Kashika Ashley Cooper - INSIDE/OUT

INSIDE/OUT

KASHIKA ASHLEY-COOPER 2013

INSIDE/OUT Exploring the notion of space, femininity and the female through video installation. Focusing on rituals, feminine acts and the relationship between objects and identity.

KEY/WORDS Femininity The Female Feminism Identity Rituals Space The Body

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ARTIST’S/STATEMENT Kashika’s current work focuses on the ideals of femininity, identity and the idea of internal and external space in relation to the body. Within the underlying theme of Feminism, Kashika explores feminine acts and rituals through video installation and the obsession with a 1930s biascut dress. The obsession with wanting to encapsulate the dress resulted in a salmon-pink satin ‘tunnel’ where the audi-

ence could enter the intimate space and view a thriller-style film.

Taking inspiration from 1930’s horror films, she created a short film based on feminine rituals and extracts of videos from inside the dress to create the notion of something or someone trying to ‘escape’ the mundane daily acts. Also focusing on the experience of wearing the dress and forming an identity with the piece.

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“The Feminine vs. The Female: What does it mean to be Feminine?”

Her work uses video and photography to create a level of distance between artist and the viewer and the intimacy comes from the satin tent, imitating the drapes of dress and the experience of being ‘inside’ the garment. It is

distant yet personal, flat and intimate.

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(excerpt from film)Dancing Dress #1 2013

HANGING/2 The second hanging of the piece enabled the artist to explore the drapery and fold of the satin. Working in a second site-specific space, the artist created a tent-like structure focusing purely on the qualities of the fabric and manipulation. >Inside the ‘Tunnel Tent‘2013 5

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CONTACT/DETAILS Email: kashcoop@me.com Blogs: http://kikisfranceadventures.wordpress .com http://kiki-noir.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/kikisfrance