Critical Writing Index

Sex and Representation

by Ian Carr-Harris

Vanguard, 1984, v. 13, no. 9, pp. 22-25

Ian Carr-Harris draws upon Western poetry, Lacanian, feminist and Freudian notions of sex and gender recognition to theorize that the our fascination with (biological and ontological) differences between bodies derives from a "confusion of similarity and difference irrespective of genitalia". (Harris 1984) Harris provides examples of Canadian feminist, documentary and autobiographical artwork that explores these misrecognitions through reconfiguration of meaning and structuralist definitions of gender in sculpture and video art.

In the concluding paragraphs of this article Harris critiques video artist Paul Wong's negotiation of sexual identity representation in Confused: Sexual Views.

ITEM 1984.122 – available for viewing in the Research Centre

Videos, Artworks and Artists Cited

Anticipating the Eventual Emergence of FormRenee Van Halm

Quest of the PriapusAdrienne Trent

Solo ExhibitionIan Carr Harris

Confused:Sexual ViewsPaul Wong