Averse body

Though there are signs that the once-vibrant Baltic Tiger has lost some momentum, seemingly suspended mid-leap, there’s no question that Estonia’s early decades of regained independence were defined by a whirlwind of social and economic transformation. In the early 2000s, for instance, prostitution was a visible and prevalent part of daily life, with dozens – if not hundreds – of brothels and an estimated 12,000 sex workers across the country. Today, with laws banning pimping, the number of sex workers has declined to roughly 500.

In a video filmed in 2006, Foxy Haze is seen traveling by taxi between brothels in nighttime Tallinn. Taxi drivers often serve as the first local guides for tourists in unfamiliar cities, providing recommendations on attractions and services, including sex work. The artist also spoke with sex workers, discussing topics such as beauty, their bodies, clientele and personal ambitions. While sex work can be a voluntary and even empowering profession, the individuals interviewed acknowledge that if money were not a concern, they would choose not to pursue this line of work.

The artist behind the name Foxy Haze, Liina Siib, has devoted a significant portion of her work to examining and depicting women’s working conditions. In this context, Averse Body is akin to her previous pieces A Woman Takes Little Space and Unsocial Hours, although the latter works also showcase the women’s faces and their work environments. In this project, recorded conversations and drawings created by the interviewees themselves come together to form anonymous yet direct, personal and multifaceted portraits of individuals in a profession that is often discussed publicly but rarely grants those involved a voice.