The Dominatrix, 2 back-projection video screens, sound and 6 double spacehoppers.
Moderna Muséet, Stockholm, Sweden 06-08 1998. An installation produced for the exhibition AVATAR for Riksutställningar (the Swedish council’s organisation for touring exhibitions, national and international). AVATAR included: Åsa Andersson, Peter Hagdahl, CM von Hausswollff, Mariko Mori, Soda, Cecilia Parsberg. It was first shown at Moderna Museet in Stockholm and then at 9 other places in Scandinavia during 1998-99. A catalogue was made.
The piece consists of two back-projection screens and the five space hoppers around. Screen 1 shows an interview with a Dominatrix (she is not doing sex but dominating in other ways, see interview of the project). Screen 2 shows a session with the Dominatrix, filmed with two cameras. The session is edited as two circles with camera 1 & 2 in each, syncronized.
The two circles (from the video session) reappear in the double-space hoppers placed around the screens. The circles are also reflected in the sound – the music of bells played in the session.
The Spacehoppers were designed for two people sitting back to back, jumping the space hopper together. to negotiate and jump together while holding the rubber-handles.
Double spacehopper. Blue balls made of rubber and plastic with black rubber handels. Length:120com. Height: 70cm.
The interview was printed and handed out to the visitors.
Sado masochism is an extreme way of expressing the power-relation between two persons. In the catalogue I present a negotiation form that is used in SM, by exchanging words and a few changes in the text, it could be applicable to any work situation.
The Dominatrix says in the inteview: ”For me, SM means a consensual agreed upon exchange of power. I find it an interesting statement living in a society where a lot of abuse is happening at home, at work and in the politics.”