sadomasochism is a provocative mixed media installation that examines sadomasochistic role playing as it relates to the complex relationships between author and viewer, oppressor and oppressed, and the external and internal self.

The construct of S/M notions of consent, be they conscious or subconscious, form the basis of intimate interaction; scenarios of empowerment (or the lack thereof) are examined and worked through by the ‘players.’ With this in mind, sadomasochism has been created to illuminate viewer/voyeur ‘play’ and the subtle ways submissive or dominant ‘voices’ shift.

Titillating in its use of historical footage, the installation and its ever changing perspectives form a theoretically based investigation of the psychological aspects of passivity and activity.

Bowen’s previous video works include Milk Fed. Kathleen Pirrie Adams comments in XTRA!, “Deanna Bowen’s video installation, Milk Fed, stands out by pushing deeper into the terror at the core of many works… the piece is an astounding balance of conceptual clarity and emotional power.”