NATURAL RUBBER PRODUCTION IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION IN MAINLAND SOUTHEAST ASIA DUE TO THE RAPID CLEAR-CUTTING OF NATURAL FORESTS FOR FARMS (WORLD WILDLIFE FUND). TIED TO A HISTORY OF COLONIAL ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION, RUBBER REPRESENTS DEEP IMBALANCES IN POWER AND PROSPERITY (KONTINENTALIST, 2023). ALSO SET DEEP WITHIN NEIGHBOURING FORESTS LIES THE RAFFLESIA CORPSE LILY. AS ONE OF THE LARGEST FLOWERS ON EARTH, IT IS KNOWN FOR ITS WARTY FLESH, MEATY AROMAS, AND PARASITIC BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS THE HOST VINES IT INFECTS AND THE INSECTS IT ALLURES. BY EXPLORING THIS PARASITIC FOREST SPECIES, THIS PIECE SEEKS TO EXAMINE HUMANITY’S SIMILAR TENDENCY TO EXPLOIT FOREST RESOURCES FOR SURVIVAL.

AS A RAFFLESIA TRANSLATED INTO BODILY FORMS, THIS COSTUME DRAWS PARALLELS TO PARASITISM WITHIN HUMAN NATURE AND QUESTIONS HUMANITY’S ABILITY TO REDIRECT ITS OWN EVOLUTIONARY TRAJECTORY.

MATERIALS | LATEX SHEETING, WOOL FABRIC, COTTON CORD, SATIN RIBBON AND (NOT VISIBLE) LIQUID NATURAL LATEX, PLASTIZOTE FOAM, FOAM TUBING, BUCKRAM CANVAS, NEOPRENE, POLYETHYLENE, VELCRO, PLASTIC BUCKLE, ELASTIC, STEEL HINGES, GROMMETS, AND SNAPS.

CONCEPT, COSTUME DESIGN AND REALISATION | JESSIE CURRY

PHOTOGRAPHY | JESSIE CURRY

PERFORMER | CHRISTOPHER GERHARDT

LOCATION | LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM