pic from wikipedia: The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli.
photo by Ronald Tam 20090508, Wan Chai
她的故事
未懂事時老爸說身為女孩子不應嬌嗲易哭;小學時偷看鹹書被沒收;初中時生物課的性器官環節老師避而不談;緊接領教了修女們提醒墮胎如何殘忍;然後是初嘗戀愛時沉迷在魔鏡中漫畫美少女的形象;讀了文學以後照樣不放過看《怪異集》——廖雁寧的身體在不同的身份中扮演著各種角色,她談不上喜愛自己的身體,但她對性別和自身的好奇從來沒有停止過。
年長了的她因身邊重要的朋友令她改變對身體的看法,並結伴拍了裸露身體的照片。事後她被讀書時的老師邀請回校跟新生們分享關於「身體」的經驗,驅使她著手整理對自身的認知。
在這個展覽,廖雁寧會為你講一個她的故事,希望藉此拓闊大家的世界,忘記規條與標籤,引發你對自身的重新思考。
身體是我們最基本的部份,細看它的和諧、展示它的不完整,觸摸喜歡和不喜歡的地方,當中反映情感和慾望,喜悅和自信。
平靜地和身體一起呼吸,讓你看見宇宙中的我們是那麼渺小。
Her Story
Since childhood, she was confused by the taboos and different portrayals of the female sex– Dad told her not to be a cry baby; her primary school teacher confiscated “forbidden” books showing female naked bodies; the biology teacher evaded chapters with illustrations of the genitals; the reverend sisters reaffirmed the brutality of abortion; later came the influence of beautiful girl images in romance comics and various literature... Along her blooming years, her body image was mirrored in different roles. Though never fond of her own body, her curiosity about her own self and sexuality never subsided.
After she grew up, she was inspired by her close friends who changed her concept about the body, and she came face to face with her naked self. She started to take nude pictures of herself and shared her thoughts on the body and the self with students in her mother school.
Through telling her story, she wants to bring others to unveil their bodies and confront their selves, leaving behind rules and taboos.
Breathe with your own body; caress its harmony and imperfection, and savor the joy and desire, the calmness and emotions. The body is a pearl born of mother nature.