My Mouth Misses You is a playful provocation by the recent graduate Shae Myles. Oscillating between fetish and the grotesque, the video work explores the parallels between food and sex in three chapters: hunger, sex and thirst.

The female character, played by the artist, is dressed in beige shapewear. Her curly black hair, long lashes and perfectly drawn red lips have a distinctly doll-like look. She prepares and consumes a range of foods: all aphrodisiac except for the phallic-shaped bread. Acknowledging female stereotypes of representation, the aesthetic is glittery and juicy, somewhere between infomercial and porn. A feeling that is further reinforced by the accompanying lounge synth music, designed by Toby Macdonald and Marc Britovsek.

The work draws on subconscious links and brings to light the intertwined relationship between eating and sexual desire. Both activate the same area of the brain, creating instant gratification. Myles’ interest in psychosexual analysis explains her focus on the mouth, which is the primary erogenous zone according to Freud. This connection has also become implicit in everyday life: first dates often take place over a meal and a romantic candlelight dinner has become the embodiment of romance.

My Mouth Misses You challenges the viewer to question the role of their gaze. On screen, the character overindulges and enjoys food that she has prepared. Eating with her hands and licking her fingers, she is fully focussed on herself. Our voyeuristic gaze only meets her eyes at the end, leaving us wondering whether we were at all invited.

Words by Polina Chizhova for Videocity, Switzerland