2023 Grad Show

Bianca McDonald

AUArts Grad Show bi

Sculpture

The use of the body as a core medium is imperative to my practice. I utilize performative and sculptural space to activate a physical and perceptual interactivity with the embodied effects of interpersonal relationships, such as notions of fragility, violence, emotional discomfort and desire, and ultimately challenge the viewers' relationship to this content through this activation. My practice addresses human interaction and vulnerability, the dislocated self, and the action of negotiating one's sense of connectedness, belonging, and navigation of cultural and interpersonal engagement.

to be desired (2023)

This performance takes place in the IKG loading dock, during which I shower in a bathtub constructed of cotton candy. I speak of experiences of objectification in an accusatory tone, recalling moments in which I felt I was merely an object meant for consumption. The narration gradually shifts to an exploration of this fetishization in an inquisitive manner, delineating my own desire to be desired, to be sensual, to be intimate. The performance concludes as I offer a piece of the bathtub to a viewer, subsequently asking aloud “what makes you think I’m so sweet”? This piece ultimately explored ideas of objectification, voyeurism, fetishization, desire, consumption, and the subversion of power dynamics in the face of sexual desire.

a placeholder for intimacy (2021)

A critique on the standardization, mass production, and representation in the sex toy industry.

do you see yourself in me? (2022)

A piece exploring self-reflection, implication of the audience, and emotional/metaphorical accessibility.

get the f*ck away from me (2023)

A piece exploring the severing of a connection.

mace and chain (2022)

An exploration of technical skill and functional objects.

mel (2022)

𝘮𝘦𝘭 is a performance in which the artist performs a variation of hoop dance (hooping) inside of a plastic structure, which separates them from the audience. Black ink splatters the interior of the structure as the artist recounts the effects of engaging with a sibling who is actively affected by drug abuse. This performance allows the viewer to witness the permanence of the effects of drug abuse on those closest to the affected individual, and to experience the visceral emotional process of the artist.

my knees (2023)

An experimental approach to blown glass through body casting.

tell me why (2022)

A piece exploring self-perception, self-reflection, and implication of the audience.

untitled (shame) (2022)

This piece is an exploration of family history and the generational impact of shame. Each mask represents a member of the artist's immediate family through cultural and personal indicators, with the central figure representing the artist herself. The mask to the left of the center displays various personal identifiers of maternal shame, such as cultural symbols and traditional symbols of femininity. The mask to the right of center contains symbols that represent the working class, hunting and gathering, and histories of abuse and restraint. The central figure embodies the act of revolt against shame itself, which has been implicated in the artist's life.

why should i trust you? (2021)

This piece explores the idea of implied violence and the juxtaposition of fragility through a series of tense and abrupt actions. The aftermath of this performance is one of implied violence, caution, and the divulging of strained interpersonal experience. In my blatant disregard for safety precautions, and in my intent to create an emotionally and physically charged space both in action and aftermath, I effectively destabilize the physical and mental space of the viewer.

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