Conflict of a body in discomfort. What has been added, what has been removed. What has NOT been removed (his agency, his consent, his freedom to fantasise). What you’re seeing here is a man… he’s been practicing BDSM since he was a child. I… haven’t been. He’s attached to the ceiling so he can’t go anywhere. His arms are secured behind his back. He’s in a suit of rubber, which is a material that doesn’t breathe. When it first goes on, it feels like a full-body hug, but of course once you’re in there a while your skin starts to sweat. It gets hot, tingly. It gives a lot of sensation. It is similar to bare skin but a bit unusual. The head harness makes his vision uncomfortable and the mask limits how much he can talk. But his attention is almost certainly on his feet. In these shoes his balance is challenged, while the full body weight is on the toes. It becomes uncomfortable quickly.
An audience watches whilst my partner is trussed up in various intense positions. While he focuses on the trip, I give an informal lecture on some historical points about bondage and kink; also, I describe the sensations he experiences in a factual, non-sensationalising way. The goal is to demystify the bondage experience whilst inviting the audience to witness a moment of intimacy.
Performance with M. Dillon as part of David Kozma’s and Davide Giovanzana’s curated The Body as a Conflict Zone demo Kulttuurikeskus Caisa, Helsinki 14.05.2016. Photo: David Kozma.
