HUAWHO is a British born Chinese artist, exploring and testing the limits of the human body predominantly through her studies in Kinbaku (Japanese rope bondage), photography, instillation and performance art. Her approach to Kinbaku ranges between the conceptual, utilising rope as a medium of metaphorical expression, and the metaphysical, by confronting intimacy to elicit the extremes of human emotion.

She began her studies in movement and body work as a life model for art classes, whereby she explored the expression of stillness and objectivity. This began her interest in using performance art to question the female nude and empowerment.

“To be naked is to be oneself. To be nude is to be seen naked by others and yet not recognised by oneself. A naked body has to be seen as an object in order to become nude”

- John Burger, Ways of Seeing Part 2

Since the question of honest identity is central to her work and philosophy, she performs and creates with her own body often nude, without ornamentation to search for the natural state of the artist. To be naked, is to be vulnerable, exposed and thus empowers ones sense of self.

The body also serves as a raw and unpredictable canvas, revealing the abstractions of the interior and the relics of trauma. As she often creates performances involve self inflicted elements of pain, pressure and endurance in order to question attitudes towards shame and sexuality.

Kinbaku, (literally ‘tight binding’ in Japanese), is relatively niche and little-known outside of BDSM. Although it is erotic in its core, it is not exclusively, nor does that lessen its value as an art form. I was initially drawn to Kinbaku for its ability to simultaneously distort and celebrate the body, however only until I witnessed it performed privately, did i truly understand that it transcends aestheticism and erotica.

It is a bridge. Ropes replace words, creating a psychological exchange often leading to a euphoria and greater intimacy. Kinbaku, showed me a greater understanding of my body, my strength and my connections with others. It alleviated my struggle in conforming to power/gender roles and more importantly, taught me to trust.

When the body is controlled, the vulnerable side of the mind will be revealed, tearing away the carefully constructed masks we wear. In this sense, through deep intimacy can we learn to express ourselves honestly. I wish to introduce this to a wider audience in China starting in Shanghai. I hope that through a range of approaches I can start a vital conversation about accepting the beauty in sexuality, vulnerability and intimacy.