Video Out

Under My Skin

 Based on my experience as an organic farmer from Goa, India, I am interested in addressing the issue of environmental degradation due to excessive iron ore mining in the region. I propose to bring together the concept of skin and rice to address gender issues and performance in an Asian context. Being a farmer and a woman of color, the issues of gender and environment affect me directly. The skin is made of rice flour, sugar and cinnamon. This skin is edible. I have attempted to cultivate a direct language through video/performance art based upon the idea that the dominant language is a form of manipulation. I believe that the strength of the female body is to be able to form a language that can express directly against the system that is dominated by men. I feel women have the potential to generate subversion of the patriarchal language due to their existing position in the psychoanalytical model of the subject construction. Through the act of peeling my own skin, I am peeling away cultural constructions that had conditioned my image. It is my means of conquering societal judgments on race and finally recognizing and claiming my body as my own.