Fabulous body art
BODYSPECTRA. A once off body painting extravaganza by CityVarsity’s art students at The Bancroft Studios on November 18. LUCINDA JOLLY previews.
IT’S out with the dark and in with the light for this year’s BodySpectra. Just two years younger than its more famous Austrian sister- the World Body Painting Festival - the 18 year old body painting extravaganza BS finally comes of age.
Previous BS’s saw a tendency in students to create dark and brooding creations in the shape of Zombies and underworld creatures.
A reflection of the general mind set of our youth perhaps? Whatever the reason, this year, lecturer Jo Roets decided it was time for a shift from doom and gloom to a more joyous, celebratory occasion. With this directive in mind, the 3rd year art students whose privilege it is to choose a theme, chose festival.
The Rio Carnival immediately comes to mind. But although the tone of BodySpectra may have shifted to a light hearted one it is taken seriously because it’s the student’s final exam.
In just over 7 hours they are expected to produce a creation with more skill, creativity and individuality than the “ghoema and glitz” of sequins and feathers on scantily clothed bodies associated with Rio.
Students were introduced to visuals of traditional festivals, rituals and celebrations from all over the world. Our continent has some of the most visually compelling.
Inspiration came from the leafed costumes of the masked festivals of Burkina Faso, the strange multi layered constructions of Nigeria’s Ano Women’s Masquerade various scary hairy creations from Hungary, Germany and Sardinia to England’s Jack in the Green and Japan’s Kanamara Matsuri Festival which celebrates the phallus.
Festival formats are celebratory and structured around a theme. Traditionally they were agriculturally focused and communal - engendering a sense of community and belonging.
While festivals may have kept cultural and belief systems alive, one of their most important roles is the provision of a societal safety valve. They offer a space to release psychic build up.
For attendees of the medieval masked Venice Carnival tight social norms were loosened, roles were swopped and for a period of time you could experience being the other from behind a mask.
Although the original impetus for many festivals has been watered down and geared more towards the financial gains of tourism, even contemporary festivals such as our version of Burning Man, Africa Burn or Earth Dance provide time out from ones daily life.
I caught up with two art students, Domnique Bruni, and Alejandre Romera to chat about their creations for a hint of what to expect .
This will be Alejandre’s first BS. She was inspired by the little known festival of Angitia, a pre -Christian snake goddess who had healing powers especially around snake poison.
Angitia’s festival is celebrated in the tiny Italian village of Cocullo. It involves draping the statue of St Dominique (probably the masculine Christian incarnation of Angitia) with snakes.
To suggest Angitia’s healing feminine and her strong connection with nature, Alejandre’s creation will include a tall flower crown, a cobra hood construction and a staff encircled with snakes.
Third year student Domnique was inspired by the Buddhist Songkran (transformation) water festival she was lucky to have experienced in Thailand.
Her response to the festival theme was to “shy away from wings and feathers”. She wants “the body paint to tell the story”.
Using colours of blue white and gold her creation reflects the cleansing of the with water.
Her body painted figure will be adorned with lots of gold jewellery wear a traditional Thai belt and be crowned with traditional Thai head gear.
The proceeds of this year’s BS go to The Open Circle, a residential home for mentally challenged adults who have been excluded from existing homes.
jo.roets @cityvarsity.co.za
In just over seven hours they are expected to produce a creation with more skill than bodies associated with Rio