Dressing for the 'front stage' or 'backstage'.

Day 8

Back to Japan. Today I appeared as a Japanese Kabuki actress wearing Kumadori makeup.

Kabuki is a traditional Japanese drama which encompasses meticulously choreographed dances, songs and miming performances. It originated in the 17th century and was the first entertainment that dealt with heavy emotion. Strong masculine characters, mythological gods, and beasts acted and still act in historical plays, domestic drama and elaborate dance pieces. To achieve this emotional weight visually, the Kabuki tradition followed the Kumadori - 'lines to follow' makeup style, where elaborate makeup is applied to emphasizes an actor's facial lines and wrinkles. The colours used in kumadori are of great significance, and it is these that highlight the emotion and temperament of the character.

beni (deep red) — anger, indignation, forcefulness, obstinacy
beni (red) — activeness, eagerness, passion, vigour
usuaka (pink or pale red) — cheerfulness, youthfulness, gaiety
asagi (light blue) — calmness, coolness, composure
ai (indigo) — melancholy, gloominess
midori (very light green) — tranquillity
murasaki (purple) — sublimity, nobility, loftiness
taisha (brown or burnt sienna) — selfishness, egotism, dejection
usuzumii (grey on chin) — dreariness, cheerlessness
sumi (black) — fear, terror, fright, gloom

-(Cry havoc & unleash the kaigo of war, 2008)

The mere application of kumadori is considered to be a psychological preparation for a performance, and because Kabuki theatre was created for the rich, there exists a delightful custom with the use of Kumadori; after a performance an actor places a silk cloth over his face to make a print of his character's makeup. This is considered a souvenir of the essence of the performance and highly prized as a collectors item (Spencer, M, 1999).

My experience of today came as a surprise. My day in the public eye started with the bergies at the traffic department (where I park regularly), gave me a hand of applause as I got out of my car. As I proceeded to walk to college, a young black man in a low, flirtatious voice said, 'Hello, I like your style'. Many of my vega friends commented that it was their favourite face of the project so far. When I got back to my car this afternoon, the car guards were very excited to see me and asked whether I would give them the look as well.

In Merleau-Ponty's work on embodiment, he says that our body is 'the visible form of our intentions', which is indivisible from a sense of self (2000: 27). This refers to our daily routine of getting dressed according to the space and time of the situation we are heading for- be it outside or just staying inside our private homes. Goffman speaks of our 'visible form of intentions' as the 'front stage' which refers to your appearance in public space, and 'backstage', your appearance at home (2000: 31). These notions not only link well with the Kabuki's Kumadori usage but also to this project as a whole.

During the project, I consciously dress, or make-up myself in ways that I usually wouldn't be seen dead in, a 'front stage' appearance which has made me divisible from my sense of self, which explains why I have been feeling physically and emotionally uncomfortable, self-conscious and sometimes amused or annoyed with the stares that have come my way.



References


Bert, L, 2010, weheartit [image]. Retrieved 10 October 2010 from
http://whi.assets.prod.lg1x3z.simplecdn.net/entry/1866121

Cry havoc & unleash the kaigo of war, Mo No No Ke: face, pants, shoes... sword, 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2010 from
http://kaigou.dreamwidth.org/209425.html

Entwistle, J. 2000. Chapter 1: Adressing the Body. In: The Fashioned Body. Cambridge: Polly Press. Pp 6-39

Spencer, M, Make-up, 1999. Retrieved 11 October 2010 from
http://www.creative-arts.net/kabuki/Breakdown/Make-up.htm












Lunch break outside of vega today.