Anne Anlin Cheng and Patty Chang on Beauty and Violence
An analysis of Patty Chang’s 1988 film exploring the intersection of gender and history.
1The 1988 Cinematic Intervention
Patty Chang’s short film Melons (At a Loss) serves as a provocative meditation on the Asian-American female body. Filmed in 1988, the work utilizes a stationary camera to capture Chang wearing a 1940s-style bullet bra. This specific costume choice immediately establishes a tension between traditional femininity and inherent, underlying aggression.
2Inheritance and Porcelain Symbolism
Chang balances a ceramic plate inherited from a deceased aunt atop her head while narrating its history. The object represents a poisonous legacy, referencing the transglobal history of porcelain as a commodity of Euro-American desire. This material history has shaped Western perceptions of Asiatic persons and objects since the 18th century.
3The Weight of Legacy
The film suggests that these multiple layers of historical and familial legacy have effectively conscripted the Asian-American female body. Chang’s physical comportment throughout the performance reflects this burden, as she balances the unusable porcelain piece. The narrative links personal family history directly to broader, systemic Western conceptualizations of Asian identity.
4Act of Self-Mutilation
The performance takes a dark turn when Chang raises a paring knife to her bra-covered left breast. She saws at the garment with persistent difficulty for nearly a full minute. This act of self-mutilation creates an unbearable tension for the viewer, highlighting the physical toll of carrying such complex, inherited cultural expectations.
5The Melon Metaphor
Relief arrives only when Chang peels back the severed bra cup to reveal a real melon underneath. This visual and verbal pun transforms the earlier act of violence into a surreal revelation. The melon serves as a substitute for the body, bridging the gap between the physical self and the objectified image.
6Violence in Self-Feeding
Chang proceeds to scoop out the melon flesh with an oversized spoon, feeding herself while struggling to speak. This act of self-cannibalism turns a gesture of nourishment into one of violence. Her movements become increasingly frantic, as she shoves the food into her mouth between garbled breaths and fragmented, spoken words.
7Gendered Aggression Dynamics
The film explores how femininity is often forced to flirt with aggression within the context of historical inheritance. By physically attacking her own body, Chang externalizes the internal conflict of the Asian-American woman. The performance forces the audience to confront how historical legacies manifest as tangible, often painful, physical realities today.
8Critical Artistic Significance
Anne Anlin Cheng identifies the work as a chilling meditation on how history shapes affective comportment. By blending the domestic act of eating with the violent act of self-mutilation, Chang critiques the consumption of Asian identity. The film remains a vital piece of performance art regarding the intersection of gender and history.
Original article: Hyperallergic — Anne Anlin Cheng and Patty Chang on Beauty and Violence