LAURA VIKTUALIA

Hello again. Welcome to my world of ropes, a path I’ve been walking since my Master of Arts studies. What is mostly labelled as the art of Shibari between practitioners is often mislabelled as over sexualised rope bondage, influenced by Hollywood motives of “Damsel in distress” and not to deny, the porn industry.

Yet, there is so much to explore beyond the imagery that it can create: From the sensory input of creaking rope sounds, the smell of burned jute fibres and the feel of ropes hugging your skin, over the elevating and surreal feel of suspension, triggering all sorts of reactions in your brain,to the intimate storytelling created by two rope partners that allow each other to be vulnerable for the time being.

To some people, it may be a therapeutic experience, touching on the idea that creative expression can foster the mental well-being in form of art for communication, self expression and healing, additionally improving self-awareness immensely.

Within rope, tying intentions can range from artistic self-ties, sensory explorations, even of pain and suffering, or performance art amongst many others, I always wondered how the involvement of a camera alters or even diminishes the experience of Shibari, which is initially intended to be sensual and intimate between two partners: Can an image, whether static or moving, even capture all of the atmosphere in the room? There is a different feel to experiencing a moment versus a viewing a photograph, especially as some parts and styles of rope are not about shapes, pretty patterns or visuals.

What you see in my gallery here is probably like the top of an iceberg: What peaks through as a visual is carried by nine-tenths of other aspects that stay hidden under the surface. What I showcase here is the more artistic side of rope, indulging in self-suspensions and extensions of self-portraits.

Yet, my most vulnerable and pure “rope self” is barely capture-able. 

 

As impossible it is to describe the essence of rope with just images, I started writing a book on this, which was rooted in my Final Major Project for my Masters degree and has been since an ongoing research project. Despite it not having a finite timeline, I aim to hold the finished pages in form of a coffee table book in my own hands and share my explorations and perspectives with many others, also allowing space for other artists to share an even deeper insight.