Upcoming Exhibit
Curated by Sharon Balaban | Mar 9–May 18 | Free + open to the public
Veni, Vidi, Video Gallery Opening Reception + Curator Talk
Thu, Mar 9, 6:30–8:30 pm
The Laurie M. Tisch Gallery | 334 Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street
About Veni, Vidi, Video
Artists: Sharon Balaban | Hilla Ben Ari | Dara Birnbaum | Shirley Clarke | Keren Cytter | Maya Deren | Hadassa Goldvicht | Mierle Laderman Ukeles | Hila Lulu Lin Farah Kufer Birim | Vivian Ostrovsky | Alix Pearlstein | Nira Pereg | Martha Rosler | Mika Rottenberg | Shelly Silver | Anita Thacher | Rona Yefman | Nevet Yitzhak
Taking its title from the declaration of masculine militancy and conquest attributed to Julius Caesar—Veni, Vidi, Vici (I Came, I Saw, I Conquered)—this exhibit highlights the role of Jewish female artists in shaping video art across many decades. It includes works from trailblazing American and Israeli artists and experimental filmmakers of the 1940s and 1950s and contemporary artists of the 1970s, through today’s works, which utilize new technologies and techniques.
In 1967, Sony introduced the Portapak, an easy-to-use video camera that required no crew, beginning a period of tremendous experimentation for artists. In the United States, and especially in New York City, women dominated the field of video art from early on and were vanguards of the second wave of feminism. In Israel, the 1990s were a turning point in the dominance of female video artists, and signified a larger “opening up” of Israeli art into the international art world.
Videos by 18 artists from these two counties explore the themes of human rights, gender, and social dynamics. Female artists have long used video technology to explore what it means to be female in a patriarchal society. The camera allows them to subvert social conventions and deconstruct cultural apparatuses and narratives, manipulating viewers’ expectations of what to expect from “moving images.”
Exploring work from a range of decades, Veni, Vidi, Video showcases the development of technology and its infiltration into the art and the everyday fabric of our society. These timeless videos remain relevant and continue to make their audience think and feel.
Gallery exhibits and programs are made possible with the generous support of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund. Additional support is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the generosity of individual donors.