J*U 1
arts&community
MARCH 4, 2011
Paint By Numbers
WWW.JUSTOUT.COM
Artist examines gender norms
in striking new video project
BY ERIN ROOK
Gia Goodrich is not one for subtlety. In art,
as in life, the Pacific Northwest College of Art
student aims for optimum impact. She is not a
lesbian who makes love, she asserts. She is a
dyke who fucks. Goodrich, 27, is the kind of
artist who, according to one mentor, punches
the audience in the face and then runs away.
Goodrich’s current project is no exception.
In her as-yet-untitled thesis project, she pelts
queer subjects with tennis balls dipped in either
pink or blue paint, based on an assessment of
superficial gender markers. The resulting im
ages contrast societal gender norms with the
individuals’intended gender presentation.
“For me what’s so important in talking about
gender is how it relates in a larger context.
Gender perception hears such weight on indi
viduals, particularly in the queer community
where there’s such variance,”Goodrich says. “It
can really he essentialist and not really get at all
to who these individuals are.”
The piece exists in two iterations. The first,
featuring still images and audio of interviews
with participants, is on display in a show called
SummingAllthe Parts at PNCA through March
28. The second and final iteration will include
video of many subjects being pelted at once as
well as more materials contextualizing the pro
cess and will show in May. Goodrich has filmed
12 subjects thus far, but is looking for at least
13 more people to participate in the project.
Goodrich evaluates each subject’s gender
according to a rubric she developed based on
the ways in which hormonal differences affect
physical characteristics and the gendered con
notation o f different clothing items. She says
the scale, which gives greater weight to mous
taches and hip-to-waist ratios than pants and
skirts, is “pseudo scientific” but helps her keep
her assessments relatively objective.
Based on the results of their assessment,
each subject gets 60 tennis balls dipped in
pink or blue paint thrown at them in quick
succession— Goodrich times each toss ac
cording to the click of a metronome to ensure
consistency, if not good aim.
“W hat I’m hoping is that when it’s shown
together there will be a consistent application
of color and them all taking the same period
of time. And in trying to systematize as many
things as I can I’m hoping that difference in
the individuals and their reactions will really
be apparent,” Goodrich says.
If she had her way, Goodrich says many
more o f the subjects would be covered in blue
paint. But neither she nor they get to choose
the color, even if it means subjects are labeled
in a way that runs counter to their identities.
“So here’s this woman who came in in a skirt
and her intended gender presentation is obvi
ously female and I had to throw these blue balls
at her. It was really difficult,” Goodrich says,
describing her experience with one transgender
woman. “It threw me off for the whole day.”
Goodrich hopes that the discomfort associ
ated with that disconnect will inspire viewers
to rethink the boxes they put people in.
“The act o f throwing a tennis ball, on the
one hand it’s playful and used in a game and
then on the other hand it’s this kind o f violent
act,” Goodrich explains, “which is kind o f how
I wanted to talk about gender.... [Gender is]
kind o f this thing that can be very playful in
terms o f how we express it but the implica
tions can be very severe.” J#]
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If she had her way, Goodrich says
many more of the subjects would
be covered in blue paint. But
neither she nor they get to choose
the color, even if it means subjects
are labeled in a way that runs
counter to their identities.
S umming A ll T he P arts opens March 3 at
PNCA's M FA Central Gallery (1241 N W
Johnson St.) and rims through March 28. For
more information, visit pnca.edu. To participate
in the video project, email ggoodrich@pnca.edu.
Q l N I M l AN0 COI HIT IC QjNTMTAY
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district is just a few blocks away.
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are right in the neighborhood or just
a short ride by streetcar. Fill your life
with culture and enjoy all the other
benefits of living at Terwilliger Plaza.
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