Alexander Brandt

Intimate - Inanimate (1996/97, multiple artistic formats)

This is a series of works treating the subject of objectophilia, a form of sexuality focused on certain inanimate objects like this androgynous puppet, which has a facial semblance inspired by the Egyptian bust of Beketaton. Rather than making the puppet itself the focal point, it has been built as a fully functional marionette, allowing the audience to redirect their attention to the performance of the "marionettist". Three emotional performances become gradually more intense, leaving the question open as to who is the manipulated and who is the manipulator.

A man performs a worship dance for the inanimate puppet on a piece of classical music, heard only by the performer himself using earphones. Like in a church, the audience is not allowed to applaud. [1996, marionette, performance]
A young woman dramatically kisses the puppet in front of a picturesque sky. The resulting series of photographs are mounted on a billboard and again hung into the sky. [1996, marionette, photography, installation]

In a super close-up video, a young woman is having passionate sex with the puppet, which, in spite of its stoic and graceful expression, seems to actively take part in this sensual act of love. The image is projected on a bulge in the wall, the shape of a pregnant belly. [1997, marionette, video installation, black & white, stereo sound]

Related Exhibitions:
1997, Diplomes Ensb-a Paris