Ayla Davis
Ayla recently began experimentation with body art, obscuring the divide between socially acceptable and socially unacceptable forms of self harm. The body is a medium, though often neglected. Flesh is a material. Ayla is curious about what’s inside and underneath, how to access it and how to communicate with it. She views self-inflicted injury as an intense mode of dialogue within her own body, a dialogue which forces a heightened awareness of physicality, reminding her of her own vulnerability. Through tattooing and play piercing, or the act of creating patterns with wounds, Ayla explores body art’s potential for construction through destruction. She is fascinated with the automatic healing process of the body, and sees body modification as a way of forcing the body to heal given specific parameters. In Perforations, Ayla displays documents of experimentation with piercing patterns on her own skin, along with a few tattoo designs. She hopes that the beauty of body art, along with the uplifting nature of the healing process, compels others to practice communicating more deeply with their own body.
Ayla is also interested in the experiences of those with physical disabilities. In her documentary film, The Idea of Never, her hearing-impaired sister, Nathania, is the protagonist. Ayla explores the nature of her sister’s hearing loss, attempting to understand how Nathania navigates life and relationships, as well as the ways that a disability affects one’s self-perception. Ayla plays with audio-visual mismatch to encourage viewers to recognize and appreciate their own senses actively.
Film still from 'The Idea of Never'
Rice News Article including link to short film: Moody fellow to graduate with distinction in creative works