Jordan Siefer; Fragmental Distortions

Exhibition “Fragmental Distortions”

Jordan Siefer

December 6, 2009

Introduction: Specific pieces of Hans Bellmer, Cindy Sherman, and Connie Imboden will be explored in the exhibition titled, “Fragmental Distortions.” The artist’s use of contrast, depth, and mystery is common throughout the pieces. The human form is constructed unconventionally and sometimes uncomfortably. As humans we feel for other humans, when one witnesses another human in pain, life-less, or in a horrifying position, we subconsciously place ourselves in their “shoes,” trying to feel what they feel. All of the prints in this exhibition present a sort of mystery or narrative, asking questions of the viewer, forcing them to use their childish imagination or their fears to decide what is happening in the photograph. Whether intended or not, all the artist’s pieces chosen for “Fragmental Distortions” play with a story-line yet the story is left to the imagination of the spectator.

Hans Bellmer, Cindy Sherman, and Connie Imboden are all artists that communicate to their viewers through their photographs. They all deal with the human body, mostly feminine figures, and they all break up the body and re-form it into something else more abstract but still recognizable enough for the viewer to feel for this human-like figure. Affects are also placed in the prints to imply more, such as the use of mirrors, water, hand-colored work, and prosthetic pieces. Body parts are reflected, mirrored, destroyed and then documented showing a not so perfect human form. In the Exhibition of Bellmer, Sherman, and Imboden, their pieces will explore the distortions of the body and the fragments created to set a specific feeling upon the viewer.

Hans Bellmer (1902-1973) produced life-sized juvenile dolls in the 1930’s, which were made out of papier-mâché painted wood. These somewhat mutated female forms were placed in unconventional, sexually stimulated poses, then documented. Bellmer was born in Kattowitz, Germany. His dolls were created to contrast the perfect body that was then prominent in Germany. Bellmer was inspired by Kaiser Friedrich Museum and his use of the “ball joint”, which he used in most all of his doll creations. (Art Directory) All of the many photographs from the series were titled “The Doll.” With the first doll, he only had intentions of documenting the process of construction of the provocative figure. After viewing the photos, I believe he realized more was happening in the photographs than in the sculpture itself. Bellmer’s attention to the light and shadow set an uneasy feel over the black and white photographs. He later hand-colored a number of his images to imply more of his message and possible suppressed feelings and desires. (Taylor 2000, 70)

In 1935 Bellmer created a series of horrifying scenes presenting his dolls. All were mysterious but had an obvious story line, whether it was Bellmer’s or the viewers. In a particular hand-colored black-and-white photograph (Photo 1), a child-like figure is draped over and curving staircase. The armless feminine form’s breast and genitalia is faced forward to the viewer as a suggestive predictor. The doll’s right leg is bound at the knee, to the staircase itself, with twine, while the left leg ends at the upper thigh, exposing the hollow inside of the figure. It’s empty eye socket may propose a loss of consciousness. Yet, another eye-like outline is cut out of her navel in place of a belly button, stating the power of vision. (Taylor 2000, 77) Bellmer’s use of light and shadows places an uneasiness on the viewer. Bringing a chill, like something horrifying has just happened to this innocent lifeless doll. As the onlooker, Bellmer forces the viewer to feel for something that is made of wood and paper, and has no feelings itself.

In the same year, Bellmer started to suggest a violent aggressor in the work itself. In another image titled “The Doll,” along with the others, an object was specifically placed in between the camera and the doll. As seen in Photo 2, an old fashioned rug beater is dangled in front of the torso-less form by an unseen hand. The doll stands tall in the background attached to a closed door by it’s top pair of legs, while the bottom set stand on it’s own childish shoes, insisting innocence and vulnerability . The bottom set face a possible predator holding the carpet beater, as the top pair is straddled up against the door, as if in an attempt to escape. This particular photograph seems to present the after math of a violent encounter with the rug beater. (Taylor 2000, 77) The body language of the top set of legs differs from the bottom set of legs. The bottom pair stands weak in the knees leaning up against the closed, probably locked door, showing a sense of failure or surrender. As the top set of legs is spread apart, fully extended, representing panic and fight. The image forces questions upon the viewer. What is about to happen? What happened right before the moment was captured? One can experience the tension within the room. Bellmer creates a mystery narrative in one image. Although the doll is believed to be a pubescent female that is found in a horrifying predicament, the narratives he generates as well as how he fuels the imagination of the viewer, is childish as well. (Taylor 2000, 77)

