Safe Word - Reflection
“Safe Word” was mentioned in a previous blog post although I felt it needed to have its own post and be allowed to breathe. Inspired by the owl motif of the Story of O, as well as the control and bodily autonomy one experiences through kink, the A3 screenprints aim to explore the idea of consent. In particular, a singular description of the final scene where O is dressed as an owl, inspired me; “stared at them through her plumage, stared at them with eyes . . . open as wide as the night bird she represented, and so strong was the illusion that no one thought of questioning her, which would have been completely natural as if she were a real owl, deaf to human speech and mute”. 5
The first element to explore is the colour choice. Of course, this does not reflect all relationships within the BDSM world, although as a basic rule the traffic light system follows the same rules as the highway code.
Green- everything is good/great
Amber/orange- I am close to an edge/close to too much/any more/any faster/any harder would be too much
Red- immediately stop all play/activity. It’s too much/difficult/uncomforable/painful.1
Some practitioners also use other colours for different emergencies/ needs, although they all balance on the line of communication being key in order to provide a safe and healthy relationship. This should be used in non-kink relationships as well as communication is never a bad thing, although for the content of my work and my inspiration I will concentrate on a BDSM gaze. Connecting to the traffic light system there is also SSC (safe, sane consent) and RACK (risk assessed consensual kink) which is very important to my work as a connection to consent and power over one's body.
I should add here that just because I look at kink and BDSM in my artwork, relating it to influences such as The Story of O, Marquis de Sade, Reba Maybury, Betty Thompkins and Tiffany Reisz, it's important to note that it is not about the intercourse sex aspects for me: rather the emotions, autonomy, control and mental journal. For example, "Although some people think that BDSM is 'kinky', in some cases it doesn't have to involve sex at all – the mental connotations of some acts are more of a turn-on than the prelude of a particular act leading to sex," Annabelle Knight (sex and relationship expert at Lovehoney) explains. 2 She also mentions, in regards to safe words that it could be a word with no relation to sex at all, such as 'pomegranate', but the important thing is that you both agree that hearing or speaking your chosen safety word signifies that all activity has to stop until the situation has been resolved. 2
This first curational example (above) of “Safe Word” shows a set of 3 screenprints in a very simple horizontal linear pattern. A faceless woman, flowers and vines curl around her. Standing in a powerful pose with her elbows about her head and facing the camera, the woman/ the submissive/ the model/ the character opens her body to the gaze of the audience. Her submission can be read in two ways, either as a gift to her partner or as a form of her own sexual gratification. The latter of which I aim to show in my work is through a sex-positive view. Just because she is the submissive in this dynamic, doesn't mean the pleasure is just for her partner. A pair of lips act as a censor over her vagina, in a humorous way to explore verbal consent and communication. Often, limits, boundaries, potential risks, and health issues are discussed beforehand, there is a safe word set up (or in cases where the submissive may be unable to speak, such as a gag or mask a gesture or action- like dropping a ball or bottle) that tells the other party to a full stop if it is uttered, or to step back from the scene to open a dialogue to find out what is going on/get clarification.3 Over her chest is the phrase “you are perfect” in cursive writing, relating to praise and support, as well as a self-affirmation to not be ashamed of one's enjoyments. "A good dom is giving pleasure to the submissive, and that's what gives the dom pleasure. If it's only going one way, then that's when it's not healthy," the fetish club organiser said. Clinical sexologist Dr Celina Criss agreed. "It can be said that the power in a scene lies with the submissive because nothing can happen without their agreement."4
Below is a second curatorial exploration of “Safe Word”. In this example, five A3 screenprints are placed in a cross pattern. The central print is amber, the east and south prints are in green and the north and west prints are in red. Vertically the details of the prints are in black ink (copying the traditional format of a traffic light) and the flanking horizontal prints have a golden detail print, drawing the eye to the centre tile. While the black stands out as an unavoidable contrast the gold provides a softer more gentle contrast. I wanted to show the “soft” and “hard” areas of kink inspired by O’s relationship in the Stor of O. The black represents her sexual activities, the gold: her aftercare and health. The colours contrast very well and the colours also invoke an emotion. While in a shape and more complicated than the first example, it is still easy to view with a single view if desired, yet still allows the audience to stop and take in each image in its own right.
One way I try to define and understand my work is to ask it questions as if it were a real person/item. This allows me to explore any links that might arise and explore my work in more of a creative context rather than relying on research to hold my work up. The audience is not going to see the hours of research behind the work, nor the essays and workshops, it needs to say what it needs to say in as simple terms as it can. Having said that, I understand with my motifs that there is not a simple answer to what my work reads as, which is I find important in a way as it allows room for the conversation to be opened. I don’t want to force an answer or a view, just give space to talk about things I feel need to be spoken about: consent, bodily autonomy, female sexuality (in whatever form that takes).
A few questions I ask myself include -
What adverbs would you use to describe this artwork? - Deliberate, Elegant, Gently, Majestic, Playful.
If this artwork was a brand, what would be its slogan? - It would be an intimately related brand that is concerned with safe sex and healthy relationships. Its slogan would be something along the lines of “understand their mind as much as their body” or “consent above all else”.
What do you think happened before this scene? I like to imagine the model and the artist picking the flowers together that are involved in the collage that made up the screen prints. Or the model raising up her arms, stretching and limbering up before a photo shoot. Perhaps interacting with an owl, its predatory aura is a powerful reminder of control and wisdom, maybe the owl would screech its voice, or sit still just staring and taking back the gaze with its more powerful eyesight (the fact its head can turn all the way around would mean that no one is out of view, and they can challenge everything around them).
Put your body into the pose of some element of this artwork. How does it feel to be in that position? - It’s an exposing pose, although like a strained pose as it makes you want to drop your elbows to cover yourself (even when you are in clothes) or suck your stomach in if you feel the need. In front of a mirror, it makes you much more aware of yourself and your body. It is a strange experience, exposing yet somehow important as you can appreciate and get to know your body and form.
1 https://www.talluladarling.com/blog/2019/safe-words-why-i-like-the-traffic-light-system
2 https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/sex/a44875/bdsm-bondage-beginner-information/
4 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-44041947
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