The Bottom Line: Sex Politics and Masturbation
Artistic Collaborators: JEN/ed and Jenn DeWald
JEN/ed and Jenn DeWald present their largest collaboration
to date in “The BOTTOM Line: Sex Politics and Masturbation”. Spoken word
/performing artist/ yogi, JEN/ed has been creating socio-political work since
1999. The focus of
her work is challenging; people, institutions, perceptions. Author of ‘exposed’ (CD, 05) and ‘Truth Telling’
(book, 06) JEN’s work has been featured in: Velvet Park magazine, Queer
Ramblings, After Ellen and on NTG Radio and OUTFM.
She has toured the US and Canada, performing in colleges, events and
festivals and including Girlfest Hawaii, Mamapalooza, Queerstock and Pride in
the Arts Festival.
Visual/ performing artist/ ER nurse, Jenn DeWald creates multi-media work that explores diverse ideations of life, death, sexuality, politics, feminism and the relationship between healthcare and the environment. Her work has been shown in numerous art spaces and periodicals including: SomArts (CA), 3rd Floor Project, The Art Student’s League (NYC), The New School for Social Research (NYC), Estrogenious, Halifax Lesbian Fiction Quarterly, Queer Ramblings and at the Pride in the Arts Festival. Both artists are recipients of Stone Wall Society awards for their work.
Description:
Part art installation, part history lesson: “The
Bottom Line: Sex Politics and Masturbation” is a humorous, engaging
and edgy look into the lessons ‘our mothers’ were taught. Two figures: one
an androgynous storyteller/ mechanic, the second a dutiful 50’s-style
housewife explore; the ways in which the female body, a woman’s role in sexual
intercourse and individual physical pleasure have been viewed through out
history. Highlighted in the piece are ‘Fun Facts’ such as; masturbation was
defined as ‘self abuse’ in every medical journal, textbook and dictionary
until the 1960s. Maladies,
including death were associated with even the casual practice. The piece creates
an environment for ‘normalization’ of fears and experiences and offers a
positive solution and outlook for the future.
Expect to laugh at yourself and the white washed world around us!
Directed by Alicia Mathewson
Music by Allison Miller