The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone Diaries
This essay argues that the performed corporeality of performance artist Nina Arsenault demonstrates how gender can be constituted by two mutually exclusive theories of gender simultaneously. Specifically, Arsenault im/possibly embodies gender as performative and as an essential psychic sense of self...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Revista Brasileira de Estudos da Presença |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/presenca/article/view/96976 |
| _version_ | 1811208529416028160 |
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| author | Stephen Low |
| author_facet | Stephen Low |
| author_sort | Stephen Low |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This essay argues that the performed corporeality of performance artist Nina Arsenault demonstrates how gender can be constituted by two mutually exclusive theories of gender simultaneously. Specifically, Arsenault im/possibly embodies gender as performative and as an essential psychic sense of self. Her expression of a feminine identity onstage is incompatible with theories of gender performativity because it incorporates a voluntary act: performance in the theatre. Arsenault also opposes theories that claim gender is an essential psychic sense of self by expressing her sense of self in her art practice/everyday life. Arsenault highlights that the theatrical materiality she embodies, which also further establishes her femininity, is im/possibly performatively constituted. Put simply, Arsenault embodies gender through performance and performativity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:22:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14efc71b3c184496853afb808f3b422a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2237-2660 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:22:57Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Brasileira de Estudos da Presença |
| spelling | doaj.art-14efc71b3c184496853afb808f3b422a2022-12-22T03:48:10ZengUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulRevista Brasileira de Estudos da Presença2237-26602020-06-01103The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone DiariesStephen Low0Independent SchholarThis essay argues that the performed corporeality of performance artist Nina Arsenault demonstrates how gender can be constituted by two mutually exclusive theories of gender simultaneously. Specifically, Arsenault im/possibly embodies gender as performative and as an essential psychic sense of self. Her expression of a feminine identity onstage is incompatible with theories of gender performativity because it incorporates a voluntary act: performance in the theatre. Arsenault also opposes theories that claim gender is an essential psychic sense of self by expressing her sense of self in her art practice/everyday life. Arsenault highlights that the theatrical materiality she embodies, which also further establishes her femininity, is im/possibly performatively constituted. Put simply, Arsenault embodies gender through performance and performativity.https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/presenca/article/view/96976TheatricalityPerformativityTranssexualTransgenderPerformance |
| spellingShingle | Stephen Low The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone Diaries Revista Brasileira de Estudos da Presença Theatricality Performativity Transsexual Transgender Performance |
| title | The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone Diaries |
| title_full | The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone Diaries |
| title_fullStr | The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone Diaries |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone Diaries |
| title_short | The Im/possible Femininity of Nina Arsenault: theatrical gender in I w@s B*rbie and The Silicone Diaries |
| title_sort | im possible femininity of nina arsenault theatrical gender in i w s b rbie and the silicone diaries |
| topic | Theatricality Performativity Transsexual Transgender Performance |
| url | https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/presenca/article/view/96976 |
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