsexual, more art-based act, and has given me a community, friendships, and a much broader appreciation for preserving my own internal piece. I initially wanted to highlight the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding sex, BDSM, and ropework within modern society. In the UK we have a systemic issue surrounding sex and intimacy in all its facets, that issue is shame, plain, and simple (UCL,2013). Shame has prohibited people from engaging with health professionals, practicing dangerous methods of sexual activity, and hiding their true interests from their significant others( Findings from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3). Adding BDSM into the mix alongside shame can lead to life-threatening practices that are avoidable provided proper research and openness can be achieved first. My body of research has allowed me to see the growth in acceptance of BDSM and Shibari in society, and its positive impact on the mental health of the people that participate. An article published by Psychology Today showed that the publication of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ in 2011 (a terrible reference for BDSM practices) showed a marked increase in public interest and participation, thus leading to it being more intensely investigated by psychologists and sexologists around the world.
The Sexual Variety in Norwegian Men and Women of Different Sexual Orientations and Ages study showed that out of a participant pool of 4,148 (2,181 men and 1,967 women) responded. The questions spanned everything from gender identity, sexual orientation, and relationship status to what aspects of BDSM they had actively engaged in and what they wanted to try and never had. The results showed that people who engaged with the practice tended to have higher levels of education, covered a broad range of careers, and were better at communicating with others, both in sexual and nonsexual aspects of their lives, (Træen, B., Fischer, N., and Kvalem, I.L. (2021)). These are just the findings of one study but thousands more have been carried out globally and the results have all shown similar findings. I have speculated that the ability to allow yourself to have internal revelations regarding sexuality and how this can translate into the art world is the same skill and has a lot of room for exciting innovation combining the two.
The direction that my work has gone in leading toward the final degree show has been drastically influenced by the previously mentioned research and the shift in attitudes toward Shibari in the public domain. I wanted to push myself and my practices to more closely mirror the joy, playfulness, and more intuitive nature of the ropework I was seeing on social media. This change has come in the form of 3D elements. Rope is a tactile medium and Shibari is an intensely practical process, adding this more sculptural/installation-based method, devoid of the human body as an anchor point, has given me a far stronger connection to the work I have produced. This has pushed me to better understand the centuries-old techniques that have stood the test of time and are interesting in their own right. I am predominantly a painter, I gravitate to structure and have full control over every aspect of the work I make, from initial sketches to colour placements and compositions. This kind of sculpture/installation required me to completely reimagine my creative process, and rely on more intuitive methods of making. It has been a big change but it is something that I think will continue throughout my work. Allowing myself to become fully caught up in the moment while working on these large-scale installations has been some of the most peaceful moments of this degree year. I believe that this has been the biggest shift in my body of work. The rope artist Hajime Kinoko has said “Shibari is all about connection” and I tried to channel that in my work as it is a key in his. Kinoko is a rope artist specialising in performance and installation-based art, having gained international attention for his work over the last decade specifically. This mentality of connecting with the materials being used, the space being inhabited and the headspace you are in all contribute to the kinds of ties that are being done, what knots work with the rope you have, and the space you are trying to tie are reminiscent of meditation and are incredibly peaceful.
This new-found, meditative approach to creating has been a refreshing change in the lead-up to the degree show. Being able to step back and take time to properly evaluate what I want to achieve with my work for such an important deadline has been invaluable in keeping focused and not letting the stress become overwhelming. The beginning of this project was shrowded in external stress factors, taking a considerable toll on my mental and physical health, however, a newfound clarity with the work I am making and knowing that the end is on the horizon has reignited the passion that I have for this specific topic. This rediscovered joy combined with the newfound methods has allowed me to branch out into a more abstract and natural way of interacting with space and scale, both of which I have struggled with in the past. To me, this signifies a kind of evolution, in both my thinking and my willingness to engage with the outside world, knowing that not everything needs to be micro-managed has allowed me to better understand how my brain works in general but specifically with art. When I get more physically involved with my work I can better drown out distractions and focus on making something that brings me joy and properly portrays how incredible Shibari is as a practice and rope is as a tool.
Allowing myself to also explore different ways of gathering information and the circumstances that I create best in has been enormously helpful. I wish that this had come much sooner in my academic career but having these skills in place now can only be a good thing and they will continue to be useful as I become a more professional artist. Realising that I work better on my own, in my own studio, where I can focus is much easier than trying to concentrate in a shared location. I can listen to musicians, podcasts, and interviews with artists, psychologists, and professionals discussing their research and findings about the chosen topic, I can absorb those influences better, and it helps to shape the piece that I would be working on. I found that this method works due to working with a therapist after being diagnosed with autism and OCD, both of which drastically impacted my ability to connect with people and my work. Knowing my needs and creating a space that was entirely my own was massively beneficial in the lead-up to the degree show.
