Pillow Talk

"It's what goes on, when the lights go off"

In presenting an installation within the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, it seemed appropriate that it somehow relate to the performing arts, hence the focus on screen icons Doris Day and Rock Hudson. With an arts practice that includes painting on chenille and recently gingham, the fifties and sixties were a natural fit, when both these fabrics and movie stars were at the height of popularity.

DOUBLE 59

In the wacky world of big-screen comedies of the late fifties and early sixties, anything could happen, except of course the loss of the heroine's virginity; making Doris Day both the biggest money-maker and the biggest joke in Hollywood, thanks to the massive success of Pillow Talk (1959), for which she paired with Rock Hudson for the first time. Such legend surrounds Hudson and Day that it seems they made a near endless string of virgo intacta sex comedies but in fact Pillow Talk is one of only three. To watch a film such as this one is certainly left with the question -how could anyone buy it?

Doris Day put her image as "The Great American Virgin" to bed in 1968, calling it quits with Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?

TWIN SHARE 69

Rock Hudson was without doubt, one of the world's most popular film stars in the 1950s. He was tall dark and handsome, and perfectly fitted the public's image of a romantic, manly hero. It is no surprise then that the public was shocked by the revelation that such a stereotype of male heterosexuality was in reality homosexual, learning of Hudson's hidden gay life when he died of AIDS in 1985.

Despite a short-lived marriage to his agent's secretary, rumours of Hudson's sexuality were circulated prior to his 'outing' and stories of past lovers and home movies have since come to light. 'Twin Share' is in keeping with maintaining an acceptable public image if one is to share a motel suite with a member of the same sex. 69 is certainly a kind of 'pillow talk' (although not directly related to the movie but rather to the closeted private life of Hudson).

The year 1969 also marks the stonewall riots which are said to have started the gay and lesbian rights movement. A product of his time, Rock Hudson though, who hid his sexuality and AIDS diagnosis at all costs, was far from a gay rights activist.

Even today rumours are rife about the sexualities and private lives of celebrities and whether one cares to admit it or not, to pursue big bucks and mainstream stradom is to follow a path that ultimately conforms to an acceptable public image determined by the greater public.
Designed to resemble a motel room, the installation pays homage to both Rock Hudson and Doris Day and to 1950s/60s furnishings and decor. Exploring the idea of deceit in relation to the public vs private lives of Hollywood film stars, it aims to lay bare the superficiality and irrelevance of the wholesome ideal couple of the 1950s (as acted out by Hudson and Day).

The movie Pillow Talk, which the installation directly references, is packed with acceptable Broadway cliches, so it seems fitting to end this text with one (a line from Hudson's character): "You're a fashion designer? That must be fascinating - all those fabrics and textures."