irenecorvinus-blog

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“Heaven is a Strip Club” Response

https://www.benrubigallery.com/exhibition/619/project-space-rachel-lena-esterline

Rachel Lena Esterline’s “Heaven is a Strip Club” is a beautifully evocative and moving gallery exhibit at the Benrubi Gallery. The exhibit included fifteen striking photos, fourteen of which were all the same size each placed symmetrically side by side – evenly spaced out and aligned with each other. The final picture, and the only photograph that was larger than the rest, was directly in front of you as you enter the gallery acting as a centering piece. The exhibit was easily connected through the content of the photos which all took place in the same strip club, highlighting the dancers, and their bodies in a way that avoids salaciousness or objectification but rather focuses on the atmosphere and movement of those performing. Esterline’s documentarian approach to these photographs really allow viewers to feel a moment in time in the lives of these women and the club in which they work.

While the exhibit itself was beautiful, the gallery space made it difficult to see some of the photographs without a glare. The fluorescent lighting of the gallery needed to be dimmed for Esterline’s photographs, most of which were taken in the Gold Club in San Francisco. Due to the nature of the photographs, they are dark, seemingly mostly relying on the club lighting to not only set the tone but also to light the subjects.  This allows the viewer to truly see the realities of sex work, and if the Benrubi Gallery is intending on doing another exhibit like this, lighting considerations should be addressed.

Furthermore, the gallery was louder than I would have hoped – in a small, open space everything echoes, and the staff was talking about a new exhibit and contract negotiations very loudly creating a wave of noise. Esterline’s photographs were all framed in simple white frames, presumably to avoid distracting from the subjects in each photograph but, personally, I think simple black frames would have worked better with the content being photographed and blended better with the colors in her pictures.

My favorite picture was the centered photography which highlighted a tattoo across the back of a dancer’s thighs. It read “Fuck You” on the left thigh and “Pay Me” on the right. This piece was easily the most visually striking and attention grabbing, both because of the placement and size, but also because the photo itself was well lit, presumably taken in the locker room compared to the others in the exhibit taken on the stage of the club. What I particularly enjoy about the way Esterline framed this is that, while the photo is of a dancer’s backside, it does not overly emphasis or exploit the dancer but rather uses her tattoo to exert her control and power in the situation which is not a common portrayal of women who work in the sex industry. In fact, most of her butt is out of frame, Esterline using closure, to highlight aspects that would distract from the purpose of the image which is to have the women be able to show their job and message without sexual exploitation. Esterline is inherently giving the power to the subject with this image.  

Another wonderful shot was taken on the stage, but only of the dancer’s feet and shoes standing on their money. This picture, at first glance, seems a little unusual – but I enjoy the message it sends. The pleaser heel is an icon in the sex industry and here Esterline is giving it power - standing on top of the money thrown by customers. 

There is a beautiful picture of what appears to be one dancer giving another a lap dance, but again, rather than hyper sexual – Esterline has chosen to block the dancer who is clearly more undressed with another’s body – highlighting a sense of comfort and intimacy, even eroticism, but once again without exploitation.

Finally, another picture taken in the locker room features a woman, holding up her tips for the camera – once again Esterline, framing this to block the nudity, because the purpose of the series is not titillation but empowerment. The primary focus of the picture is the dancer, who is not looking at the camera but rather the money she holds – the background is blurred creating a nice depth of field especially in a room like a locker room, where the background is less important in this instance.

Most of Esterline’s photographs were taken from the vantage point of the ground – with all the subjects positioning higher (often on the stage) thus providing them with the position of power even as they are the subjects in the photographs. Another aspect of Esterline’s series that I enjoyed, was that in most of the photos hanging, you could see Esterline in the background, due to mirrors but she allows herself to become a fly on the wall, in a sense, she is often shrouded in darkness, hidden in the corner of a mirror in a blurred background – which ultimately just forces the eyes to stay in tune to the message that the pictures are portraying, of of de-stigmatization and power for women within the sex industry.  

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flag design

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Creating a sound:

Using a metro card to sound like knuckles cracking. 

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idk - individual photo roman - does this link even work 

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Principles of design pictures. 

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Recording of a sound.

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photo storyboards

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Soundscape

- the ebb and flow of the river on the shore

- water splashing against the rocks

- a brief whistle of the birds as the go by

- casual conversations dispersed throughout time as people walk along the river

- the whistle of a train in the distance

- the shaking and rumbling as a train speeds by

- shouts from children on sailboats

- a dog barks

- the buzzing of a bee

- a shriek as a child goes down the slide

- the trees bustling with the light breeze

- the beeping of a walkie talkie 

- the hissing of a canadian goose 

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Frank Film (1973) by Frank and Caroline Mouris

This film was a whirlwind, that induced a sense of dizziness and confusion for me. I had a very hard time focusing on the sound - due to the overlapping of the two recordings. I think I would have benefitted from seeing a transcript of the audio to read as I was watching or perhaps to read afterwards. 

I enjoyed the connection between the audio and visuals - talking about upbringing and catholicism is laced with catholic images and as he talks socioeconomic status the images change to fit the dialogue etc. After about two minutes - its very obvious that while Frank reads his autobiography that the overlapping voice over is describing a litany of items, all beginning with the letter “F.” For example, when talking about food, the viewer hears “fresh milk and flank steak.” Mouris’ film lends itself, especially years after its creation, to a feeling of nostalgia and growth. 

Mouris uses various Gestalt principles of grouping throughout his short - most notably, similarity and good form. With each new topic, Mouris has a collection of images that overlap. When talking about his middle class life, there are varying images of couches, and other home furniture - and once he begins discussing socializing in college, there is an influx of images of alcohol. During this segment of the film I would say Mouris also uses Common Fate - as the alcoholic beverages pictured appear to be moving closer and getting larger, to the viewer. Overall, Mouris highlights grouping in a variety of ways in order to narrate his life and growth as a filmmaker. 

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Vampires of Poverty

Vampires of Poverty is a satirical mockumentary that critiques and looks at the film industry through the guise of filming a documentary.  The film follows a the crew throughout Colombia as they film a documentary on the lives of those living on the streets.  Throughout the movie it becomes increasingly clear that none of those that are working on the film are doing so to improve the lives of those Colombians that they harass for their “art” but rather simply to gain recognition at a German film festival.

This parody raises true ethical questions about the way documentarians approach their subjects and filming. When looking at projects, such as this, where you tell the stories or truths of others, ultimately you must ask yourself if the way you approach the subject would cause harm to anyone. The director in this film is simply looking for what I would call “tragedy porn.” Instead of trying to tell the truth of the people of Colombia or to help them, he is harassing, treating them as Other, and even at times faking scenes in order to fit a story and idea that he wants to tell. While it is portrayed in an absurdist and comical way - this is unfortunately very telling of the way Otherness is ingrained into the minds of society.  The Director believes that by telling a story, no matter how truthful or not, he will be successful at the film festival by playing the White Saviour role - in the end, his goal is entirely selfish.

The final scene, in which a Colombian man reclaims his home from the Director and the film crew was invigorating and humorous. Multiple times throughout the film, the crew is shamed for exploiting the people of Colombia, and here in a fit of rage the man yells “how much do you think I’m worth?!” when the producer attempts to bribe him to allow them to continue. This idea of power and wealth as power is thrown back into the crew's faces as the man chases them off his property. In the end, it’s clear that money cannot buy humanity.  

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Media Design

Photographer: Theo

Subject: Irene