Part (14)                                                                                  Nikki S. Lee
2002
[photograph]

At first, I am alarmed by the arm which rests across her back and unto her left shoulder, as the artists makes no facial expression of discomfort. But the gaze away from the character to her right, as well as the gap of space suggests another illusion in play.

Her facial expression, seems without care and unbothered, as though the arm around her is of someone she has no emotional ties too, however the hold looks as though he knows her, and she is unhinged by his endeavour for intimacy. The inexpression in her face could very much illustrate her being coerced into this pose with the embrace of this man/ person on her right, to accompany them to maybe a social event of some sort. Thus, suggesting that she is being made to be seated with him, therefore an involuntary expression of happiness or intimacy, but expression of subtle resentment and ambiguity.

Within the photo the symbol that suggest the uninterested expression towards the person on her right, are the elements of her ‘dolled up appearance’, stare away from the embracing character, facial expression of non-flattery and cold obligatory body expression. The lighting in the background also plays a role in the scenery, as its brightness stays in background contrasting the dark wears of the female subject, and her mood as well. An ironic turn of events like a person saying that she should smile, as random individuals do often tell moody looking people at times. The light acts as an influencing factor, portraying its self as the uncontrollable antics of society’s structural unwritten rules which we as individuals might bare at times, whilst the situation is out of our control.

In relation to this an article ‘The projects, parts, And Layers’’ Od Nikki S. Lee’, from website Creators Vice, written by Kyuhee Baik (2011)’, suggests ‘Miss Lee performs in this scene which describes the connections between performance and non-performance,’ which also translates my earlier idea of ‘the female subject being a participant of some coerced agenda,’ performing a particular role which she did not voluntarily agree to. However it could also be her current situation hence the non- performance element.

Reference                                                                                                                                                          Creators. (2017). The “Projects, Parts, And Layers” Of Nikki S. Lee. [online] Available at: https://creators.vice.com/en_au/article/z4y8zx/the-projects-parts-and-layers-of-nikki-s-lee  [Accessed 5 Dec. 2017].