Critical Writing Index

Illuminating Video: An Essential Guide to Video Art

by Doug Hall and Sally Jo Fifer

Metuchen, New Jersey: Aperture Foundation Inc., 1990

In this chapter from the book Illuminating Video, Gever quickly outlines the the 1980s position of feminism in the Unites States, and then continues to describe video as essential medium for feminists in the country's current climate. She argues video is being used as key medium to work against the grain as feminists turn to critically assess and counter conventional-television presentation-styles to unsettle perceptions of reality. Martha illustrates this by outlining six different video-documentary style works (all made by women artists) that fall into this category. She concludes by observing a critical attitude present in each of the works towards the following topics: conceptions of public and private sphere, the nuclear family, racial identity, national identity, consumer culture, corporate power.

ITEM 1990.106 – available for viewing in the Research Centre

Videos, Artworks and Artists Cited

Fuego de TierraNereyda Garcia-Ferraz

Fuego de TierraKate Horsfield

Fuego de TierraBranda Miller

Secret Sounds ScreamingAyoka Chenzira

Trick or DrinkVanalyne Green

FlagLinda Gibson

Scenes from the Micro-warSherry Miller

Joan Does DynastyJoan Braderman

A Simple Case for Torture, or How to Sleep at NightMartha Rosler