This Harmless but Horrible Sensation

Is a glitch really a mistake?

In This Harmless but Horrible Sensation, Beth Yashnyk explores the relationship between gender, technology, and identity. Utilizing imagery derived from 3D scans of the artist’s own body, Yashnyk virtually and physically manipulates her physical form in ways that are unnatural and unnerving. These “glitches” are simulated and re-imagined in each artwork through color, pattern and repetition of subject. Each layer acts as a portal to the next glitch. The perpetual re-articulation of the subject celebrates the glitch as a necessary tool to break down the limitations of gender and sexuality.

The pandemic allowed the divide between the virtual and physical world to become even smaller. Socialization, interaction, and communication were no longer physical acts- they were flattened and fit within a screen. Our bodies were forced to interact with one another virtually. As a result, Yashnyk’s relationship with her own body shifted and transformed as she navigated relationships through both the physical and virtual world.

 Through the decontextualization of various parts of the body, Yashnyk explores the ways in which the human body is perceived by separating individual parts from gender identity. These anatomical extensions act autonomously, engaging viewers to reevaluate their relationship with the body and their perception of gender. Though the physical images are forced to stand still, the virtual ones must exist in perpetual motion.

Artist Statement:

A body is nothing more than its parts. It is a compilation of forms with different intended purposes. It is a home for skin, bone, muscle, fat and tissue that simultaneously uplifts and betrays you. What happens when we choose to use these parts in a way that is different from how they were intended? What happens to the parts that we never intend to use? There are parts of my body that I love, and parts of my body that I wish did not exist. Through a variety of techniques and processes, I decontexualize various parts of the body as an exploration of the ways in which bodies are perceived.

Gender is not binary. It is built upon layers and layers of experiences and perceptions. There are parts of the body that are often misinterpreted as a revelation of an individual’s gender. By decontextualizing not only these parts of the body, but those that are often considered to be gender-neutral, my work separates individual body parts from gender identity. No body part is gendered. By representing these parts of the body in multiple mediums, I explore alternate perceptions of the same thing. Through layers of wood, acrylic, acetate, ink, and digital manipulation, I rebuild perceptions of gender.