Catalina Ouyang
Brank

Catalina Ouyang

Brank, 2024

Steel

16 ft, 4 in x 11 ft, 6 in x 13 ft, 5 in

4.9 m, 10.2 cm x 3.4 m, 15.2 cm x 3.96 m, 12.7 cm

Brank is a 16-foot tall monumental sculpture that takes the form of a scold’s bridle, an instrument of public humiliation and punishment created in the 16th century and used on women who were perceived as troublesome for speaking out of turn. A spiked bridle-bit was forced into the captive’s mouth so that any attempt to speak would inflict injury. In some instances, the women were led around their cities by a leash, furthering Ouyang’s exploration of the relationship between dog, or submissive, and master in their work, On May 18, 2024, Brank served as a stage for readings, reinstating voice in the once-muted space.