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| Skin:Exposed Site |
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| Ticket to Talks |
Part of my research from last year when starting my Masters Project, I attended the Skin:Exposed Talks as part of the Skin exhibition shown at the Wellcome Collection.
The Skin exhibition at the wellcome trust was a display of all kinds of approaches (historical, scientific, cultural, artistic, photography etc) to human skin.
To accompany the exhibition there were a range of special events held, one of which was the Skin:Exposed symposium on 16th-17th July 2010 more specifically looks at nudity and attitudes and perceptions of it, varying over different cultures and times.
Attending these talks was fantastic for me and my understanding of where my work lies in contemporary, theory and historical culture. Perhaps more suited towards the Skin and Body films of my work, it allowed me to think about what I want to express with my films and think about where I might take them in the future.
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| Program Index |
Notes from the talks:
(had to decipher my own scribbles in the back of the programme!)
Introduction
The Mole Rat - Wickedness and splendour in its nakedness
Description of exposure - what this means - shame? sexual emotion?
'Skin' not to be apprehended all at once - skin can only be one when it has been removed from the body, can never feel the whole of your skin at once.
Memory in skin - time
John Milton - Paradise Lost
Adam and Eve - lead to covering up 'desire' 'corruption' - Columbus found Americans naked etc.
Gerda Stevenson - Trespasses
John Keats - Eve St Agnes
Roland Barthes - Striptease
G-string - ultimate triange?!
Strippers are basically objects tp ta;l anoit male strip tease alhtough written in 1957
Refuge of object - amateur
Amedeo Modigliano
Reclining nude with blue cushion
Everything begins with the skin
Michael Serres - The five senses
Skin as the Identity Card - Soul
Identity 'maps' scattered soul
tattooing
skin has history - memory - surface
Invbisible memories of touch 'caresses - material sensations
we are not monochromatic
skin - obstacle
Aonghas Macneacail
Seduction
Impressions
The Skin is alive. It's sensory impressions allow us to interact with the world and to make sense of our individual or collective identities. Knowledge of who we are begins at the bodys surface. Itching, shivering, blushing, trembling and sweating are all the natural functions of the skin triggered by our interaction with the external world and with others . Unlike these automatic reactions, the sense of touch, and especially touching others is a voluntary means of building evidence, a way to distinguish sensation from emotions to guide medical examination or treatment or simply to take care of ourselves.
Being naked as a cultural thing - depends on context
Walter Bodmer - Why are we Naked?
Science/evolutionary perspective
When did we become naked? Hair? Darwin - 'Sexual Selection'
Human evoloution of nakedness theories:
Aquatic Ape hypothesis
Thermoregulation amd Bipedalism
Ectoparacite protection
Science/Culture
Science brushing against culture - scientific evolution before cultural evolution, obviously! Science of evolution with nakedness as historical context.
Lisa Blackmans - The Body
Social Process and cultural theory
Naturism
Celebration of bodies should be encouraged - sexual health - celebrate diversity
In my opinion - good for people uncomfortable with their bodies -
contemporary nudity
porn -sexual
lapdance - exploitative and sexual
clubs, pre-conceptual - prepared for sexual!
Bryons pool - people get less accepting, less comfortable when nudity can be involved with sexuality. Has to admit that there are sexual relationships with nudity. Talk about how to manage it rather than focus on what is or isn't naturism people get naked for different reasons, letting people be who they are.
Postive aspects on anakedness - casting off ones clothes is like casting off your cares
Nakedeness - experience a change of consioucness (religion) alterend states
Shedding cares - removing 'identification' - interesting new perspective. Though afctually it IS our identification
Our clothes are a mask shedding clothes sheddfing of armour. taking off small amount of material, bikinis esp - extra sensory perception - paganism, getting closer to nakes, get naked. Innocence - return to a childlike state (reductionism taken to extreme? We are born naked) Christianity - closeness to God - nakedness - naked friendly!
Polticss, feel empowered when naked a tool to evoke change - rebellion,
Godiva
Interesting because Godiva was a women, women are practical men - cerebal, women protest! Breasts not bombs!
Symbolic of authority - no clothes though now , autoritymore clothed
Modern day politician taking off clothes?! Nothing to hide...
also to remid of common humanity
entertainment, shocking. We love streaking because it is hilarious and silly! Entertaining because we share our undignified (?) humanity together. 'Common hero' - Jamie oliver, naked chef - cheekiness - semitiotics
Full Monty/Calander Girls couldn't be sleazy!
Concerning with sex/naturism - thout these films, ordinary heros breaking stereotypes.
Serious issues, body beautiful. Greek - npoble/olympic/gods - naked
Judaism/christian - shame/slavery
Confliting tyranny of the stereotype of body beautiful and Gok wWan and other modern films helping 'break' and introduce interesting period - allowed secret(?) of democratistaion of current idea etc.
Naturism/neophillia
of a certain type of empowerment. Tyranny of self confidence, riddled with paradox and contradictions. Naturist - America trying to strike down, Sexual? but not on sexual conflict in churches but not on beaches - so naturists have said - no religious establishments near out beaches!
Spencer Tunic - Right context - not offending people. Feel skin breathing when you're naked, air against your skin - who we sense ourselves in the cold, liberating. (Consider this aspect in regards to sheets/sex etc)
Gill Renaissance Nude
Renaissance art lists of random nudes. Due to voyages of discovery? because new worlds, people always nakewd, walk aoround naked.
