Jean-Léon Gérôme's painting The Snake Charmer presents a stark imperialist perspective of "the east". Set against a backdrop of intricately designed Islamic tiles that lend a blue and silver shimmer to the painting, a group of men can be seen observing a naked snake charmer who is adorned with a large python. I chose this painting as a reference for it’s personal connection with me. As an Arab man and someone who is a sex worker, I experience the sexualization of my ethnicity often in the industry I work in. I have chosen to incorporate myself into the painting. Instead of having men sitting on the floor observing "the performance," my goal is to designate the role of the observer to the viewer of the artwork.
