Anna F Hughes, 'I Can Feel It'. Video, 2022
I Can Feel It by Anna F Hughes
Video
Artist statement: I imagine a future where my body is allowed to expand and flow freely across any divide between the “real” world and the virtual, blurring this boundary and enabling me inhabit my body in ways that suit my needs. In my work I try to avoid any positive or negative connotations, because I understand the damaging assumption that disability/illness should be eradicated, while I find that neoliberalism blames my lack of “positive mind over matter” for my lack of “health.” Instead, illness is presented as overwhelmingly sensual, composed of abundant textures, viscosities, intensities, invisible sensations, emotions and motions. I embrace my newly confused sense of time and structure, which makes a linear narrative feel so inaccessible to me now, and instead, have found a musical structure so absorbing and fruitful. I focus on rhythms, loops, melody, lyrics and variation to bring together this series of imagery. The image of a hand, penetrating liquid, becomes my avatar, and allows me to orchestrate this world. Finally, I reference Dodie Bellamy in this work, and her words “when the sick rule the world, mortality will be sexy.” Bellamy speaks to me, because my speculative practice dreams of a future where disability/illness is not erased, but that we are valued for our embodied knowledge, and technology enables us to find ways to move freely without needing to be a traditional idea of movement.
Trigger warning: Violence.
Explore the full piece on Anna's website at annafhughes.co.uk/WIP
Anna F Hughes, 'I Can Feel It'. Video, 2022
I Can Feel It by Anna F Hughes
Video
Artist statement: I imagine a future where my body is allowed to expand and flow freely across any divide between the “real” world and the virtual, blurring this boundary and enabling me inhabit my body in ways that suit my needs. In my work I try to avoid any positive or negative connotations, because I understand the damaging assumption that disability/illness should be eradicated, while I find that neoliberalism blames my lack of “positive mind over matter” for my lack of “health.” Instead, illness is presented as overwhelmingly sensual, composed of abundant textures, viscosities, intensities, invisible sensations, emotions and motions. I embrace my newly confused sense of time and structure, which makes a linear narrative feel so inaccessible to me now, and instead, have found a musical structure so absorbing and fruitful. I focus on rhythms, loops, melody, lyrics and variation to bring together this series of imagery. The image of a hand, penetrating liquid, becomes my avatar, and allows me to orchestrate this world. Finally, I reference Dodie Bellamy in this work, and her words “when the sick rule the world, mortality will be sexy.” Bellamy speaks to me, because my speculative practice dreams of a future where disability/illness is not erased, but that we are valued for our embodied knowledge, and technology enables us to find ways to move freely without needing to be a traditional idea of movement.
Trigger warning: Violence.
Explore the full piece on Anna's website at annafhughes.co.uk/WIP
