muslin soaked in water/baby oil and photographed in different forms – submerged in the liquid, metaphorical to liquid inside the womb/the intrauterine experience
– linked to Anzieu’s theory of the skin ego I’ve been researching into for my dissertation as well as being related to my practice towards the end of last year.
-my interest in the intermediate between the inside and outside of the human body, I want to explore forms of attachment through material qualities as well as performance based experiments.
According to Anzieu, a dual process of interiorization needs to occur for the skins functions of containment, protection and communication to operate successfully.
‘The child is caught up in what anzieu describes as the ‘intra-uterine phantasy’ which includes a refusal to be born and a desire to return to the phenomenon of the mutual inclusion. If these anxieties regarding this fantasy are not resolves, one simple does not move onto to the fantasy of the common skin.’ Didier Anzieu, The Skin Ego
‘Anzieu performed a technique called the pack where a patient is encased in damp sheets (to replicate the mothers biological skin to help patients regress to common skin fantasies) and encircled by hospital attendants (to provide a social metaphor for the mothering environment’ Kathy O’Dell, contract with the skin p.23
‘A muslin square is a smaller cloth used when you breast feed or bottle feed a baby to wipe milk away from their mouths and clean up sick. It is also used during winding, usually over the shoulder when baby is held up against you in a hug position and having it’s back rubbed, protecting your clothing from sick.’
Charlotte Paris 