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Let’s Strip it.

— an artistic investigation into the intersection of body, erotic, labour, sex and gender

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3th June work diary

today I was reading the book “erotic morality” during work and there’s one thing which strikes me. It was about people who feel too little and too much. I always thought I am someone who feels too much, but maybe I feel very little that I am able to work in this job. I can play with the intimacy with the customers whom I don’t really feel that attracted to, I have learned how certain movements would be appreciated/ felt sexy//erotic for the customers and I just repeat them in different combinations. What does this tell about me?

I realised that I don’t really like to be touched by these people. I don’t mind being touched and it means that I can withstand things that I don’t really like. Doesn’t it require me to be feeling-less/ indifferent in order to withstand these somehow invasive/agressive physical contact? This confusion of myself being too empathetic or feeling-less leads me to think that maybe it’s more a discussion on the disconnection of my mind and body. I am aware that the signal from bodily sensation to mindful comprehension are delayed. And I constantly seek for danger to trigger my feelings, whether it be excitement or fear. Does it mean I don’t really feel? That my body and mind are separated. That I objectified my body?

Research Questions

 

1) Embodied Experiences, Identity, and Feminist/Queer Theories

 

1.1 Embodied Experiences in Contemporary Dance and Stripping:

 

  • How do embodied experiences in contemporary dance and stripping influence identity and agency?

 

1.2 Influence of Societal Gaze on Subjectivity:

 

  • How does the societal gaze influence the subjectivity (self-perception and identity) of individuals?

 

1.3 Feminist and Queer Theories in Artistic Research:

 

  • How can feminist and queer theories enrich the dialogue around sex work, immigrant experiences, and workers' rights in the context of artistic research?

  • How can stripping be a means to promote feminism, and how does erotic performance contribute to agency reclamation for marginalized individuals?

 

2) (Artistic) Labor, Value, Precariousness, and Societal Attitudes

 

2.1 Dichotomy Between Artistic Dance Forms and Erotic Dance Entertainment:

 

  • Is there a dichotomy between artistic dance forms and erotic dance entertainment in societal respectability? Why? How is this difference in societal respectability related to discrimination?

 

2.2 Precarious Nature of Labor and Discrimination:

 

  • How does the precarious nature of labor intersect with issues of unequal treatment, disrespect, and discrimination?

 

3) Contemporary Dance and Erotic Entertainment as Agents of Change

 

3.1 Agents of Change:

 

  • How do contemporary dance and erotic entertainment work as means to disrupt gender stereotypes?

  • How can the body be a site of resistance and empowerment, challenging societal norms and expectations?

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