These images are part of a series of body painting and image projection work. We start by painting the head of Phatima Rude silver and then projecting images on her. The subjects of the projected images are varied and chosen for different reasons. Some are anatomy or images of other people; some are chosen for their visual / formal aspects; others are just random. All are chosen with an eye towards transforming Phatima, so she can merge with, or inhabit, the image.
I used the same projection and body painting technique in my Ode to Giger.
One of the ideas that drives my work with projected images is the transformation of the underlying surface or model – how is that surface or model affected by what we project onto it? Phatima is as close to the personification of pure transformation as I have ever met. She is always in the liminal space of gender, being neither one or another, and always able to freely flow from one end of that spectrum to the other. Her ability to change and morph is legendary and is a perfect canvas to work with in this series.