artist seis

Shu Lea Cheang's work is probably the most provocative artwork I have seen or read about this semester. While many of the other artists I have looked at discussed controversial topics such as violence, Cheang's pieces take it to a whole new level. Brandon, is a piece that discusses the life of Teena Brandon, a woman who passed as a man. As seen in the film adaptation, Boys Don't Cry, Brandon was raped and murdered because her choice to represent herself as a man and not a woman. Like I have said before, I love interactive websites, because I think it helps viewers better understand the intent of the artist and get more personally involved with the work. The first page transitions from the symbol of a baby, to a woman, to a man. Then, after you click to enter, several various images pop up on the screen. These images discuss man and woman and the means necessary to switch genders. When you roll over the images, however, they change. By changing, the scenes tell the story of Brandon's journey. Because it happens so rapidly, the changes almost seem natural, and not an elaborate process like it really was. Yet, as each one passes, you want to see what happens next, gathering all of the pieces of the puzzle together. It was bizarre to witness at some points, because I felt like I was looking at something that was meant to be private, that I was never meant to see these images. The piece did an excellent job of retelling Brandon's tragic story in a fresh way. We watch videos all the time, but it's rare to have this kind of art work to help us learn.