In this video I was attempting to communicate my self-portrait in sombre reflection.
My soundtrack is compiled of four audio tracks, representing different aspects of my personality. The shoes on the pavement provide a rough beat while giving the impression that I wear heels which implies femininity. The humming is my own voice and a melody I developed for this piece. The tune and repetition add a mood of contemplation, it also shows my musical pursuits. The other vocal track is two tracks cut together – I was merely thinking out-loud into my phone’s recording device and edited together relevant thoughts. The dialogue is about returning to my hometown and family. The purpose of the soundtrack is to contrast the video; it is quiet, reflective, personal and about my background.
In juxtaposition to these – the videos are of my share-house and the aftermath of a recent party. The final shot (which begins with a slow zoom out from a dark-haired doll marked with a lipstick anti-cross) is self-referential – it’s destructive, disembodied, and surrounded by party remnants. My friends, my current home, socialising and my party lifestyle are all intrinsic to my sense of self. But this is in contrast to the part of my personality which requires solitude, identification with family, and self-reflection. The video is in effect showing two waring sides of myself, in addition to how my lifestyle is an issue of contention within my family.
The title and opening photographs demonstrate this in an abstract way. The skin represents intimacy – and the marks are all remnants from my social life. The tattoos in the 1st and 3rd photographs were done by friends at parties. So to was the “ALL IS HELL” ink in the 2nd photograph. The lipstick on my boyfriend’s hand is because he is a constant in both my social life and intimate life. Though I’d say these photographs did not show clear enough meaning and therefore are my least successful media component.
Overall my Marks On Skin video is give insight and significance into important but contrasting parts of my life.