Goodbye My Body: The Making of Video Performances and Live Performances from Aspect of Transwomen

Abstract

The video performances and live performances of "Goodbye My Body" are part of an undergraduate-level performing art thesis. Its concept explores the imperfection of one's own body from the perspective of a transwoman and the desire to change one's body. The objective of the work is to record the emotions associated with the current body as a memory through the creative process. The approach to performance involves body movement techniques, the use of symbolic objects, and the reflection and expression of feelings, presented in the form of video performances and live performances. The process consisted of (1) defining the concept and questions; (2) researching information on performance styles, bodies, and transgender; (3) searching and developing performance styles, including writing storyboards to determine the direction of work; (4) filming and editing; (5) presenting works as video performances and live performances. This creative process lasted six months. The results show that the work embodies the sensations in each phase of being a transwoman, categorized into (1) the changed body; (2) body sensations reflecting pain; (3) the present feeling of the body that has also changed. The work consists of three video performances: (1) Care - presenting the inner pain of having to take care of the body; (2) Change - presenting the incomplete feelings and the desire to change; (3) Self - presenting the current feeling of the body through live performances and video performances of early episodes.