Body dialog
Duration:
Approx. 5 min.
NISHIJIMA Kazuhiro in Nagoya, Japan, 2008
Photographer:
Makoto Maruyama
Performance
Erotic art from Japan is well known around the world. Duan has always been curious about the erotic culture of Japan, and frequently within her practice explores the body and sexuality, hence was very pleased when she was invited to participate in a performance festival in Japan.
The artist wanted to make reference to Japans history of erotic art by producing her own sexually charged performance. She intended to explore cultural stereotypes, particularly the notion that Japanese men are polite and shy. She explored this perception by proceeding to surprise male members of the audience with her overtly sexual behavior.
In this improvised performance she experienced her own erotic fantasies towards the men in the audience. The performance began with her sitting in a space surrounded by a crowd; she then commenced to stand as if sleepwalking. She leaves the stage and starts to touch her body as if dreaming of beautiful things.
Duan timidly approaches a man in the audience, sits on his lap and moves her body sensually back and forth. Afterwards, another man is approached; she smiles, sits on his thighs and put his hands tenderly on her chest.
…
After she has intimate physical bodily contact with other men she removes her clothes. Then when naked, embraces another man, holding his hands and guiding them around her body…