Shibari has been part of my life for the best part of six years, it has always provided a tactile and very sensory form of connection with others that I struggle with in most situations. The peace and vulnerability that can be achieved with a simple bit of rope is intense and astounding with the right person. It holds a very special place in my heart and I believe that is a quality that shines through in my most recent work. In previous modules, I have included myself in the work, through photos, videos, and self-portraits; this was my stumbling block. My sense of self-image was what was holding me back. Trying to create art that I was passionate about was being tainted by my negative self-image resulting in me hating and struggling to finish pieces, this led to the very conscious choice to remove the human form entirely. Accepting a more abstract and naturally growing form, in a style that was so different from my own, was where the passion and joy that underpins my entire body of work was able to creep back in, and I feel that it shows. With reflection, I now see a different form of beauty in previous work, I see an intense want to be involved in the process as much as possible, it was a labor of love but it was to my detriment, it was an earnest want, but I did not want to be perceived by others because I do not see myself as perfect and thus unworthy of being in the piece. By letting the piece, completely on its own without human form, people can form their own opinions on the work, they can attach whatever emotions they please and I do not need to feel the judgment personally.
This project has grown exponentially and entirely unexpectedly with time. I had no idea how much self-reflection would be involved and in turn, alter the parameters of my entire creative practice, specifically my installation in the degree show. Knowing more about myself and my ways of making has given me a much broader understanding of what my art is and how to communicate my passion with the world.
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Bibliography
-Bao, H., Mergenthaler, D. and Zhao, J.J. (2023). Contemporary Queer Chinese Art. Bloomsbury Publishing, pp.33–42.
Barry, M. (2017). Rope Bondage as Meditation. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@maddiebarry16/rope-bondage-as-meditation-e8a89b701cd8.
-Castleman M.A., M. and Drevitch, G. (2023). BDSM Is Increasingly Mainstream, and It Boosts Intimacy | Psychology Today United Kingdom. [online] www.psychologytoday.com. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/all-about-sex/202301/bdsm-is-increasingly-mainstream-and-it-boosts-intimacy.
-Cowan, S. (2017). Choreographing through an expanded corporeality. [online] researchspace.auckland.ac.nz. Available at: https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/36942.
-Dolan, E.W. (2021). New research has found heightened levels of sexual satisfaction among BDSM practitioners. [online] PsyPost - Psychology News. Available at: https://www.psypost.org/new-research-has-found-heightened-levels-of-sexual-satisfaction-among-practitioners/.
-Field, N., Mercer, C.H., Sonnenberg, P., Tanton, C., Clifton, S., Mitchell, K.R., Erens, B., Macdowall, W., Wu, F., Datta, J., Jones, K.G., Stevens, A., Prah, P., Copas, A.J., Phelps, A., Wellings, K. and Johnson, A.M. (2013). Associations between health and sexual lifestyles in Britain: findings from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3). The Lancet, [online] 382(9907), pp.1830–1844. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(13)62222-9.
-Hester, M., Mulvihill, N., Matolcsi, A., Sanchez, A. and Walker, S.-J. (2020). Practitioner Resource 3: Understanding existing prevalence data on the UK sex industry A practitioner resource summarising content from the 2019 Home Office Report ‘The nature and prevalence of prostitution and sex work in England and Wales today’ Authored by Professor. [online] University of Bristol : University of Bristol . Available at: https://beyondthestreets.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/UoB_BtS_PractitionerResource3_UnderstandingExistingPrevalenceData.pdf [Accessed 10 May 2024].
-McKenzie, R. (2012). A Different Way to Think about Creativity: The Case of Autism and Outsider Art. [online] brill.com. Available at: https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9781848881273/BP000012.xml.
-Roxo, A. (2017). HOLY F*CK: WHY SHIBARI BONDAGE IS THE ULTIMATE SURRENDER. [online] the Numinous. Available at: https://www.the-numinous.com/2017/06/01/shibari-bondage/.
-Technology, L. and Технологии В Инфосфере (2023). On the Art of Shibari as a Form of Writing. Technology and Language, [online] 4(3), pp.49–58. doi:https://doi.org/10.48417/technolang.2023.03.05.
-Tecun, A. (2017). Volume 1 - Ritual & Cultural Performance [Special issue]. performancereal.pubpub.org, [online] 1(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.21428/b54437e2.350e0b75.
