Will you walk into my parlour, said a Spider to a Fly
‘Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy
Artist Amber Dawn Bellemare begins The Parlour Project: Spider, Fly and Web with a reading of Mary Howitt’s classic poem, setting the mood for an event that is part photo exposé, part performance, part ceremony, and all very raw and real.
In Mary Howitt’s tale, we are all part spider, part fly. The Parlour Project is a reminder that we are also all web, weaving our tale in ways that connect us together and tell the true story of ourselves.
“As a former sex worker, selfies became my main vehicle for communication with clients, self reflection, and creative expression,” says Amber. “The bulk of my work documents before and after (sometimes during) each rendezvous with a selfie so as to discern what was working, what wasn’t working, and to honour myself in my most vulnerable state.”
Flies on the Wall exposé.
The process of reclaiming her story and retelling it as one about healing, connection, and medicine makes for a powerful, intimate, and very moving experience. Amber’s Flies on the Wall photo display is a spread of selfies that, the closer you look, reveal more about the person doing the looking.
“Feminism meets you where you’re at,” Amber reminds us, and when you try to discern her expressions amongst the before, during, and after shots, you are ultimately holding a mirror up to yourself. The realization deepens the connection to the performance, the performer, and the rest of the audience.
“The Parlour Project is unprecedented as a unique contribution that allows a glimpse inside the oldest profession,” says Amber, “The internet has provided many platforms that empower women to claim their voices, control their images and exploit themselves as they see fit and the world is being forced to adjust, some less willingly than others. Sex workers bear the brunt of negative criticism which leads to cycles of violence, mistreatment, and abuses of power. The way we talk about sex work affects the way we can influence change. This live exhibit is only one portal to that world, but I believe walking through it is a good first step.”
Amber thanks each and every audience member for coming out, and for seeing who she truly is. And it’s that openness—that turning of tables on an old and misunderstood and, when done from a place of choice, ultimately healing profession—that makes this project a ceremony from which we can begin to talk about the sex industry in a new way.
The Parlour Project is presented by The Wolf Lab and runs every night at 8 p.m. until September 28. Tickets available at the door or via Eventbrite.
Due to the nature of the content, guests must be 18+ and cell phones are not permitted. Audience members may leave during the performance and return for the debrief.
