For some background knowledge, Jeremy Bailey is a famous media artist on YouTube. He creates and demonstrates almost innovative ways of using digital media as an art form to express a topic of conversation. I have chosen to focus on one specific online performance of Jeremy Baileys for this review because I feel as though it deals with a very important discussion. The Web I Want performance explores body objectification online through digital augmentation of Jeremy Bailey’s own body. Body objectification as well as body shaming are huge problems in the world today. As a woman I have been both objectified and shamed. To make it clear, I am also aware that men can also be objectified or shamed just as much as a woman. But, let’s get back to how Jeremy Bailey has presented this issue of body objectification in a new light, digital media. When I first began watching his performance I had many thoughts revolving around…
What the fuck is this guy doing? He’s low key creepy
Why the hell is he basically naked?
A man with floating digital images over his chest just seems inappropriate
Does this guy want boobs? It would look less weird if there wasn’t two of each image
I will admit though as I was judging the performance I was intrigued in knowing what image would appear next on Jeremy’s body. But even though I watched the whole performance, I had no idea what the point of his performance was the first time I watched it. It wasn’t until I read the description of the video I understood his message. After realizing he had a positive influence on augmenting his body I had to watch the performance again. This time I watched the performance from a different point of view almost, a point of view where he was no longer creepy but informative. I found it interesting that Jeremy realized that he was going to have to objectify himself in order to inform the world on body objectification. He is proving his point that people are more likely to pay attention to you if they find you intriguing to look at. This online performance makes one think about how one’s self looks at the world. It also made me question some things..
Body objectification deals with both objectifying in the sense of attractiveness as well as
unattractiveness. Which would distract someone more?
Would this performance be taken differently if a woman had done it instead of Jeremy
Bailey?
Body objectification is such an interesting but difficult topic to discuss. I think that Jeremy Bailey did an OKAY (ehhhh) job of exploring the topic in an irregular way. In the end Jeremy Bailey had something to say and this was his way of saying it to the world.
Watch Jeremy Bailey’s Performance Here
P.S. check out my next post for an analysis of a specific scene of the performance.
MM 