Thou Shalt Not Self-pollute

“Thou Shalt not Self-pollute” is cited from one chapter of a Chinese version “Dr. Kinsey” (year unknown, published in Hong-Kong around 1970’s). The view of self-pollution (masturbation) being unhealthy responds to the traditional society’s shame about sex. As for the “thou shalt not”, like rumors, its fictional authority or paradox is constructed by the mass media. As a whole, the title conveys people’s struggle between their imagination and the knowledge produced by the media. At the same time, they would also realize the connection between their bodies and the real world. In this media age of “thou shalt not something”, it is through images and physical perception for one to reassess the relationship of mass media, contemporary life, and self-construction.

《自瀆有礙身心之說不可信（金賽博士）》引用自某年代不詳書籍《金賽博士》的其中一個篇名，「自瀆有礙身心」回應傳統社會思想中對於性的羞恥，「某某之說不可信」則像似謠言透過媒體所形成的虛幻的權威性，或大眾媒體的悖論，整體傳達一種人對於媒體所建構的知識與想像的拉扯。本作以「性」作為主題，藉由思考年份與來源不明古老書籍等，探索社會意識形態下所形塑的知識與慾望禁錮，包括幻象、羞恥、身體等相關層面，在人與媒體僵化的社會和文化關係中，以夢境般緩慢的影像內涵，提供觀者知識與想像的裂縫。觀者透過觀看進入一個由影像與自我構築而成的幻象空間，但同時又意識到身體與真實世界的連結，在「某某之說不可信」的媒體時代裡，以影像和身體感知重溯媒體、當代生活與自我建構的的關係。

節錄自「自瀆有礙身心之說不可信」策展論述，賴依欣，2015年。