“Lovely Andrea” @ Documenta 12: In Search Of Asagi Ageha

The video and photographic installation "Lovely Andrea" by Hiro Steyerl now on view at Documenta 12 in Kassel documents the artist's search for a photograph of herself in rope suspension bondage that was taken when she was 19 years old; not incidentally, it also serves as an introduction to the work of Japanese bondage artist and fetish model Asagi Ageha, who helped Steyrl in her quest to find that lost photo. As far as installations in international art exhibitions are concerned, we suppose Steyerl's piece is interesting enough, dealing as it does with issues of identity, bondage, suspense and dependency. But we're more hooked on Ageha's body of work, which in addition to over 700 fetish performances in Japan over the last few years also includes appearances for Kink.com's Water Bondage and HogTied.com and several DVDs. That's the kind of art we can definitely appreciate.

· "In Search of the Lost Ass" (sexblo.gs)
· Asagi Ageha Official Site (a-geha.com)
· Asagi Ageha (profile @ kink.com)
· "Asagi Ageha meets Nureki Chimuo" (tokyobound.com)