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Conceptual Portrait

Audio Art

One Minute

One FEAT, Three ways

Pipilotti Rist

Be Nice to Me (Flatten 04) is a short video by Pipilotti Rist of herself performing by mushing and swiping her face across transparent glass. The video is framed up close and as though the glass is the screen you are viewing the video on, as though she wants to jump through. The bright green eyeshadow and the red lipstick accentuates the rough motion of rubbing her face across the glass and creates messy streaking which also acts as a record of her movements. The installation hinges its own significance as the video was projected in Times Square, which invites thousands of viewers to experience the intimate and striking performance. The absence of sound allows the viewer to be fully visually involved with the piece. This may have also been done to portray a theme of being stuck behind the glass so we would not hear her. 

Rist’s video art is created with a deliberate artistic intent, often challenging societal norms and expectations. While TikTok and YouTube host a wide array of content, ranging from entertainment to personal vlogs, they often lack the same level of artistic depth and conceptual exploration that characterizes Rist’s work. Rist’s performances and video installations are typically situated in galleries or museums, providing a distinct contextual setting that encourages a deeper, contemplative engagement. Rist’s work frequently delves into themes related to women’s bodies, sexuality, and gender dynamics. She has a knack for subverting traditional representations of women in media, offering empowering and unconventional portrayals. This differs from the often superficial or stereotypical depictions of women’s bodies and sexuality that can be found on social media platforms. Rist’s exploration of these themes is rooted in artistic expression and challenging societal norms. In her performances and videos, Rist often exposes herself both physically and emotionally, inviting viewers to confront notions of vulnerability and intimacy. This is a stark contrast to the curated and often polished images and personas prevalent on social media, where individuals may present idealized versions of themselves. Rist’s willingness to behave strangely or subversively challenges viewers to consider their own discomfort with raw and unfiltered experiences.

Kilometre

For my kilometre, I recorded one kilometre of wind and cloud movement. I was able to get an accurate measurement of one kilometre by looking at my location’s wind gust speed through the weather app on my phone. I recorded multiple days at different times but it was overcast and mildly windy upon every attempt. Initially, I was disappointed as I thought a bright blue sky with crisp white clouds would better achieve what I had in mind. After reviewing my footage, It was to my surprise that the overcast sky created a slightly ominous continuous flow which I found to be more intriguing. The mild winds moved the clouds at 15 km per hour, so I was able to capture one kilometre in a four-minute, uninterrupted video. I initially reduced the video to one minute but decided to keep it at four as it keeps the genuinity of the measurement. The four-minute-long video also allows the viewer to slow down and imagine they are lying in a field, watching live.

Marina Abramovic “The Artist is Present”

My first impression of Marina Abramovic was shock at the degree of pain she was willing to put herself through for a performance. The act of repeatedly whipping herself on the back or running repeatedly into a wall naked was uncomfortable and hard to watch. I admire her commitment to constantly pushing herself beyond her limits and defying the odds of what performance art is. I believe that what is admirable about her art is the problematic aspects of the work. Many would agree that injuring yourself is too far yet it is what has built the level of intrigue surrounding her. 

I have learned that performance art is far from acting. Within the film, Abramovic states “When you perform it is a knife and your blood, when you act it is a fake knife and ketchup.”. By this, she means to perform is to genuinely experience. Her manifest states that an artist should not lie, compromise or steal the works of others, as that would no longer be performing. By performing, the audience is able to connect with the work in a way one could never witness acting. Within her work “Rhythm 0” she allows the audience to do anything to her, whether that be hitting, screaming at or even firing at her. By conducting this performance she is able to test her own limits and test the audience as well. 

Performance art requires the response of a live audience. Performance art is not something that can be owned and hung up on a wall the way we do with paintings. Abramovic’s work came with the challenges of needing multiple performers specifically trained and willing to endure long physically intensive performances as long as the exhibit was open in the gallery. The 3-month long MoMa exhibit “The Artist is Present” requires months of planning including training retreats attended by Abramovic’s performers as well as a team of directors from the museum who needed to manage the large audience that would come in to witness the exhibit. They also had to make complex security arrangements as the viewers would be able to get up close to the Marina and could touch the other performers. I believe these compromises added to the final work as the viewers were able to get the personal one-on-one experience while the show remained safe and cohesive.