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Hannah Mayle
Dec 28, 2020
Ohio State student Hannah Mayle shares the experience of connecting with Wex residency artist Awilda Rodriguez Lora to help shape her own work of performance art.
In the fall semester of 2020, I took an honors-level introductory course “Gender, Sex, and Power” in the field of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality studies. The class, led by Professor Guisela Latorre, is designed to provide students from various backgrounds with an understanding of feminism and the construction of gender in our society.
Atypical to most college classes, the coursework included intense, political, and emotionally provoking topics to push you to think as a feminist and answer thought-provoking questions, such as, “How does intersectionality affect our view on inequality?” and “How can feminism provide solutions or alternatives to social problems?” This course also examines how the intersection of gender and other social identities, such as race, social class, and sexuality can have an impact on institutions of power and our individual lives. Due to COVID-19, Professor Latorre provided online lecture videos and readings for the week before we met in person or via Zoom on Fridays for discussion. As an elective course, the students in the class were from a variety of majors and backgrounds. This was a key component for our discussions because we were each able to hear various perspectives and inputs.
Throughout the course, we learned various feminist strategies that are used to resist discrimination and marginalization, including social movements, body politics, and art. We read articles from feminist authors like Maylei Blackwell and Patricia Hill Collins to give us perspective on some of these topics. Our final project was to create a body-in-resistance performance art piece that combined what we learned about feminism. A body-in-resistance practice involves using our bodies to resist and challenge social normativity and structures of power. For my art piece, I decided to make a statement about Black beauty in US beauty culture. Specifically, I wanted my performance to highlight Black hair and the marginalization of Black and Biracial individuals through hair.
To receive some guidance on our project, Awilda Rodriguez Lora, a performance choreographer who held a residency at the Wexner Center of the Arts in September, met with our class via Zoom in late November. Awilda provided a safe and open space for me and my classmates to ask for specific feedback on our final projects. One point to make about Awilda is her enthusiasm for art and teaching. Awilda expressed that one of her favorite parts of creating work is sharing the process; she states that “sharing is a way of sustenance.” Receiving the point of view of an experienced performance artist, whose work touches on the topics introduced in class, was a tremendous help in formulating and creating my art piece. Not only did her feedback relate to the performance in general, but it also included advice about video editing and technical aspects of performance documentation, which can have an immense impact on the perception of your art. For example, Awilda pointed out the importance of framing and sound of our videos. In the future, when I view Awilda’s or other artist’s work and create my own art, I will think back to Awilda’s attention to detail in all elements of creation.
For me specifically, Awilda pointed out that there are many perspectives on race, hair, and beauty standards out there and that I should use these perspectives to be informed on the possibilities for my performance. Particularly, she discussed a horror film called Bad Hair (2020), which depicts an extreme and horrific take on the consequences of erasing Black hair in US beauty standards. She encouraged me to do plenty of research and take inspiration from other artists, not only to have more insight but also to identify what I feel should be represented on this topic.
In my performance piece Through the Glass, I style my naturally curly hair, but instead of a mirror, I stand in front of an open window where I am watched by the audience openly. By allowing my hair to be "natural" instead of straightened or chemically altered, I refuse to comply with the "beauty standard" that excludes Black women from embracing their natural features. Originally, I planned to film myself looking out of a window, but once I received Awilda’s feedback, I decided to have the camera facing me outside of a window. I enjoyed Awilda's reference to the horror film and I thought that having the camera outside the window would invoke the feeling that I am being watched by an outsider, symbolizing Black women as an object of white people’s gaze. The barrier of the window emphasizes the silence and isolation of Black women when it comes to discussions about beauty.
My final project challenged me to utilize what I have learned and see how race, gender, and beauty influence institutions of power. Taking this course has given me a new perspective on my own experiences and those around me.
Hannah Mayle is a second-year honors student from Zanesville, Ohio. She is pursuing a degree in Marketing with a minor in Fashion and Retail Studies. She is a digital media co-director in Ohio State’s Scarlette Magazine and a member of PERIOD. In her free time, Hannah enjoys painting, embroidery, having photoshoots, and drinking bubble tea with friends.
Top of page: still from Through the Glass courtesy of Hannah Mayle
Hannah Mayle photo: Emily Zigo
