A white floor, a white wall and between both a black skirting board as transition between the two, and as only horizontal line. A woman is standing in front of the wall: across from her is the camera. The woman moves and takes on a pose and this pose relates to a certain concept. She does this not just once, the entire tape is a choreography of poses related to different moods. Her gestures are minimal and in most of the poses the woman is motionless. For instance, she raises her hands to heaven in despair, and as viewer you recognize this gesture. When someone makes a gesture like this you are meant to understand its meaning. After a bit she makes the gesture of tearing her hair out, of coughing, or letting it be known: here I am, or hey, you there. Occasionally some sound is added to emphasize the gesture. That clothing plays an important role is not forgotten in this otherwise so austere image and the clothes she is wearing fit in with the gesture she is portraying. This strengthens the feeling that the gestures she is making are the 'female versions' and that body language is tied to sex. The cartoon-like stills evoke associations with the exaggerated gestures used in silent films and seem to be icons of style and sex like those used in film/media. They seem to be the result of a process of exclusion and reduction to essentials. We see here an ironic game of associations, and with the codes relating to female identity. An amusing image drawn in black & white pantomime.
– Carla Hoekendijk
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Editing: Al Arthur
Alix Pearlstein ° 1962, New York (USA)
Lives and works in New York (USA)
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