the lines i draw upon my body is a deeply personal account of one woman's 20-year struggle with anorexia and bulemia. disorders. Images from her childhood and her modeling career, as well as medical slides, are projected onto her body as she reveals her story. She gazes upon infinite reflections of self while bathing in shadows. The result is and abstract, fragmented and disturbing portrait of a body at war with itself.
Golden Sheaf Jury Award, Yorkton International Film Festival
Artist's Statement:
This is the story of how I developed anorexia when I was 11 years old and was still struggling with it at age 30. The piece developed from 20 years of asking why and having no simple answer to fall back on. This video of spoken word and images projected onto my skin is an attempt both to share and come to terms with the complexity of the experience. Too often I feel the intricate nature of eating disorders is reduced so that the explainable replaces a deeper understanding of what is really going on. The body I present is not simple. Its lines are broken and distorted, abstract yet recognizable. It is a view that reflects how I continually imagine and re-imagine myself. Dena Ashbaugh 2001
Discussion guide for High School use available for download here:
the_lines_i_draw_Discussion_Guide_HS_.pdf
Discussion guide for Post Secondary use available for download here:
the_lines_i_draw_Discussion_Guide_POSTSEC.pdf
