The Great Wall of Vagina
See the Great Wall of Vagina documentary for more information and to get a flavour for the piece and why I'm doing it.
UPDATED 01/04/10 - For my latest major sculpture I need volunteers to have a cast made from their vagina (well the vulva area really). The Great Wall of Vagina (formerly Design A Vagina)is the third in a series exploring our relationship with our genitals. So far I have completed the first panel of 40 casts, arranged in a grid. The final piece will have 9 panels of 40 casts. I have taken moulds now from around 350 women but I still need another 10 volunteers. The process uses safe, non toxic materials. It's fast and fun, so come on down and become 1/360th of art history in the making...
"Why am I doing it and what's it all about?" I hear you ask. Well, vulvas and labia are as different as a faces and many people, particularly women, don't seem to know that. Men tend to have seen more than women, who have often only seen their own, and many have never looked that closely. Hence the exposure of so many, showing the variety of shapes is endlessly fascinating, empowering and comforting. For many women their genitals are a source of shame rather than pride and this piece seeks to redress the balance, showing that everyone is different and everyone is normal.
The sculpture comments on the trend for surgery to create the 'perfect' vagina. This modern day equivalent of female genital mutilation is a bizarre practice which suggests that one is better than another. Taste in nothing is universal and any desire for 'homogyny' could be very misguided. 360 casts arranged in this manner is in no way pornographic, as it might have been if photographs had been used. One is able to stare without shame but in wonder and amazement at this exposé of human variety. For the first time for many women they will be able to see their own genitals in relation to other women's. In doing so they may dispel many misconceptions they may have been carrying about what women look like 'down there'. The sculpture is serene and intricate and it works on many levels. The piece is ongoing and growing and I intend to have the casts completed by early 2010. A UK tour is in the planning stages.
Already included are examples of male to female and a female to male transsexuals, a virgin, a porn star and some women with some elaborate piercings. Ages so far range from 18 year old students to a grandmother of 76. I really want to include as many possibilities as I can and am actively seeking a victim of female genital mutilation who would like to be included. The more inclusive and complete I can be in this survey the more power this sculpture will have. Please come forward to volunteer and spread the word to anybody else who you think would be interested, particularly if they represent somebody on my 'wanted' list.
As featured in The Argus, You Tube, Channel 4's G-Spot and The Sun
For more info get in touch via the Contact page...
