lifestyle choice? the can series

– by Josefine Kristensen

These works question consumerism and the concept of homosexuality being a lifestyle choice. Using a well known consumer product that is marketed worldwide brings to light how advertising appeals to the longings of consumers and in turn questions the concept of homosexual love being a “lifestyle choice”. The work’s conceptual thinking is a comment on society and love. There are three cans that have been labelled with three identities of love and each ask: Do we have a choice on how we feel and who we fall in love with? Do we really have the ability to feel love for any human being? Saying homosexuality is a lifestyle choice implies that love is a choice and is controllable. It implies that both homosexuality and heterosexuality are changeable lifestyles.

Wouldn’t this mean we could fall in love with whoever we choose? And, wouldn’t it imply that we all feel equally homosexual love and heterosexual love? Advertising targets the desires of the consumer and makes products/services desirable by appealing to the sensibilities of the consumer. Wouldn’t then advertising use homosexual scenarios just as much as heterosexual scenarios to target consumers if we had a choice and were able to feel equally homosexual and heterosexual love? Wouldn’t these scenarios be appealing to all if it was a choice?

Exhibition Details:
Dates: Tuesday 1st Jan –25th Jan 2008.
Opening night: Queer City Launch – Wednesday 16th of January 6pm beginning at 45 Flinders St. Finishing at the after party at Loop.
Festival participation: Midsumma Visual Arts – Queer City.
Venue work is at: PLATFORM SHOWS: Degraves-Flinders Station Subway.