Second Week of PVC Research
Iain Kerr's lecture was incredibly insightful. His last comments about Paradigms and finding the true problem stuck with me. I think this is a good entry point for an experiment. Am I researching a problem? From last week's notes, no but I could come up with one.
The Possible Problem
I divided this list of questions into a conversation with myself in order to make it easier for readers to follow along and even myself when I look back at this later
Jo and Joelle
Joelle: PVC clothing is an obvious marker of someone's sexual preferences. How can a PVC-ist (have only seen the term rubberist) enjoy his/her/their sexual pleasure without being made?
Jo: Is 'being made' a problem?
Joelle: Yes it is! Would you have sex in public?? Why would you wear a PVC pair of leggings out and about for everyone to see?
Jo: Is it a sexual object then, when it is a pair of leggings? Lingerie, yes that falls into the ?[semiotics of sex]? but pants, an a-line skirt? What is the difference between a PVC skirt from Purple Passion and a patent skirt from Forever 21?
Joelle: I guess I need to rethink my first assertion, "PVC clothing is an obvious marker of someone's sexual preferences". I didn't mean that. PVC wearable fabric is an object of fetish for some, and it presented most often in the extreme lingerie/body modification looks. So, presented in the extreme, it conotes fetish, also deviousness.
Jo: So, is it merely the shine, the feel that makes PVC fabric an erotic object or its application on lingerie, wearable body mod?
Joelle: I guess it is the application, combination. It is plastic, but the clothes are expensive. It is treated as special, precious. I still like the idea of 'being made'...
Jo: So, what's the problem again?
Joelle: A good problem could be...what's the next style of fetish wear? A lot of the images I'm seeing are clearly still influenced by WWII. What about using the influences from today?
Jo: So, what is 22nd century fetish gear? That's a good question to ask an expert! Using the zeigeist of this current time I'll imagine what PVC fetish gear could look like?
Another Problem
The constant barrage of sexualized images of women to sell things and images. ==> Simulcrum ==> The emergence of fetish fashion into mainstream fashion. - Reimagine the above as: How can women still be overtly sexy without being overt? That sounds stupid.
Notes From Class 3
Marina liked the "wearable vibrator" idea and the Call from Good Vibrations Arts Festival
The book Mind in Life
Paradigms
- Doesn't need to start by being true
- Distinct enough to stand out
- Needs to join unrelated fields
- It has to be interesting enough to get people interested
- {Iain forgot this one}
I think I will go forward with the Wearable Vibrator.