Brutal Myths is about women's misogynous mythology. Because
traditionally,
women were the lay healers in herbal medicinal practice, herbs are used
in metaphoric interaction to describe the physical and/or mental
mutilations
that developed from these hateful myths. The evolvement as an artwork
created
especially for the web will be presented at ISEA96, the International
Symposium
of Electronic Art, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Its contents are inspired by the Malleus Maleficarum: The Hammer of
Witches,
a handbook for witch-hunting commissioned in 1484 by Pope Innocent VIII
in order to stamp out witchcraft. Written by two Dominican monks, members
of the infamous Inquisition, it rapidly became a "best-seller"
throughout Europe where it served to bring to trial, torture and execute
witches. Myths stemming from the Malleus have developed to control and
oppress
women. The castrating witch myth, Freud's Vagina Dentata, is perpetuated
in Muslim Africa by genital mutilation. During the 19th century in this
country, doctors "cured" women of "troublesomeness"
by ovariotomies and clitorectomies i.e. female castration and mutilation.
Lobotomies were the answer to the evilness in women's thinking, as well
as the psychiatric diagnoses of female insanity and hysteria. Rape and
sexual
violence are manifestations of the need to punish woman for her supposed
sexual insatiability, "inclining men to inordinate passion"
(Malleus
Maleficarum).
In the artwork, Brutal Myths, women are accused of planting seven
herbs (with appropriate names such as Cleavers and Henbane) which
supposedly
inflict injuries on men as described by the Malleus. Among these injuries
are "removing members accomodated to that act" and
"changing
men into beasts". The affects of these injuries generate the myth
that
the "vagina eats up the penis" and the myth of women's
"masochism
and vanity". Each of seven myths is the focus of a page that
scrolls
down images and text describing the mutilations and women's affected
function.
Visuals range from ancient goddess figures, paintings by Artemisia, and
ancient and contemporary torture devices. Topical news items (current
afflictions)
such as ruptured breast implants and the "anti-abortion"
killer,
John Salvi III, are timely features. To destroy the prejudicial myths
about
women, men's fears of women are addressed and placated. Related to the
specific
fear, anti-dotal (blissful) herbs are planted to bind with the evil herbs
that are responsible for propagating the misogyny. A recipe for ritual
is prescribed for the web user who wishes to print and cut out the
anti-dotal
herb and engage in the healing process.
Mari-Jose Sat is co-creator with Sonya Rapoport