Following the political costume and uniform after 1945 in Austria, Doringer was challenged by curators to present a project which could connect “fashion and despair” to the present context of Austrian society. He arrived in Vienna with the starting points that his future art-work could be attached to the image of Natasha Kampusch.
Introduction
The person who had been kidnapped, raised and abused in the basement, rearranged
into a perfect children's room according to the middle class standards of the western society.
Doringer’s fascination with Kampusch had begun with her written statement for the media, which seem(ed) to be mature, clear and unexpected from the side of a victim at that early age. While he was doing research on the subject, Doringer was surprised with the information about Kampusch’s talk show running monthly on the Austrian TV program. Her life was documented and present in the magazines, amongst pop-stars and the elite of Austria. She was gradually accepted by the Austrian establishment supported by a team of VIP's.
In 2008 Austria had to face one more scandal connected to sexual abuse, kidnapping and home imprisonment, the Fritzl case. Resembling to some extent the situation of Kampusch, Fritzl’s case appeared to be much more brutal and would be remembered as a unique horror and an example of a noticed crime just under the feet of contemporary Austrian society. Two similar cases of hidden abuse brought Doringer’s focus to the subject and he found them both connected to the core of his assignment; political costume and uniform as fashion? Or, fashion as a political costume or uniform?
That image and prestige of one nation or country could be changed and the past erased by scandals and political mistakes. This was a familiar concept to Doringer, as he could relate this back to the country where he was born and where he grew up. Austria had already suffered from a bad image several years ago after the election of hard-core nationalist Joerg Haider. Doringer decided to compare the international image of Austria before and after the case of Natasha Kampusch reached the front pages all over the world. Under the option “Austria +woman “or “Austria + girl” Internet search shows her name. Not surprising that the option “Austria + man” gave much about Fritzl as result. Kampusch became the new brand of Austria. Doringer’s project is divided into four independent, but connected phases and processes.
Caption of the picture.
Vienna, 2008
Postcard
Austria is famous for its mountains and landscapes, often used for the commercial self-presentation of standard, healthy lifestyle and environment. As part of his project Doringer created a series of his own postcards. At first glance they appeared as any other postcard available in souvenir stores all over the world, more precisely in Austria. But after scrutinizing one red point, spot or clearly shaped figure under a red hood it becomes clear that the red spot represents the person dressed in red. By placing the popular fairytale “Little Red Riding Hood” in Austrian landscape, he illustrated the resemblance between the story of Natasha Kampusch and the fairytale itself. (Reference to Erick Bern “What you say after hello?)
Little Red Riding Hood
This part of the project represents the transformation of identity. In the process of transformation Doringer begins from the most famous photo, published in all world press and media. She wears a red jacket with black lines and a black and white school uniform skirt, taking the posture of an adult.
Inspired by the photo and knowing the work of Dejan Kaludjerovic who often works with children as subject, a Serbian artist based in Vienna, Doringer asks Kaludjerovic to transform the photo into a drawing, integrating his personal style. The simple drawings of Kaludjerovic are successfully showing a young person in a world of adults. The viewer’s fantasy and knowledge are necessary to place his work into the right perspective.
Tattoo
Analyzing Austrian mainstream culture and crowd moving in the shopping districts, swimming pools and clubs of Vienna, Doringer noticed the regular presence of tattoo. Most frequently of bad taste and quality, often celebrating pop stars, idols, loved, and media icons. Understanding the position of Natasha Kampusch in public, Doringer decided to create a tattoo design inspired by her image. Here he decided to use a drawing of Kaludjerovic. Tattooing is a very symbolic, painful process, penetrating the skin and flesh with a needle and ink, supported by Vaseline and latex gloves. It obviously resembles gay sex, sm sex as paedophile fantasy gravure on the body.
Everything changes around the tattoo and to itself is resisting in the same form and style; no way back.
Tattooing the image of Kampusch, Doringer questions her maturity to stand in front of the media after being imprisoned and probably rapped for so many years. The process of tattooing resembles trauma, the arm is bleeding and the skin is bruising. Printing a smiling face of Natasha Kampusch from the period of her childhood before the kidnapping on Doringer’s skin is not pleasant and easy. This is also a reminder that no matter what Kampusch does in her life or how she is presented by the media, she was still kidnaped and abused.
Caption of the picture.
Vienna, 2008
Caption of the picture.
Vienna, 2008