The four-legged doll that was used in the rug beater scene, is used once more in a high contrasted black-and-white photograph taken in a hayloft at his family home in Germany. (Photo 3) The body form seems to have been toss upon the bed of hay, without a care or worry. Both sets of legs are uncomfortably placed but in four different directions. In fact, the doll strongly resembles the shape of a swastika, which confirms viewers suspicions of Bellmer’s attack on his Nazi-sympathizing father. He titled his family home as the “wretched house,” which was illustrated in his personal poem titled “The Father.” A blushing tint of pink was later hand colored over the black and white print, in specific areas with deliberate intentions to suggest bruising or friction. Because he chose a familiar child-hood play place to be his set, maybe this is Bellmer fulfilling a childhood desire or fantasy. This single photo raises more questions about what is really there. The image still suggests a narrative but this time, is it illustrating post sexual assault or is there a secret seduction?

The fourth narrative I chose is by far the most lively and colorful. (Photo 4) This particular doll form, seems to represent a much younger girl than in previous metaphors. The doll possessed a profiled bald head lying next to perfectly rounded breasts, which are connected to an also rounded abdomen. The female organ is once again very present to the viewer, as the arms and legs are almost all missing. The right thigh is in attendance in the document, but like photo 1 the hollow core is exposed to the viewer, possibly to explain invasion of privacy or innocence. In addition, the left hand is detached from the rest of the form and attached to the leg of a chair. The entire figure lies atop a broken caned chair, but only the back and a single leg, which then is placed on a vertically striped tablecloth on the floor. Bellmer also added a large white bow, which is oddly like putting a bow on a bald baby’s head. Bellmer was probably trying to show the femininity, youth, and innocence taken away, as the bow is placed away from the toddler-resembling doll. Along with the bow an object is left behind on the right side of the composition. Not as prominent as the rug beater in Photo 2, but a small mask lies on the floor next the lifeless doll. The mask brings up yet again the suspicion of a predator in the storyline. Is the mask the aggressor’s disguise? Was the mask left behind on purpose, to leave his mark? This print is different from the others as its colors are bright and playful. The background on the tablecloth is highlighted lime green. Deep red, bright orange, yellow, pink, and light blue cover certain smoothed parts of the doll. These bright rainbow-like colors seem odd at first, because of the violent nature of the photograph. These particular hues of these colors scream child’s birthday party, like a child’s birthday party was suddenly interrupted by a sexual murder. (Taylor 2000, 81)

Hans Bellmer’s pieces include an aggressive, violent nature, with the dolls being bound, beaten, and disembodied. The dolls’ suspicious tormentor is never seen in the image itself, but is often suggested. Bellmer takes a doll, which is seen to be the a perfect female body and also an innocent child’s play toy, and decomposes it into another form with a completely different interpretation. When asked, Hans referred to his pieces as games, implying that the doll was a willing participant in it’s own victimization. Many of the thought out scenes appear at first to be sexual assault but could only be a secret seduction or fantasy. Going back to the doll as a toy, a doll is something to be played with, Bellmer plays with his dolls in a different way, that is not seen as normal in society, especially in Germany at the time. Elders who agreed with Germany’s opinion on the perfect form surrounded Bellmer. His work with “The Dolls” showed his viewers what perfect looked like arranged a little differently and seen in a vulgar way. In 1992 Cindy Sherman stated how successfully Bellmer “played precisely on the ambiguity of signifiers.” (Taylor 2000, 79) The quality of nightmare presented itself in his photos with the eerie shadows, devilish bedclothes, vague domesticity, and intense lighting. Hans Bellmer’s “The Doll” could be a troubled fantasy or the primal sense. (Taylor 2000, 70-87) In a book titled Extreme Bodies, “’Obscenity,’ writes Bataille, ‘is a manifestation of the disturbance that shakes the state of the body in conformation with self-possession…but rather it is that which disturbs conventions by introducing, in specific contexts, disorder and its irregularity, its laceration.’” (Miglietti 2003, 140) Bellmer disturbs the self-possession of the perfect female form and turns the doll into his possession - he created the doll, he posed the doll, and he owns the doll. By disorder, irregularity and a type of laceration (with coloring over the photographs) he took the self-possession of the “perfect form” (the doll) and made the viewer view the perfect form in a different way, in an obscene way.

