Square Numbers
Introdution
The last digits of square numbers can only be 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, or 9. This rule is not unlike society’s division of gender into “male” and “female.”
But what of 2, 3, 7, and 8?
In this image, I use square blocks of specific sizes to obscure the appearance of the body’s sexual characteristics. It represents people like us in the transgender community who are searching for our place within standardized systems.
Comment From the Judge :
Chia-Hsien Yang
This body has no clearly defined sexual characteristics, and the skin-toned bodysuit further removes identifiable features from the flesh. They look like a blank canvas waiting to be painted, or a lump of clay waiting to be sculpted.
The background is kept as simple as possible to emphasize the body that both exists and feels empty. The waves in the bedsheet suggest that everything remains fluid and constantly changing.
The scattered blocks on the body are especially interesting. They can be seen as partial censors, particularly where they cover areas that usually showcase sexual characteristics. They can also be understood as abstract traces of something still in the process of forming and growing. The blocks scattered around the body can even be interpreted as the debris leftover from walls broken down.