Liam Macann
Moving image and animation
Moving image and animation
Liam Macann works though a profusion of new media art disciplines, operating out of Sydney. His works often investigate the philosophy of technology, alongside themes of labour, chance, and social history.
Medium: Single channel video, flatbed photography; 6m 01s
Rationale: Vienna, 1890. Complaints began to circulate around restaurants and hotels: the wait staff wore moustaches. Given the dress code, the moustache was seen as a signifier of status, a delimiter between staff and clientele.
The waiters were asked to shave their facial hair, and consequently, their wives threatened to withhold sex. They were fired and replaced with bachelors.
That is the gist of a fantastical account of hegemonic masculinity, and was the impetus behind this work. Over six minutes, we dissect how clothing, uniform, and the veil all contribute to our perception of self and other.
Medium: Single channel animation, 32s