The Inner Mickey by Joyce van Tienen (March 4, 2010) 
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Introduction by Marga Rotteveel
Orlando (Florida) was the destination of this year’s study-trip from the Master Photography Education Prgram at AKV St. Joost in Breda (The Netherlands). Thirteen students boarded the aircraft dreaming about their project plans for documentary photography. Orlando was chosen because of its connection to the leisure industry, its unusual urban planning projects and its specific demographic charactaristics. Students researched and worked on their projects for ten days, supported by lecturers Miriam Bestebreurtje, Martine Stig and Marga Rotteveel.
Today’s presentation: The Inner Mickey, by Joyce van Tienen Joyce van Tienen’s projects focus on our inner worlds and the beauty of ordinary things. She captures poetic images. At Disneyworld, Joyce wanted to portray the people inside the Mickey Mouse costumes, the “Inner Mickey’s.” Unfortunately, Disney did not allow her access to the man-Mickey’s. Having to produce a piece within the designated time, Joyce decided to fantasize about the Inner Mickey’s portraying women – paparazzi-style – that could fit the profile well.
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Our poll "A photo essay always needs a great written story" closed. 267 people voted, 28% agrees, 72% disagrees. 233 people answered our follow-up question "Are you a photographer?" 82% indicated they are, 18% said no. Initially, negative answers to question #1 were almost 100% as was the pecentage of photographers among respondants. Then, when the level of non-photographers started to rise, the percentage of people indicating good text is always essential started to rise too. This seems to indicate that non-photographers think that adding good text to your photo essays is essential. In my opinion: if you want non-photographers to dig your work, you know what to do...
Female, under 30, 5,3 ft tall or smaller, 8 stone, immigrant, living in Kissimmee, Florida.
Using paparazzi-style photography, the seemingly randomly portrayed women of Kissimmee should fit the profile of a person that works inside a Mickey suit. My search for the Inner Mickey began in Disney World Orlando, where I queued up several times to speak to Mickey Mouse in my attempt to get to know who is behind the façade of one of the world’s most famous icons. In the park ‘where dreams come true’, however, the search dead-ended drastically. My pursuit to expose the naked authenticity of man by unmasking this icon collided straight into Disney’s policy to protect the notion that” Mickey Mouse is a character, and not a person.”
Nearly sued by the Disney corporation I moved my search from inside to outside the park.
Though Mickey symbols were over-abundant, the same mystification about the person inside the suit was very much noticeable. I was misguided, pointed to wrong directions, or sometimes even being told-off about my questions where to find a Disney cast member.
In my persistence I did however learn about the above-mentioned possible characteristics of the Inner Mickey. I decided look out for these features and decided to capture them from a distance.
The girls in the photos are possible Disney cast members. Being non-native speakers of English, they are not tempted to talk during work (which they are not allowed to). They are fit in a Disney suit and they live in an suburb with fairly low-income accommodation. The choice for paparazzi-style imagery subtly reveals the secrecy around my search for the Inner Mickey and creates the tension and distance that I experienced with Disney corporation during my quest.
Joyce van Tienen (1976) lives and works in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Click weblink joycevantienen.nl or browse our archives
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