ANNA DUNNILL
’TO PIERCE, TO PUNCTURE’
CURATED BY RACHEL CIESLA
19 OCTOBER – 28 OCTOBER, 2017
To pierce, to puncture, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: On the right, there is a television screen on the wall, with an image of a person blowing their nose with a black cloth. Next to it on the left back wall, there is another screen with a hand on a white cloth, with their palm open. To the left of that, there is a white fabric work suspended in the space, with two white shelves on the far right with two brown ceramic bowls.
ARTIST STATEMENT
When the self-contained space of the body is entirely covered with magic inscriptions, its status changes fundamentally. It is transformed into a site for the performance of ritual enactments. Such tattoos are regarded as a source of power that force the world beyond to react to the object with which it comes into contact.
To pierce, to puncture focused on the transformation of the self in relation to the ritual. Incorporating practices of tattoo and embroidery, both of which involve a repeated act of puncturing the skin and surface, the artist enacted new rituals for a queer spiritual becoming.
Exploring notions of identity; in particular the rituals that mark, aid or celebrate our individual passage from one culturally defined state or status to another: To pierce, to puncture was a highly personal, intimate exploration of oneself and an attempt to reconcile those conflicting parts of ourselves.
To pierce, to puncture, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: There is a screen on a white wall, with a hand on a white cloth, with their palm faced open.
To pierce, to puncture, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: There are two small white shelves, one is higher than the other, both with brown small ceramic bowls on each.
To pierce, to puncture, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: There is a white fabric suspended in space, with bits of different coloured abstract shapes sewn onto it. These are all neutral colours.