MARS

Venus Genetrix is a video collage, and later an installation, using high-res images of the 2nd century A.D. marble Venus Genetrix, on display at the Getty Villa. The video moves in close-up of the figure, scanning her body slowly from head to foot, front to back. The gaze of the camera turns the objectification of her literal object of a body, into a gaze of worship. In looking at her so closely, we become intimate with her, an intimacy usually reserved only for lovers. Through intimacy, she becomes more alive - but has the intimacy of this gaze come with an inviation? As we know she is marble, who then would be the one to consent to this exploration of her body? Is it me, as the creator of this video? If not, should it be the original (unknown) sculptor? These questions intruige me, and I do not intend to have an answer for them - but I do feel a powerful pull towards the spirit within this sculpture, I do feel her calling me to bring her to life again in this way. Venus, to me, is a diety I am in direct lineage of. In exploring her body, I am also exploring my own. The installation projects this video in the shape of her figure on (and beyond) a 6ft soft sculpture interpretation of her, which distorts the clarity of looking at her original photographed image, but simultaneously makes the presence of her body and the inviation of looking at it that much more more viseral.