Bruce Jiang

For this project I wanted to design a garment and include it in a video shoot, inspired by The Theatre of Cruelty by Antonin Artaud, the photography book “War Porn” by Christoph Bangert (2015) and the Murder of James Bulger.

In contemporary society, shaped by environmental influences such as family dynamics, peer relationships, and pervasive media exposure, there appears to be a noticeable intensification of violent tendencies, anger, and hostility. While violence is an inherent aspect of human behavior, its expression has been significantly amplified by modern media, contributing to a detrimental psychological and social climate. This project seeks to immerse the audience in the perspective of the victim, encouraging a deeper emotional and cognitive understanding of what it means to face an abuser and endure acts of violence. Through this experiential approach, the work aims to foster empathy and raise awareness of the profound and often traumatic impact violence can have on individuals.

The final outcome is framed within the context of a murder investigation narrative, exploring the psychological and emotional impacts of violence on both the abuser and the abused. The outcome is a reversible garment featuring distinctive designs that symbolically represent the complex victimisation experienced by both parties.