Room 1 : Biography

Impersonation of his father

Robert Cuoghi

2000

Artist Roberto Cuoghi has spent five years or so merging into the appearance of his father. Roberto appears to be in his late 50s or 60s, however in this case looks can be deceiving and this artist has over time altered his appearances to impersonate his father. Roberto Cuoghi has paid particular detail to both physical appearance and even imitating his father’s gestures. Cuoghi has gained thirty pounds in weight over this duration, grown a grey beard and even smokes the same cigarettes all of which simulate his father’s appearance. I believe that the artist is successful in using his body as a tool to reject youth, a complete contrast to what we see in the media and television everyday where people are not happy to grow old gracefully and do everything in their power to delay the inevitable. In this case Cuoghi has set out to do the complete opposite and purposely altered his image to draw attention to his age and the body as an identity without age.

Hotel Room. No28

1981 Sophie Calle

French born artist Sophie Calle worked as a chamber maid in a Venice hotel for about three weeks, during this time Calle captured and documented the traces that the guests left when out of the room. With a notepad and a camera Calle was able to explore and take note about the room and what lies in it, she captured everything to the belongings in the suitcases, reads open letters and examines what’s in the bins. All of these findings build up a picture about the guests without even meeting them, the exercise gathers lots of information and presents in the style of a reporter.

“Monday 16thy February 1981. I go into Room 28 (painted wood, predominant colours green and pink). Just one unmade bed. I find, on the right along the wall, an impressive amount of luggage. Four “Vuitton” suitcases piled up, three holdalls, a row of shoes; eight pairs for the woman (size 38) and five pairs for the man (size 42). I open the wardrobes. On the right, some men’s clothing, including three new pairs of shoes in felt bags, one hat, two pairs of white underpants and one pair of trousers with wide suspenders. Everything is of good quality. I imagine people of a certain age, well-off. In the bathroom nothing of note except a pink flannelette night dress. I perfume myself with their ‘Chanel No.5’. I furtively open one of the suitcases. I catch a glimpse of the magazine ‘The Economist’, some bananas in a plastic bag. The room done, I go out.” Page 149 Sophie Calle, Hoffman, J and Jonas J, 2005 Perform. Thames & Hudson. 

Nicki S.Lee

Projects

These works show how Korean born artist Nicki S. Lee changes her appearance and surroundings to morph into other stereotypes. The collection of pieces including The Seniors Project 1999 and The Schoolgirls Project 2000 demonstrate how the artist has been successful in challenging stereotypes, not only within the USA but all over the world. These works are just a few from a wide range of identities she has captured and are all in her book “Projects”, including the ‘tourist project 1997’. Although Lee’s transformation seems effortless and instant the artist does not just slip in an outfit and pose for a photography. Nicki S. Lee works hard over a period of time to fit into the role she plays, observing and learning about the stereotypes before purposefully taking on the same character. I feel that the simplicity and creativeity of Lees work draws comparison and comments on other peoples lives in everyday society. Her composure and skill finds the viewer almost having to spot her in each photograph as her transformation is completely true to that stereotype

“The subject of my work is my identity and the performances that create the characters that compose that identity. This project is not about searching for identity. It is a demonstration of how many characters can coexist within one single identity”. Nikki S.Lee