Revolution (2005)

Video, 1 minute 26 seconds

Revolution (2004)

Revolution again playfully engages and interrogates ascribed identity, while invoking trans-historical aspects of the feminine. Against a blue background we see two breasts with ‘show girl' style tassels being rotated (such an activity would have historically been ‘performed' for a male ‘audience'). There is also a plaintive country-style song playing, at the closure of the song the words (sung by a man),   ‘there's only so much time' can be heard.

Revolution , while subverting a specific relationship between the feminine and the masculine, draws our attention to the feminine as the source of cyclicality; or more specifically, to the connection between the feminine and cyclical phenomena, as is made manifest through nature. Talking of nature, Merleau-Ponty says, ‘it is the flesh, the mother' . This is made explicit through the final lyrics to the song; temporality and cyclicality is the realm of the feminine, and implicitly nature. All this is offered in an initially whimsical action that, over time, yields an intense profundity.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty, (1968), p. 267

Written By Will Pollard

The word revolution can mean a dramatic change in ideas or practice. Within this artwork the change of idea is in the approach. The question ‘how do you vent?' is asked continually throughout the Ventilation series. How do you get rid of anger and frustration? What about not letting go? How about facing the object of your dismay? This can be destructive, such as breaking something, shouting at someone, making stupid rash decisions. What if you had your own secret, cunning way of facing dreadful situations?

Revolution is about laughing in the face of adversity, and sometimes the best way to deal with a situation is to dance on it's grave, but in a non-confrontational manner. Imagine not wallowing in self-pity or bemoaning how bad this situation is, but perversely celebrating, embracing the bricks that are being thrown. “I imagine a small pink lama to be in the pocket of the person confronting me, and I smile…” was one person's response, placed into the red ballot box.

Written By Bridget Cusack