Trigger

Trigger: Gender as a Tool and a Weapon

For this project is decided to go to the New Museum. And the reason being was the amazement I find in contemporary/modern art. When researching the exhibitions the one that stood out the most was the one called “Trigger”. The theme for this exhibition was gender. This exhibition took place in floors C, 2, 3, and 4, all showing different artist's work when it comes to exploring gender in the modern day. The description of the museum says “In a moment of political upheaval and renewed culture wars, this exhibition features an intergenerational group of artist who explore gender beyond the binary. The artists involved include identity and the self by the way they express their feelings through the image of a body or a sculpture. Throughout the exhibition the whole idea was gender and how we idolize certain things when it comes to the roles we are supposed to play as a male and female. Such as a penis getting more recognition in the room than anything else when there is attraction and concentration on just that. Also the way females/males who choose to be gay or bisexual have to hide behind this barrier or imagination in order to feel free in their own skin. And those who are, push the limit that society gives them. Critique wise I do not have any. Every floor was very diverse from images to sculptures, videos with sound, hands on, and from white to black individuals. The culture feels very alive and the not normal is the normal. That is what makes this exhibition succeed in identity and perception. Every person will look at something and will feel or interpret it in a different way but that the goal for the exhibition, especially since it is about gender. Finding yourself in a young age is difficult and being able to see others struggles makes you know you are not alone and the affects certain things have had on people. One project that immediately caught my eye was the display photo for the promotion of the exhibition and it is called the Dark Room. The artist is Paul Mpagi Sepuya’s and his photograph which ensembles to rethink the purpose of the portrait as a method of identification and recognition. It is offering a reflection on the genre of the portrait rather than any specific representations. It makes individuals look every where. From the space and body, technology, to the mirror, to self and the process over again. The picture has small things such as fog and smudges in order to emphasize and longing and dreaming of the individual's self. The artist intended to capture his photographs as representations of desire and to the camera visible to them as a surrogate for himself. The other artist and what I found as confusing was a video by Stanya Kahn’s. She uses what many would consider dark and absurd humor in order to get her point across. After going through traumas and a setback the idea was to create a consciousness of social alienation, power, and agency. The ‘Its Cool, I’m Good” video was just a confusion as I was watching it because someone as injured as the person and the jokes being said would just leave you shocked. It was described as a mysteriously injured patient who seduces, harasses, and charms nurses into visiting. With this video a lot of controversy was felt and the personal distress gives rise to a gallows humor in which the body is being used to reflect the urban tension. I think relating to identity in this can be difficult but it gives the right idea of how gender is looked as. These artists and the others not mentioned set a tone of finding identity. Like I had said earlier it is hard to find oneself and what you stand for. With so many opinions being made by other around you it can be difficult to actually love who you are and be comfortable. It sets the tone of finding your own comfort. Also including tradition in the exhibition is even more empowering as to the barriers artist themselves had to overcome in order to find their identity. Sharing it to the world I think is not as difficult when you have those closest to you supporting and standing by your side. In general we as  society have too much to say about things that do not affect us and ruin others. There was an image of females hands holding a penis up high as if it were a trophy. That to me comes off as a need for a female. A need of holding a male down and idolizing it as if the male is still in power. As a women that made me feel powerless but only until it made me think about what I bring to the table as an independent women. All the artist did an amazing job in showing self identity and make you really see the outside perspectives.

Links:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamlehrer/2017/10/05/trigger-exhibition-at-the-new-museum-tackles-gender-but-ponders-so-much-more/#6f0b35d128e1

http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/view/trigger-gender-as-a-tool-and-as-a-weapon