Cover of & Interior of Disc: Protocols, 2022.IN THE INAUGURAL ISSUE OF DISC, A HOUSE TO EXHIBIT JOSEPHINE BAKER ANALYZES FETISH / EXOTICISM, AGENCY, AND SELF-FASHIONING THROUGH THE FANTASY PROJECT OF ADOLF LOOS, A PIONEER OF MODERNISM.
EXCERPT (T.L)
BECAUSE OF THIS MIRRORING EFFECT, BAKER WOULD ALSO SEE HERSELF REFLECTED ONTO THE THICK GLASS WALL WITHIN THE PISCINE; LOOS IS REVERTING HER GAZE BACK TOWARDS HERSELF, EMPHASIZING HER AS THE CENTRAL OBJECT. THE VOYEUR LOOKING INTO THE POOL WOULD ALSO SEE THEIR OWN REFLECTION WHILE LOOKING AT THE DREAMY BODY OF JOSEPHINE BAKER—ANOTHER REMINDER OF THE GAZE, OR PERHAPS EVEN A HEIGHTENED FANTASY OF CLOSENESS—WHILE STILL BEING PHYSICALLY DISTANCED THROUGH THE TRANSLUCENT WALL. IN THIS IMAGINED AND DREAMT SPACE LOOS CAN INTIMATELY WATCH HIMSELF WATCH BAKER WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE OR HER DIRECT AWARENESS.
LOOS POSITIONS HIMSELF AS THE CENTRAL AGENT, THE PROTAGONIST, IN HIS OWN PLAY WHILE PROPPING BAKER AS THE INGENUE FRONT AND CENTER (LITERALLY CENTER IN THE BELLY OF THE ARCHITECTURE). DRAMA IS HEIGHTENED AND LIGHT FURTHER ENHANCES THE PHYSICAL SEPARATION OF THE MASCULINE AND FEMININE, A METHOD ROUTINELY USED IN LOOS’ INTERIORS: INTIMACY IS DISTANCED AND CONTROLLED. THE THICK GLASS WALL AT THE PISCINE PROTECTS AND SOLIDIFIES LOOS’ GAZE BY CONFINING THE MOST INTERIORIZED SPACE AND SECURING IT FOR HIS AND HIS GUESTS’ PLEASURE, ALLOWING FOR A CLEAR VANTAGE OF THE STAGE, SET WITH ITS OWN SPOTLIGHT ABOVE.
Production team:
Ian Erickson, editor; Sasha Portis, designer; Ani Liu, Anthony Acciacatti, Cyrus Peñarroyo, Erin Besler, Michelle Chang, advisors.