American solo performer Amy Taubin focuses on the ‘representation of the self’ (Noel, 1979, p. 57) where she aspires to explore her own identity as a woman, a body and a performer. Her performances aim to assure that the audience’s relationship to the soloist is undivided. She creates three performances that present the notion of being seen as an object. Pimping for herself, Double Occupancy and Performance Which Began On A Train examine the relationship between audience and performer as she wishes to characterise the feelings of division.
In Pimping for herself, Taubin uses film to make literal the idea of the performer being used as an object ‘whose primary function is to be seen, to be observed’ (Noel, 1979, p. 56). Taubin acknowledges the audience when she is present on stage causing them to feel objectified as a result. There is a film which is shown during the piece which exposes Taubin undressing. Later on she enters the performance space and repeats the act of undressing whilst glaring at each audience member. This is ironic because although Taubin should feel as though she is receiving full attention, the audience feel objectified also. On some level, I wondered how she can fully equalise the performer/spectator relationship when at any one point Taubin is ensuring that either of them is experienced as an object. However, it is seemed that by the end of the piece both parts are equal as both have experienced being the centre of attention.
Double Occupancy again uses media but this time, audio. In this particular performance Taubin wants to create two responses within her audience between what is seen and what is heard. She wishes to discover how these methods of interaction can reflect messages in different ways. By sitting in a separate room and being watched through a window presents the concept of being looked at as a solid element of being a woman in a man’s society and how the woman then ‘learns to be an attractive object of man’s desire’ (Noel, 1979, p. 56). A thought that had occurred to me was the difference in the piece if it were to be performed by a male. As a female, Taubin represents women in a male-led society. Therefore if the piece was indeed performed by a man, the fabric of the piece would be lost as the main intentions centre themselves around the objectivity of women.
This method of being heard as opposed to being seen also creates a relationship between men and women as well as spectator and performer. I feel that by being watched an automatic relationship is established and formed between audience and performer, however by solely listening to another, something more intimate and personal is created.
For the purposes of Performance Which Began On A Train, it is the audience who are fully lit yet Taubin stands in darkness. By reading from a script that is heard through speakers within the room and appearing on a projection on one of the walls, Taubin has established a dichotomy of the ‘invisible living, inner voice with its visible outer manifestation’ (Noel, 1979, p. 56). By also recording the audience live through film they are encouraged to see themselves on a screen in order to experience objectification.
Carrol, Noel (1979) ‘Amy Taubin: The Solo Self’, The Drama Review, Vol. 23 (1) pp 51-58.