Pisanello - Luxuria unique because no nudes dound before 1440ish
why does art contain so many nudes? Creation of nature, creation of art - What is it to be human, humanity. Life drawing in 1470s, lots of nude men.
Da vinci - life drwaing good looking ,youyuthful subjedct. Stands well - after the ideal perfection of humanity. Beautiful bottacelli - neoplatoism - vuxhunno
Homosexual activity ancouraged before age of 30 avoiding complications like pregnancy!
Truth and Experience - Stephen Conner
Nakedness being a loss/discomfort. romantism - getting in touch with nature - being naked for a long time - lose protection.
Touch? Nervousness exposed - not sexy to be naked? Surely context is Revelvant? How does it feel to be naked, freedom rather than nudity, nude is a fantasy?
How you define nakemess pbviously culturally defined.
Medical Gaze? Disconnect thyself from naked body in order to avoid shame.
Skin being exposed therefore something to look at.
Skin as a topic - defined by it's variable form. as an object of knowledge - Jean Baudrillard
Wellcome Trust talks
Below information from Wellcome Trust website
Source
Skin
19 March 2010
The skin is our largest organ. It gives us a vital protective layer, is crucial for our sense of touch and provides us with a highly sensitive and visible interface between our inner body and the outside world. Spots, scars, moles, wrinkles, tans and tattoos: the look of skin can reveal much about an individual's lifestyle, health, age and personality, as well as their cultural and religious background. The skin is also remarkable for its ability to regenerate and repair itself.
The multidisciplinary exhibition 'Skin' takes a predominantly historical approach, beginning with early anatomical thought in the 16th and 17th century when, for anatomists, the skin was simply something to be removed and discarded in order to study the internal organs. The story continues through the 18th and 19th century and approaches its conclusion in the 20th century, by which time the skin was considered to be of much greater significance and studied as an organ in its own right.
The exhibition will incorporate early medical drawings, 19th century paintings, anatomical models and cultural artefacts juxtaposed with sculpture, photography, and film works by artists including Damien Hirst, Helen Chadwick and Wim Delvoye.
The 'Skin' exhibition will be complimented by the 'Skin Lab' which features artistic responses to developments in plastic surgery, scar treatments and synthetic skin technologies, including two newly commissioned works by the artists Rhian Solomon and Gemma Anderson. Visitors are invited to participate in an interactive and sensory experience - experimenting with skin-flap models used in plastic surgery, trying on latex skin-suits or studying biological jewellery.
Skin: 10 June-26 September
Press preview: Wednesday 9 June, 9.30-13.00. A chance to preview the exhibition and meet with the curators. Contact Mike Findlay for details.
Venue: Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE. Admission is FREE.
Javier Moscoso, Research Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain and curator of the exhibition comments: "This exhibition focuses on the historical transformation of both the scientific understanding and cultural significance of human skin, plotting it as beliefs, facts and popular mindsets have all evolved. Taking a historical and cultural perspective, the exhibition showcases a range of startling exhibits that will provoke a variety of reactions at different levels by different types of public."
Lucy Shanahan, Wellcome Collection Curator and co-curator of 'Skin' adds: "The last decade has revealed a burgeoning interest and fascination with human skin, particularly among philosophers, writers, artists and designers. Meanwhile, regenerative medicine has seen major advances in the development of artificial skin designed to improve the structure, function and appearance of the body surface that has been damaged by disease, injury or ageing. So there couldn't be a better time to get under the surface of this subject."
The exhibition will be defined by two main sections and two smaller sections:
Objects
The first section explores the primary function of skin as a frontier between the inside and the outside of the body, dramatically illustrated by a selection of images and objects from the realms of medicine and art. It looks at flaying, skin removal, skin fragments and the numerous portals that interrupt the skin's surface, either exposing or leading to the body within.Marks
The second section will explore skin as a place where natural, cultural, artificial or supernatural marks inscribe themselves on the body. Human skin provides a living document of transformation, deformity, ageing and illness. It also serves as a canvas where personal and cultural practices of decoration, construction of identity and self-expression are communicated to the world.Impressions
The third area looks the sensory nature of skin and the delicate threshold it provides between the public and private self.After-life
The final section will consider the preservation and cultural uses of skin beyond its natural biological life, as well as what the skin reveals about death itself.Accompanying events programme
To coincide with the Skin exhibition, a lively programme of events will take place in Wellcome Collection. Mostly free, these events include discussions on topics such as how to tackle common skin complaints, the cultural and personal significance of tattoos, as well as a two-day symposium examining nudity in its cultural and historical context.Exposed
Friday 16 July, 19.00-21.00 and Saturday 17 July, 10.30-17.00
A rare chance to indulge our intrigue - or embarrassment - about nudity. This event could not happen anywhere else! Often seen as taboo, sometimes as something to be celebrated, nudity is a fascinating topic for discussion, debate and exploration.
Staggered over two days, this special event will begin on Friday evening with literary readings introduced and chosen by Steven Connor. The Saturday will bring together experts from the worlds of anthropology, history of art and evolutionary science to explore how bare skin is understood in different cultures, how nudity makes us feel and how our ancestors evolved to reveal their bare skin in the first place.
Sir Walter Bodmer, geneticist, will explain how we became the naked ape; Rebecca Arnold, historian of fashion, will discuss how our clothes have changed through the ages; and Javier Moscoso, curator, will give an introduction to the 'Skin' exhibition. Further speakers TBC.
Chair: Brian Dillon, writer and critic
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