Zoé Blue M. presents her solo exhibition 'Hard Boiled' at Jeffrey Deitch, exploring the concept of a takkyu onsen, a fusion of table tennis and the traditional Japanese bathhouse. Through her artistic installations, she reflects on communal bathing and its connections to personal identity, emphasizing the reclamation of agency for women. Inspired by the backdrop of Japanese bathhouses that once served all social classes, M. challenges conventional depictions of women in media, particularly in manga and anime, by showcasing moments of bodily awareness and care, thus redefining femininity in contemporary art.
Through Hard Boiled, M. draws upon her personal experience and reflects on the divine femininity that permeates the bathhouses-places where women can reclaim agency outside the male gaze.
Historically, these spaces were sanctuaries for all, where gods and people of different backgrounds would commune out of necessity... In recent years, however, Japanese bathhouses have become places of ritualistic action and community engagement.
Combining painting and installation, the show illustrates the intricate relationship between communal bathing and personal identity, particularly one that resonates with the complexities of contemporary femininity.
M. merges ping pong with the unique visual language of Japanese bathhouses, reflecting her brother's influence with the Little Tokyo Table Tennis brand.
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