-Træen, B., Fischer, N. and Kvalem, I.L. (2021). Sexual Variety in Norwegian Men and Women of Different Sexual Orientations and Ages. The Journal of Sex Research, 52(2), pp.238–247. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2021.1952156.
-UCL (2013). Survey examines changes in sexual behaviour and attitudes in Britain. [online] UCL News. Available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2013/nov/survey-examines-changes-sexual-behaviour-and-attitudes-britain#:~:text=Changing%20attitudes%20towards%20sex&text=One%20in%20five%20men%20(20.
-Vagabond, M. and (2021). Research Recap: Does BDSM Lead to Better Sex and Relationships? [online] Bound Together. Available at: https://bound-together.net/bdsm-better-sex-and-relationships/.
-Zissmann, R. (2023). The Artistry of Bondage by Hajime Kinoko. [online] Pen Magazine International. Available at: https://pen-online.com/arts/the-artistry-of-bondage-by-hajime-kinoko/.
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Development - Video
I wanted to explore using a frame and using the depth in the negative space to create a structure that people can stick their heads in and see the ropework from a different angle.
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Development - Ladders
Some close ups of the ropework inside the found frome of the ladders. I started with a traditional 'hishi' harness that was designed to cover the front and back of the body in a kind of diamond pattern (reference image below) and incorporate some more intuitive ties to add depth. Using a body based tie that is well recognised in a non traditional way was a challenge, the rungs of the ladder offered some good anchor points but would have resulted in a very flat looking tie in the air. Adding more connections throughout to add depth was fun and felt more correct in the moment. I am pleased with how this experiment went but for the final installation I will be following on with my more abstract and intuitive line of making. Creating something that is fitted to the space after it has been prepared also helps to tie in with my body of research up until this point.
'hishi' harness showing the way it would be positioned on the body.
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Development - Ladders
Playing with traditional ties in untraditional ways.
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Development - Ladders
Traditional hishi tie in an unusual place.
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Development
Inverting the stools and creating a more hourglass shape to tie around was closer to a body which was fun to experiment with. I am very happy with how this turned out. The way that the rope flows around, down and through the structure is reminiscent of water trickling down. Playing with the rope and how it could be connected through purely reversed tension created a very sturdy structure, I could push and pull the top stool and it tilted the bottom with no threat of them separating or falling over, this was surprising as this development has only two actual knots in it, both were purely to have the two ends of the rope attached to something.
I will be utilising this reversed tension method in my final installation for degree show, it was very calming to not feel the need to tie things off, relying on gravity and constant tension that alters with every movement of the rope. That is the kind of meditative, deep connection to the rope that I have been trying to find throughout this entire process.
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Development
The ability to change the perspective that the stool structure and rope are viewed from was a very interesting aspect to play with. In my usual body of work, comprised of paintings and predominantly 2D work, the only different perspective that can be played with is distance from the piece, viewing something up close is very different from seeing it from a distance. This hollow, 3 dimensional, element is so different but is fascinating, especially as intuitive tying doesn't come with a plan, the entire experience almost feels like playing, it feels truly creative and is a kind of fun that i have not experienced in a long time. This experiment alone makes me want to try more and continue it in further works and will feature heavily in my installation piece.
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Development
Alternative viewpoints within a semi hollow structure.
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Development
After playing with the rope structure stretched to its capacity i wanted to see how the ties would change to accomodate the lack of tension being held within it. The cords obviously became slack in places but that allowed for the legs of the stool to be wrapped in the rope and reimagine the tension which became a lot more densely packed in places. Seeing an evolution like that happen so quickly through a more relaxed approach to tying was amazing, it has a much more fluid energy to the piece. Removing myself from the process as much as possible has been the best thing that i could have done for my practice.
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Development
I have chosen to remove my physical body from my work. Following on from my recent diagnosis of OCD I have realised why I have been so disappointed in my recent body of work, I am the problem. I had an idea of what shibari looked like, predominantly focusing on the body, how the rope interacts with skin and can controt the body and hold it in place. Even artists like Hajime Kinoko, who often is not tied into his work, his physical body is still vital and visible in his pieces. Kinokos performance work focuses on the rope but he is recorded in the process. I felt that this was the only way I could engage in the work, I had to be seen in it. I have come to realise that they reason that I was so disappointed in the work was because I was being disappointed by myself. I have a tense relationship with my body, worsened by the OCD, but it made everything I tried to record feel cheepened and I couldn't move past that. It was also contradictory to the meditative aspects of my research work as I was stressing myself out. Seeing myself in the work would make me panic because I was worried that people would judge my work because of me. That others would judge me the way that I do and have done for so long.
Trying this new approach already feels more relaxing and ultimately far more enjoyable, that is the purpose of this entire body of work.
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