Friday 18 May 2012

The Great Wall Of Vagina




Jamie McCartney's new exhibition, called skin deep, displays 100 plaster cast vaginas.

Here's and interview he did for Dazed and Confused magazine.


Dazed Digital: Does 'The Great Wall of Vagina' highlight how different, or how similar we all are?
Jamie McCartney: 
Every body and body part is a variation on a theme but there is a disturbing tendency in all societies to champion one look over another. What we find attractive is often driven by fashion as much as our own tastes. I find it sinister that we are unlikely to know which influence is the stronger. The objects of our fantasy and desire are not innate.
They are learned behaviour and as a society, we collude to promote certain attributes over others. This ‘norm’ is promoted as desirable and becomes pervasive, but it's all a big lie. In reference to the vagina wall, many women assume that the neater and smaller their labia the better. Pornography promotes both of those aesthetics. That 'tidy' aesthetic is represented in less than five percent of the casts in the vagina wall. I'm not prepared to accept that 95 of percent of women are therefore defective.
DD: Are you trying to oppose prescribed ideas about beauty?
Jamie McCartney:
 The show title SKIN DEEP reflects my thoughts about how beauty is defined and expressed in contemporary society. It’s also about the beauty that is created through the artistic process. In the Physical Photography series I've created beautiful images in a non-traditional way. I haven't resorted to airbrushing and distorting the life out of my models until they are nothing more than impossible ideals of beauty.
DD: How does this work sit within the more traditional Cork Street Gallery?
Jamie McCartney: 
If Cork Street has a reputation for being fairly ‘establishment’ then I think that is undeserved. Many other mavericks have also shown on Cork Street, including the Chapman brothers, so I feel I'm following in the footsteps of some groundbreaking artists. It’s pretty humbling.

DD: What is it about flesh?
Jamie McCartney:
 Through my portrait sculpture commissions over the last few years, I have come to find working with the body intriguing and exciting. My clients reignited an interest in human form and experience. It's not just about the shapes we make with our bodies but the things we say with them too that are interesting. With the 'Great Wall of Vagina', the visual impact is so powerful and the way one takes it in so instantaneous, that you get a crash course in vulva before you have a chance to think about it

4 comments:

  1. Actually the exhibition is called SKIN DEEP and it features 40 artworks including The Great Wall of Vagina (400 casts of vaginas) and the world premiere of Physical Photography:

    http://issuu.com/HayHillGallery/docs/mccartney_skin_deep/57

    I love you guys for writing about my show. I wish people would check their facts. lol :-)

    Jamie

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    1. So sorry I will amend that I just took the information off dazed digital , I guess I just won't blog about you in the future to avoid mistakes I was just trying to show some appreciation.

      Polly

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  2. I appreciate the appreciation! It wasn't meant as a rebuke Polly. If I see something wrong I have to say so. Fair enough isn't it? :(

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    1. Yes it is fair enough it just came across rather rude at the start of your comment and slightly patronising, I don't mind being corrected If I am wrong.

      Polly

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