Total Art: Contemporary Video

A color photograph of a woman with short red hair and pink cardigan, standing with her back to the camera in a field of tall yellow grass. She faces twelve men and women, who stand slightly elevated above her in a line and look pointedly at her.
Jun 06 to Oct 12, 2014

Women artists around the world were pioneers of video art in the 1960s and 1970s. Early videos were often recordings of performances or single-channel shorts that critiqued mainstream media. Video artists today are attuned to popular media formats rather than critical of them. To create immersive, experiential works, artists design elaborate stage sets, film at remote locations, incorporate digital technology and animation, and meticulously plan viewing spaces.

Featuring recently acquired works in NMWA’s collection as well as loans from private and public collections, Total Art highlights the inventive processes that sustain women artists’ position at the forefront of video. Total Art reflects the continued global scope of video.

The exhibition features works by Dara Birnbaum, Kimsooja, Mariko Mori, Mwangi Hutter, Alex Prager, Pipilotti Rist, Michal Rovner, Margaret Salmon, Eve Sussman/Rufus Corporation, and Janaina Tschäpe.

An adult woman seen from behind standing before two open glass doors leading out to a balcony overlooking greenery. She is dressed in a long, tan, period gown and her hair is tied up. Around her shoulders are several clear bubbles, resembling a scarf made of bubbles.

Janaina Tschäpe, Lacrimacorpus (Zeitschneide), 2004; C-print, 40 x 30 in.; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of The Tony Podesta Collection, Washington, DC

Exhibition Sponsors

Total Art: Contemporary Video is organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C. The exhibition is made possible by the Weissman Family Foundation and Share Fund. Additional support is provided by the Cowles Charitable Trust and the members of NMWA.

Exhibition Gallery

A color photograph of a woman with short red hair and pink cardigan, standing with her back to the camera in a field of tall yellow grass. She faces twelve men and women, who stand slightly elevated above her in a line and look pointedly at her.
Alex Prager, La PetiteMort #5, 2012, Archival pigment print, 13 x 24.65 inches; Courtesy of the artist, M+B Gallery, Los Angeles, and Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York and Hong Kong
Mwangi Hutter, Neger Don’t Call Me (Installation View), 2000; NMWA, Gift of Heather and Tony Podesta Collection, Washington, D.C.
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The Artist,

Kimsooja

Kimsooja (who merged her surname and given name in 2003), is known for installations of cloth bundles that she created from found objects and traditional Korean fabrics.

The Artist,

Ingrid Mwangi (Mwangi Hutter)

Throughout her career, performance and video artist Ingrid Mwangi has explored issues of “hyphenated” identity.
A medium-dark-skinned adult woman with short dark curly hair, wearing a white crochet top, stands with hands clasped in front of her. On the wall behind her are two large color photographs of medium-skinned adult women.

The Artist,

Michal Rovner

Israeli artist Michal Rovner uses digitally manipulated photography and film to create installations based on abstracted human and natural forms.
A woman with a light skin tone and short hair turns slightly to the right, looking past the viewer. She wears two layers, blue under black, and an expression of inquiry or listening. The white wall she is in front of has the projected image of groupings of black vertical lines.

The Artist,

Janaina Tschäpe

Working across photography, video, painting, drawing, and sculpture, Janaina Tschäpe strives to reinvent perceptions of nature and the body.
A light-skinned adult woman with medium-length curly blond hair wears a black pinstripe blazer over a white blouse. Her mouth is open in speech and arms bent in front of her. Four large color landscape photographs are on the white wall behind her.

Related Media

Videos

Explore related videos, interviews, and other works from the ten artists included in the exhibition.
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Screenshot of a Youtube video showing a young Japanese woman speaking in a white billowy jumpsuit