Bare Display

Creator: SinYu Deng
Light Designer: Kiera Saltz
Set Design Assistant: Krista Sheneman
Performers: Mia Brooks, Stella Lansill, Bobby Currie
Models: Elaine Cho, Talia Fun, Cassidy Gomes, Mallory Moore, Amelie Vidri
Main Advisor: Stephen Rush
Committee: Malcolm Tulip, Sile O'Modhrain, Lauro Ojeda

"Bare Display" is an interdisciplinary dance performance that offers a unique, immersive experience. Integrating three dancers, sound and visual design, motion capture sensors, and artistic photography, the performance deepens the viewer's engagement and connection. Through these elements, the audience is invited to explore an exhibition that delves into the essence of humanity.

Concept

In a world where humanity is reduced to a mere commodity, traded for its labor, skills, and creative prowess, the human body becomes the ultimate product. Their worth is solely determined by their capacity to fuel the economic machinery. Within the intricate web of societal norms and subconscious constraints, individuals are shaped and standardized to fit predetermined molds dictated by prevailing cultural and economic paradigms.

This immersive performance serves as a stark revelation of the social issues entrenched within this state of affairs. Through the medium of the human body, we explore the various states of being that reflect the commodification of humanity. Bodies are no longer just vessels of life; they are commodities, bought, sold, and consumed. Witness the unsettling juxtaposition of beauty and brutality, where the boundaries between human and object blur into a tableau of existential commentary.

Issues

Objectification

reduces people to objects, lacking agency and intrinsic worth. It extends beyond physical attributes, affecting societal interactions and structures, reinforcing inequality and dehumanization. Marginalized communities are often reduced to stereotypes, and people are valued only for their economic contribution.

Viewing or Voyeurism ?

The show questions the ethics of displaying bodies. While intended as objective, viewing can evoke voyeurism and raise issues of consent and respect. Viewers’ biases and cultural backgrounds shape their interpretation, making each experience subjective. It‘s crucial to approach with empathy and critical awareness, recognizing the ethical implications of viewing human bodies.