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ARTISTIC INFLUENCES
Here I have presented an introduction to two artists whose work has been influential in my studies. As I continue to explore the concepts which have become the focus of my studies, the work of these artists will become apparent.
ARTISTS IN THE FIELD
Yvonne Rainer
In relation to my work as a choreographer from a feminist perspective, I have been looking into the work of other feminist artists to better situate myself and my work. There have of course been many artists over the decades whose work could be considered feminist. The feminist movement began to really influence art in the 1960’s and has been developing ever since.
One early pioneer in feminist art was Yvonne Rainer. Rainer began her career as a dancer under Martha Graham in 1959 and later with Merce Cunningham. In 1961 she performed her first solo choreographic work Three Satie Spoons. In 1966 she premiered what would go on to be one of her most notorious works, Trio A.
In 1970 Rainer created War and Street Action. War was in protest of the Vietnam War and Street Action protested the invasion of Cambodia by US forces.
Karen Finley
Karen Finley is a more modern feminist performance artists whose work is influential to my practice. Finley was a student at the San Francisco Art Institute and began performing at underground galleries and clubs in 1977. She moved to New York following the completion of her degree and quickly established herself in the art’s scene of the city. In 1988 she released an album of primarily monologues over disco beats. In 1986 Finley created The Constant State of Desire which spoke to her frustration of gendered identities and the power imbalances that accompany them. In 1990 she was denied a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) under grounds of indecency in her work We Keep Our Victims Ready. During the performance, Finley stripped naked and coated herself in chocolate. This was a commentary on a few different issues that enraged Finley; patriarchal norms, cruelty, and selfishness.
These were common themes throughout her work.
References
Feelings Are Facts, The Life of Yvonne Rainer, n.d., viewed June 10 2022, <http://www.feelingsarefacts.com/>
Khounthavong, J 2011, 'Karen Finley', blog, viewed June 11 2022, <http://joanakhounth.blogspot.com/2011/03/karen-finley.html>
MoMA, Yvonne Rainer American, born 1934, n.d., viewed June 10 2022, <https://www.moma.org/artists/32349>
Pramaggiore, M 1992, 'Resisting/performing/femininity: words, flesh, and feminism in Karen Finley's The Constant State of Desire', Theatre Journal, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 269-290.
Usta, A 2022, Attacking Patriarchal Norms with Art: We Keep Our Victims Ready, Karen Finley, byarcadia, January 15, viewed June 11 2022, <https://www.byarcadia.org/post/attacking-patriarchal-norms-with-art-we-keep-our-victims-ready-karen-finley>
Wikipedia, Karen Finley n.d., viewed June 11 2022, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Finley>
Wikipedia, Yvonne Rainer n.d., viewed June 10 2022, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvonne_Rainer>