Like Hans Bellmer, Cindy Sherman also experiments with dolls. While Bellmer focused on the young female form, Sherman is interested in the relationship between the world of fantasy and play and the world of gender and sexual stereotyping. Sherman’s work with dolls came out of boredom. She had worked for years using herself as the main subject and wanted to explore a different way of working. Bellmer created his dolls pieces, but Sherman uses prosthetic body parts. For the entire series she work with two mannequins, one male and one female. While deconstructing the figures, she discovered she can put them back anyway she would like, exposing any parts she would like. Sherman would experiment till she could imply something, then she would photograph the doll-like figures in position. She never intended for her photographs to be sexual, she was using medical body parts that were not made for sex. Sherman ordered the latex medical dolls from a catalogue. The pieced together forms copied pornographic poses but without producing the actual act. The photographs are close up and possess intense colors, meant to shock people. Sherman was influenced by the NEA censorship problem; she wanted to make work that directly dealt with her sexuality and censorship without compromising herself and her morals. (Lichtenstein)

Sherman shot a series of images using these medical mannequins. She arranged them in explicitly sexual positions, exposing the unseen female and male body parts. In photo 5, an obvious female figure is posed on a black backdrop, possibly to represent a bed. Her feet being in the foreground and her head placed in the background, shows what is more important in the print. The figure is on her knees, hunched over with her elbows placed on the ground as her head rests upon them. The form’s female organs are bluntly exposed; the dramatic light makes the genitalia the main focus in the piece. A hairbrush is placed in the foreground as well, as if this “person” was attempting to look her possible best for another. What looks like to be lingerie is also lying next to the woman in a twisted tangled form, to possibly suggested a rush or passion. The latex figure represents fakeness, without a soul. The viewer can see all the exposed hinges on the doll and automatically realizes this is not real. (Lichtenstein)

In another richly colorful large-scale print, a figure with exposed breasts lies belly up on a red shaded cloth. (Photo 6) Different from the photo 5, the positioning is in the opposite direction, placing the head in the foreground. The model presents a masculine looking face while the female organs are bluntly highlighted and exposed as the main focus. The head is placed in the foreground but darkly shadowed, not meant to be seen at first, expressing the theory of, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” The appendage-less form looks helpless as it lies without a way of moving with another. A set of arms coming into the composition in the bottom corners suggest another person in the room, possibly a predator or a lover fulfilling a fantasy. This relates to Hans Bellmer’s work, with the suggestion of another person not present in the photo, possibly responsible for the moment in time. There was specific, vivid lighting projected on the female body parts as is often only seen as the main focus in pornographic material, that many people find to be uncomfortable or grotesque. (Lichtenstein)

One of Sherman’s most repulsive images in her work called “sex pictures”, is one of an older looking woman with a string of sausages exiting or entering her vagina, a pink foam vagina product, also ordered from the medical catalogue. (Photo 7) She started creating this piece, by creating the main focus, being the female genitalia. In this particular piece, Sherman only used the mannequin’s arms and head, but she experimented with breasts, bellies, and masks, settling on and old wrinkled female mask. The woman-like doll is in a reclined position with her hands behind her head. Once again the form is placed on a bed-like comforter, with other objects surrounding the main focus. Different colored wigs lie around the scene, to possibly imply that the old figure is without hair or has non-youthful gray hair and representing, like photo 5, a fake image or facade. The sausages were meant to shock the viewer and represent the female production and reproduction, a way of symbolizing the production of a processed food factory. Along with added breasts and mask, she later added intense hair around the vaginal area. Sherman stated in an interview, “I have this juvenile fascination with things that are repulsive.” (Lichtenstein) Showing her appeal to the childish world of imagination and fantasy, the specific mask was placed upon a set of clear, liquid touched eyes that seemed to force sympathy from the viewer. This woman shows sadness and/or pain, asking for outside help. The mask is also undistinguished as if the wrinkles are that of a male or a female, proposed that there is no dominate gender, not always seen outside of the surreal-life, as the male is held higher then the female. (Lichtenstein)

Cindy Sherman intended for her models or dolls to look somewhat straight, gay, masturbatory, and a disturbing desire. Each quality was to directly discuss certain issues. Sherman didn’t want the viewer to be able to tell whether the figure was a male or a female, addressing sexual dominance. References to condoms are placed throughout the images to address the disease of AIDS and the neglect of thoughtfulness of others to protect them as well as one’s self. She wanted to place terror on her viewers to show how insensitive our culture has become and how we as a culture view sex. The blank prosthetic faces allude to death, maybe referring to sexual abuse and/or a lover’s quarrel. Sherman admits that she fantasizes about death, in the way of death being a mystery to the beholder. The individual can never know their death, how it happens, when it happens, and where it happens. Sherman states, “you start out your day totally unaware of what’s in store,” explaining the suspense and question presented in the series. (Lichtenstein) In the book “Extreme Bodies,” Miglietti talks about the destruction of the metaphors placed upon the soul and body. (Alfano 2003, 42) Cindy Sherman chose to construct a human-like figure using technological medical tools to express the third sex and the fakeness and quality of the configured model. In this series, the “soul” is absent from the figures, as they give off a blank stare with exposed hitches and hollow body parts.

