HET GETEKENDE LICHAAM -THE MARKED BODY Clarisse Bruynbroeck
My sister is losing weight, I can see her deteriorate, and so can my family. Negative emotions take over. How do I come to terms with this? And how should I express these emotions? By talking? Writing? Drawing?
My original language is that of jewellery. To help stop the chaos in my head, my diary helps me sort things out. By describing and questioning my feelings, I try to access a deeper layer of emotion.
I have been fascinated by the body, build and body language for a long time. The fact that one of my sisters is now suffering from anorexia has only intensified my fascination for this. Her body is changing – not just physically but also emotionally. I had not noticed this emotional side of the body up until recently.
My sister is wasting away, to the extent that even its ‘structure’ is visible from the outside. I have no choice but to use this in my work. I translate these physical changes by means of objects which evoke a literal transformation or an alienating effect; a convex mirror, a piece of clothing that’s been cut up, an iron spine, … . Objects that express how the ‘familiar’ (body) makes way for what is ‘odd’, the disorder, the disease. I, too, feel the effects of this disease.
There are times when I cannot keep my emotions under control; they just take over my body. That is how my body shows signs of despair, despondency, helplessness … I feel helpless towards my sister. I want to help her, but she won’t let me. I have run out of options. I express this by creating motionless, rigid postures. Languid and helpless.
This is how a set of self-portraits came into being; tangible reminders of an emotional time. These ‘remnants’ mark the end of my first master year.
In my second master year, I concentrated on the hands. I still want to offer help and protection, but get turned down time and again. This creates an emptiness inside me – one that I wish to externalize. Hands that want to give – in vain. Hands that do not reach far enough … Hands which can also offer comfort, thank goodness, even if it’s just for myself. The bags under my eyes give away my exhaustion.
In fact, all these emotions leave traces on my body; my body is marked by them. My body has become a drawing. I draw on my body. I want to be able to draw the traces of emotions on my body, but I also want to delete them.
The emotions are on the table, in an intimate, homely atmosphere. A painful silence follows, only the body language remains.
Exhibition until may 3th on the first floor of Valerie Traan Antwerp, Belgium.
www.valerietraan.be
clarissebruynbroeck.com/