In this discussion we will explore the phenomenon of the RealDoll using the work of Japanese photographer Azusa Itagaki and Craig Gillespie’s film Lars and the Real Girl. Often referred to as love dolls, these high-end, life-sized silicon sex toys appeared in America in the 1990s. This session will consider how are ideas of female beauty are distilled into the body of a doll. Beyond their erotic function, we will consider the qualities that locate these dolls on the border of inanimate object and idealised woman.
This event is led by curator, editor and researcher Alessandro Bucci. His projects and studies deal with contemporary anthropology, visual and material culture, fashion theory, and body culture studies.