Jackie King
ADVOCATE, (2016)
Harness, GoPro Hero2, SABRE Drink Test Kit, SABRE Personal Alarm, glass vials, breathalyzer, tweezers, sealable plastic bags, advertisement
In recent years, the mishandling of assault on campus has become a hot button issue. With the viral outings of collegiate assailants, the public has turned their sights to this deeply concerning issue now more than ever. Media coverage of these tragically mishandled cases have bolstered public outrage, but perhaps heightened the incentive for institutions to conceal or deny assault cases and accusations. Making efforts to protect themselves from the public eye, many collegiate institutions deny these cases for supposed lack of evidence; a shallow maneuver that leaves victims feeling unprotected and forces upon them an ultimatum: continue sharing a space with their assailant, or leave. For many, it’s too painful to bear. This blatantly negligent process passively silences victims while quietly enabling assailants; all for the sake of reputation and funding. To combat this, I’ve proposed a satirical product for these institutions; one to suit their ludicrous misconduct policy and handling.
Jackie King
Bore, 2015
Earthenware ceramic, cinderblocks, bricks, IV stand, fan
Here the female form is reduced to a fragment, the nexus of which is the womb. The functional significance of clay is paralleled to women's role as a vessel and the bed of bricks is representative of the constructed responsibility to build or create. The fan and IV are contrivances of comfort and health, but in this case repurposed as implements of control. Water creates a hole in the abdomen as the IV drips at a pace akin to water torture, and the fan forces the clay to rapidly dry and crack. The title, "Bore," is the past-tense of the word "bear," as in "to bear a child."
Jackie King
Honeymoon, 2016
Brass, wire, six volt batteries, plywood,
Characterized by affection or apology, the honeymoon phase of the abuse cycle occurs after an act of acute violence. The common hallmark of this phase is the strategized gift or token giving, or a showering of affection by the abuser to the victim in an attempt to manipulate the victim into thinking the abuse will end, forgiving the abuse and sometimes even feeling guilt themselves. By weaponizing flowers with electricity, the danger of this albeit tantalizing gift or promise is made visible. Being presented with a single daffodil is a symbol of misfortune, and my personal connection to the flower stems from my experience with an abuser who often gifted them to me during this reconciliation phase.
Jackie King
Mired, (2016)
Bed frame, dirt, maggots
For a period of my life, trauma had me caught in a stasis. I wasn’t dead, but I was far from life. Removed from the world, I felt I could rot in bed. In sleep I could escape my body. Beds for me signified sanctuary, but they also elicited memories of trauma. My flesh felt foreign to me, as if I myself were a festering wound personified. I was not my own. I was used. I was dirty. I just wanted to sleep.
Jackie King
Pussy Grabber’s Gauntlet, 2016
Hand cast, brass, fabric, wood, poster
The word gauntlet is defined as a protective glove or metal armor for the hand, but it also represents a challenge or punishment. The Pussy Grabber’s Gauntlet was inspired by the lude comments of Donald Trump, which were spoken during a private conversation about using fame and fortune to sexually coerce women. This device is designed to be employed upon people who touch without full consent. If touching is attempted, the wearer will be harmed. In the interest of others’ safety, the wearer has essentially lost the privilege to touch, meanwhile they bear a symbol of their misdeeds- a testament to their lack of self control and respect.
Jackie King
Through Me (Baby), 2016
Fat, beeswax, hair, steel, mattress, chain, meat hook, spotlights, tripods,
Considering themes of objectification, fetishization, and voyeurism, here the body is initially represented as purely physical matter. Affected by the burning focus of the spotlights, gradually it transforms into a shapeless object as it soaks into the mattress. The body is henceforth transmuted from material object to a sexual concept; the catalyst of this metamorphosis being the violent scrutiny and perverted gaze of the lights.
Jackie King
Temptation Resistant Underwear Prototype I, (2016)
Men’s briefs, taser, retail tag, clothes rack
In this piece, I would like to initiate a dialogue about rape prevention, the target of which almost exclusively focuses on the actions of victims, rather than its perpetrators. The “solutions” provided for sexual assault are merely topical remedies that don’t confront the root of the problem, which is the faulty society that manufactures sadists and sexual assailants. Products such as AR (AntiRape) Wear, Rapex Condoms, Anti-Perv Hairy Leggings, and other anti-assault methods are commodified, commercialized, and completely ridiculous measures that often put users in more danger in the event of a perilous situation. By creating an equally unrealistic product for the “other side”- specifically for the potential assailant wanting to prevent themselves from committing an assault- the audience is urged to think about the absurdity of these contrivances and the superficiality of their remedies so that we may direct our attention to healing the source of the problem rather than preventing its effects. Viewers are encouraged to explore and interact with the object as a genuine retail item.
