Select an electrical object:
At first I looked at the works of George Perec Species and spaces and also his work exhibited in the Holden gallery before Christmas. He listed every single item he ate or drank for an entire year, I wanted to use this listing method to “taste my teaspoons” as it were and not just pick something at random I wanted to really look into the items that I use and think about each one not just carry on using objects I can’t even remember using or pick a mundane item I have no interest in. In order to find the electric object I decided I would investigate for three days, I listed every electronic object I used and noted down how many times I used them in one day. After looking over my personal electronic uses I decided I would go with the object I used the least. That just so happened to be my vibrator. My personal results table is show below:
Day 1
Electric item
How much I use it
Light
6
Ghds (hair straighteners)
2
Fridge/freezer
4
Washing machine
1
G-Wizz (vibrator)
1
TV
4
Computer
7
Day 2
Electric item
How much I use it
Lights
6
Tv
2
Computer
5
Hairdryer
1
Electric mixer
1
Lift
2
Fridge/ Freezer
4
Day 3
Electric Item
How much I use it
Computer
4
Hairdryer
1
TV
3
Lights
7
Printer
3
Fridge/freezer
2
Electric mixer
1
Investigate this object:
After my investigations into what object I would be using I realized my object defiantly had my interest. The Vibrator has gone full circle in its development both culturally and technically the story and outcome of the female vibrator is both interesting in its technological history and development processes to its cultural transitions and changes. It’s gone from being completely socially and culturally acceptable and used medically, in demand to the masses of Victorian England to something of a taboo that was to never be spoken about again. It then made a further transition to become and object of intrigue and desire. Its now become an object ‘every girl should have’ with books like fifty shades of grey and before that shows like sex and the city. No longer is it an object to cure women of there medical hysteria (as the clitoris was not yet discovered). It is now used to satisfy and enhance sexual desire for pleasure not practicality it’s a toy a luxury item yet still a taboo to some people.
In our electric dreams lecture we looked at the development of domestic electric, and how the marketing of electronic products was mainly aimed at women for their household appliances around 1918 -1939. In a feature article by Rachel Maines: socially camouflaged technologies: the case of the electromechanical vibrator, There was a fantastic advertisement ‘Aids that every woman Appreciates” June 1989 The portable Vibrator with attachments, not much different to the objects at your friends Ann Summers party with their pleasure pack with bunny ear attachments. In this poster it features along with many other everyday items such as an electric radiator and a household mixer, similar to those archived in MOSI. It states in this delightful poster it is very useful and satisfactory for home service. Because that’s what the vibrator was a service a medical service to treat women for their hysteria created by no other than a man Dr. Joseph Mortimer Grandville. He named it “the Granville hammer” in the 19th century. Of course before this there was a steam powered invention made by an American physician George Taylor. Imagine if we had gone in the other direction, steam powered vibrators! Wouldn’t that be something?
At first I looked at the works of George Perec Species and spaces and also his work exhibited in the Holden gallery before Christmas. He listed every single item he ate or drank for an entire year, I wanted to use this listing method to “taste my teaspoons” as it were and not just pick something at random I wanted to really look into the items that I use and think about each one not just carry on using objects I can’t even remember using or pick a mundane item I have no interest in. In order to find the electric object I decided I would investigate for three days, I listed every electronic object I used and noted down how many times I used them in one day. After looking over my personal electronic uses I decided I would go with the object I used the least. That just so happened to be my vibrator. My personal results table is show below:
Day 1
Electric item
How much I use it
Light
6
Ghds (hair straighteners)
2
Fridge/freezer
4
Washing machine
1
G-Wizz (vibrator)
1
TV
4
Computer
7
Day 2
Electric item
How much I use it
Lights
6
Tv
2
Computer
5
Hairdryer
1
Electric mixer
1
Lift
2
Fridge/ Freezer
4
Day 3
Electric Item
How much I use it
Computer
4
Hairdryer
1
TV
3
Lights
7
Printer
3
Fridge/freezer
2
Electric mixer
1
Investigate this object:
After my investigations into what object I would be using I realized my object defiantly had my interest. The Vibrator has gone full circle in its development both culturally and technically the story and outcome of the female vibrator is both interesting in its technological history and development processes to its cultural transitions and changes. It’s gone from being completely socially and culturally acceptable and used medically, in demand to the masses of Victorian England to something of a taboo that was to never be spoken about again. It then made a further transition to become and object of intrigue and desire. Its now become an object ‘every girl should have’ with books like fifty shades of grey and before that shows like sex and the city. No longer is it an object to cure women of there medical hysteria (as the clitoris was not yet discovered). It is now used to satisfy and enhance sexual desire for pleasure not practicality it’s a toy a luxury item yet still a taboo to some people.