Unlike Hans Bellmer and Cindy Sherman, Connie Imboden takes black-and-white photographs uses naked human bodies, rather than wooden dolls or latex medical mannequins. After dark, in the summer season, Imboden submerges herself in a black lined pool in her back yard. She chooses both male and female models to remove their clothes, strap into gymnastic- like harnesses, and dip parts of their nude bodies in the single light pool. She photographs the smoothness of the water over the curves of the traditional human form while paying attention to the reflections given by the water’s surface. The reflections provide different unseen body formations, like the detachment of limbs and even their head. Many times Imboden introduces mirrors into the equation, to form even more surreal body distortions. Connie Imboden explains, “it always starts with a formal interest for me. If you can make sense of an image, the metaphor will follow. I don’t start with a metaphor.” (Giuliano) Maybe she doesn’t intend to start with a motive, but there may be a subconscious intention that forms a meaning or feeling, which develops a possible metaphor. The images she captures, are not altered in any way after that split second of the camera lenses closing and memorizing that moment in time. She only alters what is already presented pre-camera click. (Giuliano)

In reality, what is to be seen as a beautiful body is dangling in a suburban home swimming pool. When the photograph is taken something else happens. In photo 8, a female torso lies in the center on a black shaded surrounding. The high contrast in the images, form a fear-like atmosphere with a decapitated figure suspending in area without gravity. The life-less, pale body could suggest fears expressed through a dream-like state while death could also be implied, both with fears and the physical act of murder or accident. This print could very much be a part of a narrative, similar to that of Hans Bellmer’s dolls, making the viewer question and use their imaginations. Maybe this is post struggle with a sexual predator, as the body lightly floats in calm water without tension or panic, as if the being was already dead, which has disposed of the female into the dark water of the night. With the completely black space around the figure, it is left up to the viewer to decide what is happening. This may not have been Imboden’s interpretation, but as quoted earlier in the last paragraph, she says the viewer should be able to make sense of what is there, and basically draw one’s own conclusion. This can relate to Sherman’s work, as her sense of fantasy is often placed upon her viewers, giving them the chance to see what they want. Also, Bellmer expresses a vague story line in his prints similar to Connie Imboden’s. She suggests a narrative on a smaller, less blunt level.

In another image, the same blank and empty background surrounds another feminine body submerged in water. This time she exposes the neck, both breasts, shoulders, and what at first looks like a hollow neck missing it’s head, but it is actually a mouth wide open exposing teeth. A beam of white light is cast upon the hollow hole starting at the neck, and directing the viewer down the body till the shadows take over, hiding the remainder of the female figure. The image is disturbing in the way that it resembles a rotting corpse, brutally beheaded. The teeth create a rough edge that could suggest a struggle with a violent ending. Unlike photo 8, photo 9 expresses totally different body language - this figure shows life, as her chest is caved in alluding that a deep breath was just taken and the body is stretched fully, possibly in desperation.

In later work, Imboden is still following her personal set balance of a blank background and the exposed human body. In this set of images, a spiritual looking shape is present. (Photo 10) The image provides evidence to a second soul playing in the story. In this 1990 photograph, the female model lies limp at the bottom of the composition with head tilted back seeming to have no strength, with her eyes closed. The model’s expressionless face floats with the remainder of the body to the knee and half of her left arm, in this unrecognized space. An abstract, figure-resembling, shape is wrapped around the body. The familiar shape is highlighted in the black-and-white photograph to share the scene with the figure, possibly trying to express that this white form is cradling the figure not strangling. White is a choice, representing innocence and vulnerability, comparable to Hans Bellmer’s placement of large white bows in his nightmare panoramas. Providing that the form is innocent and vulnerable, one can assume that this form is there to help, possibly passing into another life with the help of this “angel”. This photo seems to mimic a scene in Alice in Wonderland, where a young girl falls down a never-ending space. The female also seems to be without strength and maybe in a lot of pain. A familiar life form is there to help along in the process and provide her with relief from her likely horror. Relating to Bellmer and Sherman, all three artists have suggested another essence in their photographs. Before Connie Imboden’s print, all of the earlier discussed images provided a negative connotation with the other form or object but this one of Imboden’s has a light feeling of helplessness and peace.

