Yoko Ono. In Cut Piece, an early piece of feminist art first staged in 1964, Yoko Ono knelt on the ground and laid down a pair of scissors. The audience were invited to come forward and cut off pieces of her clothing.
Yoko Ono performs Cut Piece in 1965 at Carnegie Hall, New York. Photograph: Minoru Niizuma/Yoko Ono
I explored this piece of work at the suggestion of my tutor. If you compare the images of this and my work, visually, they don’t appear to have anything in common BUT the underlying narrative is very similar. It is about layers covering a human form and then the removal of those layers in a random way, then stepping back to explore how this has changed the original form. Yoko gave control to how the layers were removed from her form to third persons whereas I stayed in control of removing the painted layers myself but I did try and randomise where and how far the layers underneath were made visible.
Marlene Dumas
Two of the paintings of artist Marlene Dumas did give the appearance of having layers of skin having been added and peeled away from their faces.
Marlene Dumas, Helena’s Dream, 2008, oil on canvas, 130,5 x 110 cm., Kunsthalle Bielefeld, copyright Marlene Dumas, photo Peter Cox
Marlene Dumas, Naomi, 1995, oil on canvas, 130 x 110 cm., collection De Heus-Zomer, copyright Marlene Dumas, photo Peter Cox – See more at: http://www.stedelijk.nl/en/press/press-images/marlene-dumas#sthash.ZIS3ctAN.dpuf
When Marlene Dumas was interviewed by Odili Donald Odita, she asked her “What place does the human figure take in your painting, philosophically, psychologically, metaphorically?” and Dumas replied “It’s my beast of burden. The poor figure has to carry all the weight” (quote downloaded from :-http://arudemag.com/marlene-dumas-interview-by-odili-donald-odita/ on 20/3/15).
And I believe this thought holds true for all figurative representations that are made. Not only does the image have to portray a visually recognisable figure but it also has to express the innerness or persona of that image on the flat 2D surface of canvas.