In our electric dreams lecture we looked at the development of domestic electric, and how the marketing of electronic products was mainly aimed at women for their household appliances around 1918 -1939. In a feature article by Rachel Maines: socially camouflaged technologies: the case of the electromechanical vibrator, There was a fantastic advertisement ‘Aids that every woman Appreciates” June 1989 The portable Vibrator with attachments, not much different to the objects at your friends Ann Summers party with their pleasure pack with bunny ear attachments. In this poster it features along with many other everyday items such as an electric radiator and a household mixer, similar to those archived in MOSI. It states in this delightful poster it is very useful and satisfactory for home service. Because that’s what the vibrator was a service a medical service to treat women for their hysteria created by no other than a man Dr. Joseph Mortimer Grandville. He named it “the Granville hammer” in the 19th century. Of course before this there was a steam powered invention made by an American physician George Taylor. Imagine if we had gone in the other direction, steam powered vibrators! Wouldn’t that be something?
The vibrator was marketed as a medical appliance for household use, and arrived in the shops way before the iron or even the vacuum cleaner it was even featured in the “good housekeeping” magazine in 1909 it had truly become an essential household item. With different attachments and settings available the demand was high and the marketing massive the vibrator had gone not only national but also global! Completely accessible at home and not just a specialist item for doctor’s waiting rooms, the monopoly effect of our nation becoming electrified gave the vibrator its plug as it were for development and expansion. After the first initial proto type was created their was at least two dozen varying models available, you would think it was a modern invention a thing of the 90s even but it was the Victorians who created the vibrators that are portable and fit in your hand or vibrators that attach to tables, even musical vibrators. We can’t however ignore the innocence in the marketing of the vibrator in the 19th century, even though it was marketed and used as a household object, a medical appliance and used only for that purpose.
However in the 1950s the advertisements of vibrators disappeared. As the electronic technology moved on and progressed and the cinema further developed causing a stir and making suggestions that the vibrator was in fact sexual and not at all medical, the ‘medical’ aspect of the vibrator became questionable and people started to see it as disgusting and very distasteful. While the invention and development of the fridge and the freezer became progressive and streamlined through its development and design and electricity started to create a certain ideology that technology should be constantly moved forward, progress and improve, The vibrator on the other hand was left at stand still fallen from grace it did not start openly re-appearing on our shelves until the 1970s.
Even though the evolution of the vibrator was grinded to a holt for some time due to the social taboo it fell under, it was no less speedy in its development once given the opportunity to flourish and expand once again. Today we have ‘toys’ on every high street no ordering from catalogs and hoping the packaging doesn’t break, you can try before you buy, on the tip of your nose apparently if it tingles that’s the one for you! They’re back to being an everyday household item, and not just for women although in 1904 the Chattanooga vibrator was in use on male patients what I mean is its now marketed at both sexes and not primarily at hysterical women. It’s an everyday item of demand and a product of true streamline design; some might say its now out performing the fridge and freezer in its progression of design development.
However in the 1950s the advertisements of vibrators disappeared. As the electronic technology moved on and progressed and the cinema further developed causing a stir and making suggestions that the vibrator was in fact sexual and not at all medical, the ‘medical’ aspect of the vibrator became questionable and people started to see it as disgusting and very distasteful. While the invention and development of the fridge and the freezer became progressive and streamlined through its development and design and electricity started to create a certain ideology that technology should be constantly moved forward, progress and improve, The vibrator on the other hand was left at stand still fallen from grace it did not start openly re-appearing on our shelves until the 1970s.
Even though the evolution of the vibrator was grinded to a holt for some time due to the social taboo it fell under, it was no less speedy in its development once given the opportunity to flourish and expand once again. Today we have ‘toys’ on every high street no ordering from catalogs and hoping the packaging doesn’t break, you can try before you buy, on the tip of your nose apparently if it tingles that’s the one for you! They’re back to being an everyday household item, and not just for women although in 1904 the Chattanooga vibrator was in use on male patients what I mean is its now marketed at both sexes and not primarily at hysterical women. It’s an everyday item of demand and a product of true streamline design; some might say its now out performing the fridge and freezer in its progression of design development.