In a later photograph, an adolescent boy is captured in what can be viewed as, in many opinions, a compromising position. (Photo 11) Whether intended or not, Imboden implied a sexual preference in a young boy. The reflection of both the mirror and water surface exposes different parts of the childish face. In the distant reflection, the boy’s lips are tense and puckered, as if to kiss. The figure’s eyes are closed and his right arm is twisted around the back of his neck and the hand then folds over the face towards the mouth. This could be a possible expression of the young boy’s inner struggle, as his own limb pulls him away from another masculine figure. A strange feeling radiates off this print. A calming effect takes over, because of the relaxed look on the one boy’s face. One may feel sympathy for the young boy’s struggle between sexualities, but the photo doesn’t give off a fearful effect or a horrifying image of the previous photo situations. This print, like photo 10, gives off a dream-like effect, which can be assumed is not actually occurring.

Connie Imboden is successful in taking a body and breaking it up and reflecting into a new form and sometimes a disturbing image. The viewer may not initially realize that the figure is submerged in water, but this element is important in all her images, for it’s effects of lighting create the eerie feeling, reflections, and illusion against the nude body. In every image there is a strong light source beaming across the body, providing an intense reaction between the water and the body. In the book Extreme Bodies, Antonin Artaud talks about the modes of deconstruction of the body, beginning from the concept of a “body without organs.” In an interview he was asked how we as humans can make up our minds to avoid man. Atruad answered, “By laying him down once more… on the autopsy table to readjust his anatomy.” (Miglietti 2003, 42) Connie Imboden resembles this theory in her work, as she distorts what is seen as, the correct human body. She destroys and distorts a lifeless looking figure using her “tools,” the water, mirrors, and camera. She makes the viewer look at the body in a different way by photographing fragments. Similar to Bellmer’s “The Doll” and Sherman’s “Sex Pictures.”

“Implants and Prosthetics tend to confuse the boundary between the mineral and the living: eyeglasses, contact lenses, false teeth, silicon, pace-makers, hearing aids, acoustic implants…” (Miglietti 2003, 187) All three of the artist addresses fakeness in their work. Bellmer uses dolls, dolls being a child’s toy meant to be perfect body form, to address his uses of fakeness. Sherman uses latex medical mannequins with hinges and then adds another element of sexual parts, as if they were implants or a manipulation. Imboden goes a different direction, by subtracting common parts of the body to show a different way to view a body. All three artists experiment with the relation between real and make believe. The idea of breaking the commonly seen human body, into fragments, is expressed in all the work, with dolls, prosthetics, and reflections. All three artists are confronting the issues of the body and its feelings within their photographs. By breaking up the body and reconfiguring them, these artists force certain feelings upon the viewer, such as fear and sympathy.

Bibliography

Miglietti, Francesca Alfano. Extreme Bodies; The Use and Abuse of the Body in Art. Milano,

Italy; SKIRA, 2003.

Taylor, Sue. Hans Bellmer. Cambridge, Massachusetts; The MIT Press, 2000.

Art Directory. “Hans Bellmer.” Scholes Library. http://www.hans-bellmer.com/ (accessed

November 19, 2009).

Lichtenstein. Journal of Contemporary Art. “Cindy Sherman.” Scholes Library.

http://www.jca-online.com/sherman.html (accessed November 20, 2009).

Giuliano, Mike. City Paper. “Bodies of Art; Photographer Connie Imboden Pours Over a Decade

of Work in a New Book.” Scholes Library. http://www.citypaper.com/arts/story.asp?id=3963 (accessed November 19, 2009)

Photo 1 Photo 2

Photo 3 Photo 4

Photo 5 Photo 6

Photo 7 Photo 8

Photo 9 Photo 10

Photo 11

Exhibition Design: The exhibition will be inside a square cubed room, painted in a deep black, to compliment the deep mystery in all the photos. A single spotlight alluding to all the photos will shine down in the middle of the room atop a display. The display will include three different cubes rotating at different speeds showing a different artist on each block and demonstrating the similarities and the differences between the artists’ work. As they revolve, they will cross each other at points to show the relation of the forms distortions and fragmentation.