Still from Athi-Patra Ruga’s ‘Over the Rainbow’ (‘Queens in Exile Series’), 2016-2017
Pending the reopening of the The University of Texas at Austin, Landmarks (UT’s public art program) has announced that its Landmarks Video program will air a new season of works curated by Landmarks Video curator Kanitra Fletcher. In tandem with this season of Landmarks Video, Landmarks Director Andrée Bober and Fletcher have organized Ways of Being, a free online exhibition of select works from the Landmarks Video program.
“Ways of Being takes stock of videos that have been presented by Landmarks Video previously, with an emphasis on works that illuminate cultural differences through the experiences of various identities in the world,” states Bober. The presentation features several themes: abuse of power, Black experiences, cultural displacement, feminism, institutional critique, masculinities, mediated identities, and queer histories. Ways of Being includes essays by Fletcher, and artists Sadie Benning, Dara Birnbaum, Barbara Hammer, Mona Hatoum, Coco Fusco and Paula Heredia, Marilyn Minter, Jayson Scott Musson, Tameka Jenean Norris, Miguel Angel Ríos, Martha Rosler, Teresa Serrano, Lorna Simpson and David Wojnarowicz.
The Landmarks Video program, on view daily at the Media Station, opens with a work by Vendula Knopova. One work per month will be screened in the ART Building atrium (at the corner of East 23rd Street and San Jacinto Boulevard). Videos by Howardena Pindell, Michael Robinson, Michael Snow, and Luis Voldovino (originally scheduled for last season but postponed due to Covid-19) will be screened along with new video works by Kota Ezawa, Athi-Patra Ruga, Thao Nguyen Phan, and more. The new season lineup runs from September 2020 to August 2021.
More about the video selections:
“Highlights include John Edmonds’ Shotgun (2014), an exploration of the vulnerability between two male Black subjects; Guido van der Werve’s Nummer Twee: Just because I’m standing here doesn’t mean I want to (2003), an intersection of film, video, and performance art; and Athi-Patra Ruga’s Over the Rainbow (Queens in Exile Series) (2016-2017), an experimental work that captures the artist’s imaginary world rooted in African mythology, contemporary queer culture, and South African politics.”
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As the university’s public art program, Landmarks presents art that is broadly accessible and free to all. More than forty works of modern and contemporary art are on view throughout the 433-acre campus. The collection not only enhances the beauty of the landscape, but also supports scholarship and learning by demonstrating significant art historical trends from the past seven decades. “Believing that art fosters personal growth and human connection, Landmarks strives to provide inclusive experiences for all people. We recognize the exclusionism, elitism, and historical imbalance of power in the arts and in higher education. Our work embraces a commitment to self-examination, accountability, and adaptability. By creating equitable opportunities for meaningful engagement with public art, our program reflects the diverse communities we serve and celebrates our differences.” Please visit landmarksut.org before planning your visit. Videos are accessible to all and free to view.
